Doux Nid » Accessories

Sur La Table

melissa — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:54:24 +0000

Creating tablescapes is a fun way to add beauty to everyday living , to explore new ideas, and to connect with nature. Instead of using artificial items manufactured in bulk, try using natural objects from the earth that are available at your fingertips in the grocery store. Here are a few of my favorite things:

Fruit

For the holidays, purchase a variety of fruits. Look for different shapes and sizes. Pomegranates, grapes, pears, lemons, and oranges have worked really well for me in the past. Coat the different fruits with egg white, roll them in granulated sugar, and then let them dry. Once the sugar has hardened, have fun arranging the fruit pieces on cake stands, trays, or in any favorite bowls. Tuck in sprigs of fresh evergreen to frame the fruit. Perfect for the holidays.

Grapevine

Grapevine wreaths are available at most craft stores in various sizes. Break apart the wreaths until you have long strands of grapevine to use. Feel free to cut the strands. Drape them around centerpieces, wind them around pillar candles in hurricane lamps, or fill a clear decorative bowl with grapevine and water and add a few fresh flowers. Grapevine also makes gorgeous garland on holiday trees.

Vegetables

Gather up artichokes and green beans at the market and use them to create beautiful tablescapes for entertaining. Try filling terracotta pots of different heights with artichokes. Simply beautiful and natural. I also like to use artichokes as candleholders. Hollow out some artichokes, place small candles in them and cluster them in your tablescape to add glow and texture. Green beans work well with candles too. Take a pillar candle and wrap a rubber band around it. Place green beans between the rubber band and the candle until you have a ring of green beans around the candle. Cover the rubber band with a decorative ribbon. Voilà!

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Design With Fitness In Mind

melissa — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:56:16 +0000

The coming of a new year is a time of renewal. Thinking about our values and hopes to make changes in the new year takes center stage. For many of us, getting into shape and improving our fitness is an all-consuming resolution for the new year. To nurture your fitness resolution, make sure to think about design. Using real fruit in bowls is a beautiful design statement as well as a practical way to store healthy snacks and desserts for easy access. Fruit bowls are not just for the kitchen. Use them on a coctail table, dining table, or any kind of table.

Sur La Table

Lemonade

melissa — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:54:56 +0000

At your next dinner party, think about serving sparkling, French lemonade. When the lemonade is gone, you will be left with beautiful bottles to use in the future. Just refill the bottles with water or other favorite beverages and scatter them throughout the table at your next dinner party. Guests will admire the beautiful bottles and will enjoy the bounty of beverages at their fingertips. Recycling never tasted so good.

Reverence

Maverick Mirrors

melissa — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:41:25 +0000

Mirrors mix so easily with other accessories. They add light and sparkle to even the darkest spaces making rooms appear larger. Shake things up and use mirrors in unexpected places. Prop large mirrors against walls or hang small mirrors off bookcase shelves to add flavor to any room. Tap into your creativity and discover your own unique way to use mirrors.

Plate Crazy

Plate Crazy

melissa — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:24:38 +0000

Turn up the style heat in your home by using plates. Whether you like modern or traditional, plates can add that extra pizzazz to your walls. Open up your cabinets to see if you have a favorite family set decorated with the patina of past memories or shop for new plates bursting with trendy color. Once you have decided on the plates, play with the arrangement on a table before you hang the plates on the wall. It is easier to play with placement options before you put holes in your wall. For a really professional look, use a tape measure to hang the plates.

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Pillow Candy

melissa — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 04:29:43 +0000

Decorate pillows with your favorite pins. It is a great way to express your individuality and to nurture your spirit. Instead of keeping sentimental pins tucked away in jewelry boxes, enjoy them on pillows. Just take your pins out of hiding and decide which ones go together. Group pins together that share the same color, finish, or theme.

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Sea Gems

melissa — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 03:20:08 +0000

Natural objects from the sea and earth are beautiful. Use them throughout your house to connect with nature. One of my favorite things to use are shells of all shapes and sizes. Have fun collecting and playing with the arrangement. Trust your eye.

Sur La Table