Vases and Candle Holders

A porcelain vase is a great decorative item in your home.  They really add detail to the overall theme in your home.  You can have several vases in your home with different designs.  You can flower designs, animal designs and even the Last Supper painted on the vase.  They come in different sizes as well so you can really have an assortment of vases.

And if you really love to have flowers in your home, you can arrange them in your vases.  You can really spruce up your home and make it cozier with beautiful flowers.  And porcelain vases are easy to maintain.  Their designs will not wash of or fade away.  Just make sure that you don’t break them.

Ceramic Vase

Finally, take care of your flowers every day and remove wilted flowers so they do not contaminate the rest. It is recommended that you change the water daily but if you are too busy to do so, replacing the water every two or three days is fine. Make sure you add the preservative each time you change the water. You can also re-cut the stem for improved water absorption.

Taking care of cut flowers is not very difficult as long as you take the steps mentioned above. It does not take much time but you will see the benefits for many days to come.

Before putting the flowers in the vase, remove all the leaves that might be submerged in the water. Leaves have the tendency to decay when submerged underwater and when these leaves rot, they poison the water and shorten the vase life of your flowers. Arrange the flowers in any way you desire, but make sure you do not overcrowd the vase. If the bouquet is too large or the arrangement seems too tight, divide them into two and place them in separate vases. Once you’re satisfied with your floral arrangement, keep the vase in a cool spot away from direct sunlight to avoid rapid respiration. Respiration is the process wherein living organisms age. It is helpful to note that flowers generally have a higher respiration rate than most agricultural crop. The lower the temperature of the room they are placed in, the longer the flowers will last. However, if the flowers are subjected to temperatures below zero degrees, their internal cells can get easily damaged and dry out the flowers. If you want your bouquet to decorate an air-conditioned room, make sure the temperature is not too cold.

You just purchased or received a breathtaking delivery of flowers from that special person or friend and now you’re probably thinking about how to make their firm petals and vibrant colors last for as long as possible. Here’s how you can prolong the freshness, beauty, charm and make your cut flowers last much longer. Be sure to place your flowers into a vase of water quickly.

First, remove the flowers from the packaging, hold the stems “underwater,” and cut the stem at a 45-degree angle using a “sharp knife.” Cutting the flower at this angle allows the stem to have a greater surface area for water consumption. Do not use scissors to cut the stems and do not crush the stems either; this will damage the tips and block the flower’s water intake.

Next, prepare the vase of your choice and be sure the water and vase are clean. Kill any bacteria or algae that formed in the vase by cleaning the inside with bleach. If your florist does not include preservatives with the flower delivery, fill the vase with lukewarm water and add a floral preservative. You can either buy preservatives from your florist or make on your own. To make your own preservatives, mix lemon with a very small amount of bleach, or a teaspoon of sugar with a few drops of bleach. Take note that using homemade concoctions might not be as effective as professional cut flower food because they don’t contain the complex mixture of preservatives and nutrients flowers need to survive.

One very interesting accessory used by a home décor enthusiast is the vase. Vases have a unique history. In the beginning, vases were made out of stone and were used merely for practical pursuits. Pottery vases seem to have been first used during the Persian Empire. Archaeologists have found bits and pieces of vases and have put them together to form the original vase shape. Then there were the Greeks who were one of the first to put decorative embellishments on their vases. Vases have truly come a long way from the original stone vase, to the modern vases that we see today.

Among the most delightful and recognizable of styles of pottery are the Tang horses and tomb figures. Moreover, Tang potters made another contribution of much greater significance in ceramic history. It is their discovery of the thin white translucent ware known as porcelain. These items are made with white china so thin that its translucent form, it makes a ringing sound when struck.  From there porcelain vases have emerged and now considered as one of the most valuable pieces of pottery.

Decorate Your Home With Window Treatment. Here are some great Tips

1. MINIMAL IS IN
“Strip away heavy window coverings and replace them with simple shades,” says Nash. “Younger buyers in particular are into a streamlined look. And no one seems to want a lot of fabric.”

One path to less fabric is using an upholstered cornice, says Pelley, or a flap valance like the Ace three-piece set from Swags Galore.

2. LIGHTEN UP
“Not enough natural light in the kitchen is a deterrent to buyers,” says Pelley. “Pleated shades offer a privacy treatment and still allow plenty of light.”

Just one example of an attractive pleated shade is the Smith + Noble version, available in tones ranging from Whitecap to Lilac, in subtle stripes and a tropical-looking pattern. It even comes in versions suitable for skylights or arched windows.

Provenance woven wood shades from Hunter Douglas

3. PICK CURRENT COLORS
If you’re using fabric, make sure it’s in a contemporary tone.

“The terra cotta shades, with persimmons, peaches and oranges are very ‘in’ mixed with greens, blacks and golds,” says Pelley. “You can also mix cotton fabric prints, either within a treatment or coordinating a print in the valance or cornice with another print on the cushion tie seats or place mats.”

If your kitchen is particularly tiny, then light, cool colors can make it look larger and brighter, while dark, warm colors can make an oversized kitchen more inviting.

4. TRY SOME TEXTURE
Another hot trend to get buyers enthusiastic about your kitchen is Roman shades made of rattan, bamboo or other natural fibers, says Pelley: “They add visual interest with their texture, but still roll up smoothly like the Roman shades of old.”

5. SOFTEN DIRECT LIGHT
Too much direct sunlight is also an issue in kitchens, says Pelley, since it makes it hot and unpleasant to work in. Simple wood blinds or woven wood shades, like the Provenance sold by Hunter Douglas, will filter the light without looking too heavy.

London Shade from Smith + Noble

6. CONSIDER SOME CURVES
“There are typically lots of straight lines in the kitchen — the cabinets, the appliances, the counters —everything is straight or square,” says Pelley. “It’s a good idea to add a window treatment with soft curves to open the space up, especially in a small kitchen.”

Decorating your windows will go very nicely with your other decor like your pictures or decorative vases.

Making a floral arrangement in a vase can either be simple or fancy vase, depending on the kind of arrangement you want to have. 
 

Vase

Instructions
Things you will need:
• Vase
• Mixture of  artificial & live flowers
• Floral foam
• Flower life extender
• Baby’s breath
• Stem of leaves
• Step: 1:
Once you have decided on the type of arrangement you can go and buy your supplies. Choose flowers with buds that are slightly open and colors that complement each other and match your home décor.
• Step 2:
Place the fresh flowers in a tall vase so you can measure the length you need. If they are too tall, place the stems in water and cut them under the water at an angle. To avoid cutting the stems too short, cut a little at a time and then test the height to the desired length. Remove leaves that will be under the water
• Step 3:
Soak your floral foam until it has soaked up some water. Fill your vase half way with water and put the life extender and mix well. Cut the floral foam to fit snugly into the vase near the top. Stick the flowers into the vase in the foam. Put the taller, bigger flowers on the inside and work outwards to the front. Arrange the baby breath throughout, then place your leaf stems in the back, as well as, draping some over the side. This will add a simple fresh flower arrangement. Make sure the flowers are taller than the green leafs. By using lots of small blooming stems and green fillers, it will look fuller and more balanced. Keep the foam damp.
• Step 4:
If your vase is more shallow and wide, place the greens around and into the foam. Then cut some flowers taller than the greens. Or another arrangement us to use long green stems out both the sides. Stick in taller flowers center to front. Play around. Try different arrangements so you can get the correct look.
• Step 5:
Extend the life or your cut flowers with flower preservative mixed into the water. Add fresh room temperature water each day clip the stems before reinserting. Remove all wilted or rotten leaves and petals to control the growth of bacteria
• Step 6:
You can do the same thing with artificial flowers as you did with the fresh flowers. Still use the foam to hold the flowers but do not wet the foam. Again play with different arrangements to achieve the best look.

The appearance and the size of your vase really matters a lot. Plan your vase according to the flowers. You need to have a tall vase for long stemmed flowers like Daffodils, Roses, Gladiolas, Iris and freesias.

Slim vases and wall mounted vases helps to give a beautiful appearance of your bouquet. Also to add a special touch do an arrangement of several vases. They give an extremely different appearance when they are arranged and grouped.

The neutral colour, like crystal vases are designed specifically to give more importance to the flowers.  On the other hand, vibrantly bold coloured vases will spoil the appearance of the flowers. So, use a vase that looks plain.

Letting your flowers last longer:

1. The vase should be kept clean and filled with lukewarm water about half the brim
2. In this water you can mix the contents in the nutrient sachet. Avoid adding sugar, bleach, aspirin, etc.
3. Unpack the flower bouquet and remove the thorns and stem leaves
4. Cut the stems diagonally without crushing or splitting them
5. Remove any dead petal leaves from the water
6. Quickly submerge the flowers into the vase
7. Top up the water level
8. Periodically sprinkle flower foods which will make your bouquet last longer

Making your own beautiful flower arrangements is not as difficult as florists want you to believe.  Flower arrangement, just like any art, is all about creativity and attention to detail.  If you can paint a picture, make a sculpture, or take a stunning photograph, you can make a breathtaking flower arrangement at home. 

First you will need a glass vase, several fresh flowers with long stems, a few greens (ferns, plant leaves, etc), a knife, and a bit of plant preservative.  First take your fresh flowers and cut their stems about a quarter inch from the bottom, this will help the flowers to last longer.  Fill the bottom three inches of the vase with water, and sprinkle in the plant preservative. 

Now take your greens and lay them against the back of the vase, their stems should be long enough to reach the bottom of the vase.  If the stems don’t reach the bottom, don’t worry about it for now and just ensure they stay in place.  Next, start putting in your flowers; feel free to arrange them in whatever manner strikes you as fitting. 

If your arrangement is looking dull, try staggering flowers at various heights, or let some hang outside the vase.  You might also want to consider a softening flower like baby’s breath or lavender to place in the front of the arrangement.  When done, you should have a beautiful looking arrangement.  If it’s not looking great, practice makes perfect!