The Pros and Cons for Live and Artificial Plants

A decision to make as you decorate your home is whether you want to use silk plants and flowers or real ones. There are some great pros and cons to each option. When considering real plants, you want to make sure that the plant can get sunlight and water. Also, bugs are sometimes drawn to live plants. An advantage to live plants is the green thumb you develop as you care for them and watch them grow. Silk or artificial plants are great for storage when you are not using them, such as wreaths or seasonal items. They also are lighter and easier to move. The most important consideration to be careful of with artificial plants is how true to life they look. Many silk plants and flowers are rendered so perfectly that observers cannot tell their authenticity without touching them. The best compliment an artificial plant can receive is, �I thought it was real!�

Making and Displaying Wreaths

A lovely wreath on your door will tell visitors to your home something about you before they even step inside. They can be made in a variety of ways, shapes and styles. You just need a foam ring and some silk flowers to get started. Most likely, the stems of your flowers will be too long; trim them so that there is about 1 inch of stem remaining. Then push the stems of each flower into the ring. A key to an attractive wreath is to make sure that the flowers are grouped closely enough so that the foam does not show through, but not so close that the flowers are crammed. Your wreath will last a very long time if you use a hot glue gun to add small amounts of glue where the base of the flower touches the ring. A little extra green in your wreath is often a nice touch�"use leaves or vines to supplement your flowers. You can theme your wreath to the time of year, or use regional flowers for a more local look. Once the wreath is completed, hammer in a small nail to the top of the door and string up the wreath.

Improving the Look of Your Home Even Before You Decorate It

It is stated that cleanliness is next to godliness. The goal of interior decorating is to have your home looking as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Of course, finding time to do all we need to do is a big issue. It is easy to think about changing the decorations within our home when we want to improve the look of our house. However, some changes in how we keep our houses clean can do just as much. One simple way to efficiently keep your house clean is to put a list of chores together that includes tasks needing to be done a few times a year. Then, rather than having to dedicate a whole day or week to these chores, take twenty or thirty minutes a couple days each month and take care of them. Another time-saving strategy is to make sure the rest of the family is helping you! Not only is it their responsibility, too; having everyone help frees a lot of your time and makes you a lot more fun to be around. Third, as you clean and organize, place labels on containers and shelves so you know where everything has been placed and where everything is supposed to be.

The Many Varieties of Silk Trees

Most people, when they start their research for getting a new silk tree or bush, are surprised by the great variety of options available to them. The most well-known silk tree is the pine tree (Christmas tree). Some of the less renowned trees may be perfect for your needs, but you didn’t know they exist. One of these is the banana tree. These trees have very thick, long leaves and look almost like a palm tree. Another is the bonsai tree, which has very small, almost pine-like features. These trees are obtainable in many different arrangements and designs. A third, less commonly used idea is silk grass, including bear grass, horsetail, and even cattail. Be sure to look around at some of the many choices available to you so that you can get the best fit for the space you are decorating.