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Silk Flower Arrangements & Greenery in Your Room - From Drab to Drama in Seconds

2009-02-15T13:07:00.000-06:00

You know what room it is in your house. You walk by it every day and each time you say to yourself, "Gee, that room needs something." The next day you don't think about it until you walk by again. It's just like "Groundhog Day", isn't it?

So where do you start? You know you need color, but do you paint a wall, move the furniture, add a rug? Well, having done florals designs for quite some time, I'll happily tell you my thoughts about it in the hopes that it helps you do your next room. I think you look at doing all of those things, and then you add what makes the most difference. I call it the "Green ~ Flower" effect. You need green in the corner and flowers on the table. Let's have a look at what you might want to do and where you need to start.

First, at least one wall needs color to add drama. Don't worry about using a dark color. Match it to your rug and you are on your way.

Now that you have that done, it's time to pick out a silk tree for at least one corner. It guides the eye up and helps your brain take in the room all at once and sense warmth. Without at least some greenery, your room will look cold and stark. It complements your furniture and brings subliminal comfort to the feel of the room. I don't think you need a rain forest, but a couple of silk green plants or trees in some really awesome pots will make a room rock!

Once you've nailed down the greenery part of the "Green ~ Flower" effect, it's time to work on my favorite part, the silk flowers! This is when the fun starts! You start by writing down all of the colors you want to highlight or bring out. Be sure to start with your wall color. Pull others from your rug and your furniture if it is made of fabric or leather. With list in hand, go to your room and stand there. Imagine that you have a silk flower arrangement on the table that is in a non-descript pot and all the flowers are a solid color. Start at the top of your list, close your eyes and imagine each color on your flowers. See how they look with the wall and the rug. Rule out any that don't sit well with you. Trust me, you'll know as soon as you "see" it. You should now have a nice list of colors that you want in your silk flowers.

The next step is to determine what design category you are in. My categories are:

the "Minimalist"
the "Traditionalist"
the "More is Better"
the "Eclectic"
the "I have no idea & I need help"

The Minimalist

If you tend to favor a very simple, scaled down look with very few decorative items sitting around, you are what I call a "Minimalist". This simply means that you don't like clutter, and if you put out a decorative piece, you are proud of it and like it very much. Minimalists should begin their search for flowers with types like orchids that are simple,serene, elegant and yet electric with their beauty at the same time. There are so many varieties and vibrant colors that there is surely one that will fit perfectly.

The Tradionalist

I fall into the Traditionalist category. I like silk flower arrangements with lots of different flowers. I like them to have all of the colors that I want to bring out with different hues of those colors to make it interesting. I like a vase or container that is complementary, but is "discussion worthy". It should make someone say, "That arrangement is beautiful in that vase!". It could be the color, texture, or size, but it should spark a comment or a conversation. I also like different kinds of ivy and greenery that complement the piece. I guess that I just like "traditional" flower arrangements instead of funky or wild ones. It all depends on the room and the contents.

The More is Better

These folks tend to like stuff everywhere. They feel much more comfortable with all of their stuff around them. They tend to attach sentimental value to decorative items and like to set them out and enjoy them. I've been known to poke gentle fun at my "More is Better" customers by telling them that they will develop the "hoarder condition" if they don't watch out, but I have to admit that at one time as a youngster I could very well have fallen into this category. They enjoy many different colors and textures, but will probably lean toward their "favorite" flower. They will say something to me like, "Oh, I want something with a "whatever it is" flower. They are my absolute favorite!".

The Eclectic

These customers are so fun to work with! Their rooms have all kinds of neat stuff in them, and making an arrangement for them gets my imagination running wild. There is one on my website that I did a few years ago that my customer absolutely loved. It has willow branches going everywhere and looks kind of like a thunderstorm with lightening to me. It's really cool and funky, and I get comment emails from the website about it all the time. It still makes me chuckle. When I interview these customers, I write pages about what they like, and then go off and sleep on it. Usually I wake up the next morning itching to get into my flower room to make the design I have in mind.

The "I have no idea & I need Help"

These customers are also very fun to work with. I write volumes with them as well. I really like to do these locally so that I can go see their home and start to figure out their style. I've used pictures for long distance customers, but it's much more fun for me if I can get "into their house and into their mind"! They usually ask a thousand questions which I love. They usually end up falling into one of my other categories, and usually when I see their home I know right away what category they fall into. :)

So now you know all of my trade secrets, and how I do design work. It's really fun and I meet the neatest people. My hope is that you will figure out what category you are in and find just the perfect wall color, rug, silk tree and arrangement for your room!

The Elegance of Orchids

2008-04-19T20:10:00.003-05:00

A new trend in the silk flower arrangement area are different types of orchids. These silk flowers are lifelike and some have roots that live outside of the ground. They are very interesting. But, what's important is how they look in your home. Let's look at several examples:
This stunning and exquisite Vanda Orchid silk arrangement will stop everyone in their tracks. Bursting with color and energy this Vanda has 4 marvelous blossoms and 2 delicate buds. Perky roots and gorgeous green leaves are beautifully displayed from the hip black vase this arrangement is set in. Standing 21 in tall this perfect replica of its natural counter part will fill any room with a sense of serene elegance. Height - 21"

Our professional designers have put incredible detail into this twenty seven inch silk arrangement! Ten large silk Vanda orchid flowers, eight light green buds, accented with thirty two green leaves and aerial roots are all presented on a drift wood like base. The beauty of this silk plant is unmatched.

Always a favorite this silk Cattleya arrangement is simply a piece of art. Featuring an elegant Cattleya bloom, realistic orchid roots and gorgeous green leaves this beauty stands a perfect 18 inches in height. Beautiful from top to bottom this silk Cattleya arrangement is completed with an exceptional black ceramic vase and is ready for immediate display. Height - 18 in Pot size - H: 6 in, W: 6 in

You can see how these silk orchids could take the place of a smaller silk flower arrangement that you would like to change. Come visit us at LuxuryInBloom.com.

Until next time,
Julie

THIS Christmas is going to be the BEST Christmas!

2007-10-31T21:14:00.000-05:00

Your home is the centerpiece of your visible Christmas spirit! We all LOVE decorating for the holiday season. Large, lovely red flowers like the Amaryllis are a favorite, and who could leave out the beautiful Pointsettia? Some orchids are just perfect at Christmas time, so don't forget to check out the Vanda with Root Base in a pretty Burgandy color. Silk flowers and orchids set strategically around your home can take a ho-hum corner or table and turn it into a graceful splash of color that catches the eye! You can do it!

Us ladies at LuxuryInBloom.com are here to get you into that creative Christmas mood! Come check out the lovely silk flower arrangements and orchids you can have in a heartbeat. Send us an email at Info@LuxuryInBloom.com if you want some creative help!
Julie

My Flower of the Month is the Calla Lily

2007-09-09T18:58:00.000-05:00

This silk Calla Lily arrangement in liquid illusion is elegant and lovely. I think that the Calla Lily is my favorite flower. They just stand with such grace and stature that you just know that God smiled big when he made them.

If you are going to use them in an arrangement with other flowers, you really have to plan before you start. They just don't look good when they are crowded. You need your arrangement to be something loose looking and airy. Then, you need to make sure that it is somewhat tall so that they can arch a little bit. I think they look wonderful all by themselves like the arrangement above. Pretty isn't it?

You can find many lovely additions to your home at our online store, www.LuxuryInBloom.com. Come by and look around. We think you will be really happy with what you find there.

Until next time,

Julie

Don't Forget the Flowers In Your Decor!

2007-08-05T17:13:00.000-05:00

You won't believe your eyes! Lovely, elegant, breathtaking color to bring out the beauty of your room! Don't miss our selection...these and many more.

Dragon Fly Decor is IN!!!

2007-06-17T11:09:00.000-05:00

I've noticed lately in my travels that Dragon Fly Decor is totally IN! And we have this Dragon Fly Suncatcher that will match very nicely with those Dragon Fly curtains I see so much!

You will love this piece! In the american arts and crafts tradition, three marshflower pink and green dragonflies circle in flight around a honey colored grid patterned stained glass window. Made with the l c Tiffany copper foil process, comes with solid brass hanging chain and brackets included. PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS TOTAL: 18Hx18W.

Don't miss the hundreds of suncatchers in our collection on our Home Decor - Suncatchers, Mirrors, Vases, Clocks page!

Until next time,

Julie

Dendrobium Silk Orchid - Silk of the Week

2007-05-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

Greetings from my back yard in Dallas, TX. It is an absolutely gorgeous day here...temperature in the low 80's and almost no humidity. Perfect!!! I fully intend to get out and take an hour long walk as soon as I finish my blogs today. This weather doesn't last here. In a few weeks it will be too hot already.

Anyway, I was looking through the silk orchids on our website and noted these lovely Dendrobium Orchids. I wanted to bring them to your attention so you could start thinking about where you might use these during the summer months. They look so cool and elegant, and I thought that some of you might like them. The roots are supposed to show so no need to worry about that. We have other colors on our Silk Arrangements & Orchids page so please take a look!

Well, I have to get out and enjoy this weather.

Until next time,

God Bless,

Julie

Spring Blooms All Around Us!

2007-04-21T11:47:00.000-05:00

As I sit here on my back porch watching the Bluejays and the Cardinals compete for the birdfeeder, and listen to the baby birds up in our resident birdsnest up on the eaves, and watch our cat, Jackson, bark (literally!) at all of this, I realize that we have a real zoo on our hands.

Thursday I planted the hydrangeas from my Sister-In-Laws funeral and, although with sadness, I admire their beauty as they start to perk up after being planted, and I realize how blessed I am. My Easter Lily has it's last bloom drooping over ready to drop. They were so lovely! Every year my husband gets me a new lily for the back yard so they are all coming up again. They each bloom at different times so I can enjoy them off and on for quite awhile.

My roses are blooming. The climbing roses are hanging over the front of the cedar archway and are just stunning. There are two colors, a deep pink and a lighter pink. God sure knows his color pallet, doesn't he?

All this makes me want to do arrangements. I love putting the colors together and creating something that no one else has. It's very amazing to me that I have this ability. I've been so very blessed. How many times have I said that already?

I hope to have some new items on the site soon. I have been so busy with the websites and my regular job that creating arrangements hasn't been on the top of the list. But, I hope to very soon.

Until next time,
God Bless,
Julie

I Thought Spring Had Sprung? What's Up With The Snow?

2007-04-09T21:50:00.000-05:00

We got snow flurries...yes you heard that right...snow flurries in Dallas, TX. Where I was born and raised, 90 miles east of Cleveland, 26" of snow...yes you heard me correctly! 26" of snow...on Easter!

Now, I'm supposed to be planting my flowerbeds outside and creating arrangements inside this time of year. But what was I doing? Watching snowflakes! Unbelievable!

Well, it's gone now although it's still to cold to plant all the things I bought BEFORE the silly cold weather rolled in. Good Grief!

So, I am looking into some New Arrangement Designs and looking for some new spring ideas. If you have some, I'd love to hear them. I'm going through all of my floral inventory and getting excited about all kinds of designs. The problem is that I get stuff in my head and I can't get it out! So until I find time to get some made, they drive me insane (my husband says that happened years ago and I'm just now realizing it)!

Well, until next post, I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. HE is RISEN!
God Bless All,
Julie

Don't Miss Our New Home Decor Line!

2007-02-16T19:22:00.000-06:00

YOU HAVE TO COME SEE IT!! We have found some of the most gorgeous glass window hangings you have ever seen! Unbelievable! I can't even believe it myself! You just have to bear with me as I show you some of these things. Just hang with me!

First, look at these window hangings or sun catchers. I still find it a bit hard to believe some of these!

This is a 12W X 24H Arched victorian Window! It is exquisite, isn't it? The colors are so vibrant and lovely, I just love it!

Then, there is this beautiful 13H X 13W Fleur-De-Lis Window. It's picturesque and astoundingly lovely! See what I mean?

Stop by and see the rest of the collection at LuxuryInBloom.com.

Decorating with Color!

2007-02-02T20:06:00.000-06:00

Have you ever walked into someone's home and it's pretty and all, but you note that it's all the same color. Light carpet, light walls, light drapes, light furniture, light everything. It's light and airy, but enough already with the beigh! They need a major "contrast intervention". Now do you go off the deep end right off the bat and pick a crazy color and splash it all over the house? Well, no! But you can start easily with finding a nice contract color that blends in with your rug or your furniture and paint one accent wall. Then, sprinkle that color through your accessories and a silk floral arrangement. If you look at the picture of my formal dining room with one of my arrangments in it on the bottom of my website, you can see a border and accent color wallpaper that I did. Everyone that walks in says, "You have a beautiful home!", but they wouldn't believe how inexpensively I did it by myself. I found the border and painted the light color and papered with the contrast paper. These days wallpaper is not as in vogue as it was, but the concept is the same. Start small with painting just one wall. You will be so surprised how it just makes the room blossom! Try to find a lovely silk orchid like this Phalaenopsis on LuxuryInBloom.com. These light and airy silk plants in the same accent color can tie it all together and make a huge statement with a very small investment. Try it and let me know how it looks! Keep those emails and pictures coming! We will post them all on our website!

Until next time,
Julie

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!! 2007 HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-01-06T18:57:00.000-06:00

Boy, I can't believe how tired I was. I took a few weeks off and did all of the piled up paperwork. I hate paperwork. I'd much rather go in my flower room and pull out a vase and start creating. I've got so many ideas swirling around in my head. Sometimes I wish it would stop already.

How was your New Years? I've resolved to make more arrangements to share. It makes me really happy. I need to make some money at it too, but that's not the be all and end all. It's the face of a customer when she looks at it and says, "Oh Julie..." that makes me jump up and down inside.

I hope God richly blesses you this year. Be happy. HE put us here for that you know...

Day after Christmas Shopping Extravaganza!

2006-12-27T16:54:00.000-06:00

Well, the wreaths are done and delivered, the swags are snug in their new homes, and Julie is pooped. I vacuumed my office and you would not believe the amount of glitter I swept up. Unbelievable!

After all that though, I went on my day after Christmas stock up on floral Christmas supplies. I found some really good deals on things that will save my customers money next year. If I had more space, I'd sure buy more.

Now I'm moving on to spring and Valentines Day and Easter. There's no rest for the weary I guess.

Until next time,
Julie
LuxuryInBloom.com

Whew! Almost done with all of my Christmas arrangement orders!

2006-12-10T19:47:00.000-06:00

I have one more to complete! I'm almost there! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have so enjoyed making them and seeing the faces of customers and friends when they gush over them. I'm so blessed to be able to have this talent so using it and pleasing customers is just wonderful.

I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season. I plan to!

Julie

Christmas Wreaths

2006-11-20T22:29:00.000-06:00

There is nothing prettier than a beautiful large Christmas wreath on a door or wall. I made one to sell at my work Employee Craft Fair and it turned out so well if I do say so myself. Below is a picture.

I just love creating Christmas arrangements. Besides the normal poinsettia, I like to use burgundy/red amaryllis. They are so elegant and unexpected in a wreath. Many people comment how much they like them in my wreaths. I've also used lovely purple hydrangeas that are tipped with silver. Absolutely stunning.

I find the large flowers harder to work with though and they are a pain to anchor to the wreath. I usually glue foam between the metal frame if there is one and glue the flowers in that way. If there isn't a real solid frame on the wreath, you just have to get your glue gun out and "glue till you're blue"! ;)

If you have purchased or made a lovely wreath, I'd love to see it so send over a picture!

And have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Julie

Christmas Silk Floral Arrangements are a HIT!

2006-11-12T20:52:00.000-06:00

Have you ever given anyone a Christmas arrangement for their table for Christmas? I promise that you'll always remember their reaction when you bring it in. Most women I know would just love having a new arrangement to replace the old dusty one they drag out of the attic every year.

I've already made up swags and wreaths for LuxuryInBloom.com. We also have an Employee Craft Fair at my office so I take them up there. I have to tell you that they are a Big Hit! I usually always sell out. It's funny because if you get saddled with this addiction of creating silk flower arrangements, you know that you need to make money at it, but you get far more joy watching someone fall in love with it and complement you on your work! Nothing makes me happier! To think that someone will take one of my "babies" home and give them a good home and display them for everyone to see just makes my day.

This season is fun because I don't make Christmas arrangements all year long. I start in July or August digging out all my stuff and heading to the wholesaler to get what I'm out of to get started. It's almost like getting your tree out and getting ready to decorate. It's something you always do and you get that slightly giddy feeling as you get all your stuff out and start putting things together. If you are like me, you get a design in your head and it just won't go away until you make it a reality! By November I have a few things done and have finally got back the hang of how to make a decent bow! Christmas is the only time of year (other than weddings) that I do big, beautiful bows. They take some time and effort! The next time you see one in the store and think to yourself, "Gee those things are expensive", remember that they aren't a piece of cake to make. I wish I could get faster at it but some things take the time they take. Bows are one of those things. If anyone has had any success with any of those bow-maker things, let me know. I've tried some and have never had any luck with any of them.

If you haven't considered a Christmas arrangement as a gift, think about it. They are a wonderful gift for any woman.

And in your travels, be sure to remember that HE is the Reason for the Season. Puts it all into perspective, don't you think?

Julie

Silk Floral Arrangement Creation - My Passion!

2006-11-05T21:29:00.000-06:00

I just love working with the colors and containers...it's so relaxing and OMG what a rush when I make one for someone and they absolutely LOVE it! I've not had any formal training which means that I've torn apart hundreds, and I mean hundreds of arrangements. But I kept at it, making more and more for myself or family, and now I design and arrange for clients and love every minute of it.

So seeing that I am not formally trained, I could use any and all tips that you all know that I don't. If you would like to share, I'd love to read it! I'm sure I could learn a whole lot from many of you! So SHARE! And come visit my humble abode at LuxuryInBloom.com