home about me our home

Friday, November 26, 2010

Fresh VS. Faux!!

There are two camps when it comes to fresh vs. faux greenery for the holidays. If you are talking about flowers, I say "fresh!" If you are talking about greenery,  I say, "either/or!" I also say,"Sometimes use both!"

I think it depends on where you are putting the greenery and how long you might need it to last.

There are fire law requirements in public places and there is the sap problem on finished wood. With that in mind you might need to use faux.

Today’s post is showing FRESH Greenery!

I love the smell of fresh greenery and it always looks so lovely for Christmas.
Here are a few stunners using fresh greenery, Enjoy!!


blog mantle 2008 1[1] (400x420) (400x420)
I love, love this simple idea. You not only get the fragrance of the natural greenery, but you have the safety of it being contained. The other plus is it is a great way to display your ironstone!!! Great idea!


8 (360x460)
This is just simple and fun!!


2 (360x460) (360x460)
This is my all time favorite vignette. Go figure!!! It is black and white and green, be still my heart!


5 (360x460)
This mantle is lush and lovely. If you have the space and the greenery is available I think more is more!!!


3 (297x400) (297x400)
Talk about more is more. May I have MORE Please?!!!


4 (360x460)
A beautiful mix of fresh greens, berries and hydrangeas. Just lovely against the beautiful cobalt door. Doesn’t this just make you want to go inside and see what is beyond this wonderfully colorful door?



6 (360x460)

7 (360x460)
9 (360x460)
I can only imagine how wonderfully this would smell. A touch of pine, eucalyptus and citrus, Yumo!!!



10 (360x460)
As I have said before, “For the holidays I like simple or over the top for my decorations.” This is simple and I think, Oh so pretty!!


12 (360x360)
So pretty!



11 (360x460)
Red and green!!! Notice the pop of turquoise in the pitcher filled with red roses?!

Which camp do you reside in? Faux, Fresh or both?

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Using fresh greenery to give your home the scent of Christmas!!

Kathysue


Holiday hint:

Remember to check Lowes and Home Depot for fresh wreaths and garland at reasonable prices.

When using faux garlands use two different types inter-twined to get a full and original look. Sometimes it cost less to buy two inexpensive garlands and double them up.

When it comes to fullness More is More!!

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I tend to use both. Faux trees, because of our allergies, but I can't resist using a little bit of real greenery mixed in with faux.

In addition to checking Lowe's for fresh wreaths and garlands, check for clippings. There is usually a cart or carton of fresh evergreen, from tree trimming, free of charge. I hope to add to the faux greenery with some of these clippings, if I manage to get to Lowe's before someone else picks them up.

Sally@DivineDistractions said...

I love fresh greenery at Christmas and when we decorate client's homes, we always try to use some. My favorite tip is to buy a cheap Christmas tree at Walmart (under $30) and cut it up to use as greenery. You get long and short branches, but it's a perfect, inexpensive way to get plenty of the fresh stuff to put around the house.

Susie @ Maddie G Designs said...

I use both as well. I have a bunch of faux wreaths with red bows that I put on all of the front windows of our house. I always do a fresh tree in the house and a mix for the rest of the interior decor...love the smells of fresh! Have a great weekend!

Acanthus and Acorn said...

Both for all the reasons you stated!

Karen said...

Like that idea of combining two types of pine in a garland.

I'm fortunate because my mother has a good deal of pine trees on her property so I can get fresh pine at no cost. A pine wreath is always a good idea if you can't afford to deck the halls with fresh boughs.

Kristen White said...

Wonderful inspiration pics....I can almost smell it!!! LOL...I use both because as you pointed it out sometimes the fresh stuff simply won't work for the application you need it for. Thanks for sharing such beautiful pics!
Kristen

Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder said...

Dearest Kathysue,

You mentioned the right reasons for using both. Just depending on where you are and in which situation.
Both of us have such a different 'feel' for Christmas as we've lived in the tropics, on the island of Java, Indonesia for three years. Christmas there does not show 'our' greens of course as they don't have that type of trees. But they use fresh orchids, amaryllis and they decorate with tiny white lights the tropical trees. That makes a city like Jakarta and also Singapore, where we were around Christmas time, look like a fairytale place! Nothing can match that! So since then, our fondness of Christmas trees has diminished, as we know other ways.
Love the eucalyptus though! Some green is great to bring inside.

Have a great weekend!

Mariette's Back to Basics

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Love the smell of the fresh, however most of mine is always faux. Great pics. Hope you had a super day yesterday. Hugs, Marty

La Vie Quotidienne said...

I like to mix both...add a little fresh for the fragrance; faux for the durability and ease. These are all georgous pictures and some excellent ideas.(-: Thank you.

Georgy said...

Great photos, love the mantle in the first one. We will have a mix, fresh flowers but a faux Christmas tree, easier with small children who keep trying to rip things off it. I always had real trees growing up and do miss the smell. Probably get one again in a few years. G

Anonymous said...

That cobalt blue door is fabulous! What a color to decorate around..
Now that I live in the South, I look forward to using the magnificent southern magnolia leaves at Christmas! They have always been my favorite: just a few branches in a glass vase or bowl, maybe a glitzy red chain, and that's it for a mantle!

Blondie's Journal said...

I love fresh and simple...but do like to pile that greenery on! These pictures are fantastic inspiration, Kathysue. I mix a lot of fruit, especially oranges and lemons in with my greenery. I love that it's natural and does smell so yummy! :-)

XO,
Jane

Barb @ The Everyday Home said...

GF, don't know where you find some of your pics, but I was slobbering over all of them. LOL I ran across the forst pic a few weeks ago and instantly fell in love. Have thought about using my collection of white picthers/dishes with my pink/white Staffordhsire on my Dining Room mantle.
I generally use a mix of fresh and faux. I will twist together several cheap-o garlands, then add magnolia, pine, cedar and holly to add fullness. They usually last me several weeks.

Loved this post. I went waaaay over the top last year...and I am of the mind that the theme for this year is "simple." (wonder if I can restrain myself?) :-D

Love u! Mean it!

vignette design said...

Fresh, always fresh!
Loved your inspiration photos!

Anonymous said...

This post is beyond beautiful! I want that wreath!!! Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful. xo

Bring Pretty Back said...

Fresh here! But, I haen't done lots of decorating in the past. Just wasn't lovin' my house so I honestly didn't put alot of effort into it. But in the new home it will be different and I will probobly use both.
Great post! gorgeous!
Have a pretty day!
Kristin

Blooming Rose Musings said...

I have to admit that I always go with fresh. I love the wonderful scent it adds to a room. I keep things quite simple but I do love lots of greenery on the mantle. Your images are wonderful and fabulous inspiration.

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

I love the smell of fresh so I usually gather the free limbs that are cut off the trees at Lowes or HD. I use these as filler with my faux garland so I still get the heavenly scent but less maintenance...and free!

Heather said...

I use mostly faux. Here, in sunny California, fresh greenery just doesn't last. It's unfortunate because the smell of fresh greenery must be wonderful!

Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...

I always have a fresh tree and greens. They are usually the last decorations to go up, but I don't mind replacing cuttings through the season. The smell is so much a part of the scene for me. Love your selection of photos. Greens are at the very top of my decorating list. Jacqueline

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Hi Kathysue!
Now look what you have done...I am going to have to get my clippers and start clipping greenery. I might even sneek over to the neighbors and clip his bayberry bush! LOL!

I love fresh greenery and these photos are so lovely. I would love to get my hands on that vintage frame and paint it white. Love the red toile and the little pine trees, so pretty.

Thanks for leaving such a sweet comment about my blog. I feel the same about yours. I always leave here with so much inspiration. I'm glad that you showed mine to your Mom. I bet she is as sweet and talented as you.

hugs
Sissie

Sixty-Fifth Avenue said...

We do both. As you now know our tree is fresh but the garland on the mantel is faux. I used to only do fresh garland but I would have to wait until the week before or it would be too dry. Great post!
Londen

annie@mostlovelythings said...

I just found your blog through the Zhush. I am so inspired! I am living in Southern California and this is our first Christmas here...we did a real tree, just put it up last night and it's quite chilly for here so whenever I hear the heat kick on I panic. I'm not sure if I can do fresh greenery on the staircase. So different than in Connecticut. Love all your photos!

Connie in Hartwood said...

I am standing squarely in the center, straddling the line. I use fake garland and other evergreens, because the real stuff sheds so terribly when it's used indoors. There's no fake alternative to magnolia or boxwood, though, so I use these in wreaths and arrangements as much as I can. Dried summer hydrangeas, spray painted my latest-favorite-color (whatever that is each year), some fake berry picks, shiny ribbon bows, and we have a perfect mix for a lovely Christmas-ey home. (I LOVE the last photo with the green hutch and red transferware!!!)

Cashon&Co said...

Oh gosh, all of these examples are so inspiring. I had some friends over last night and had no fresh flowers to put out so i went in my garden and clipped some kale leaves and rosemary sprigs and put them in a vase and it looked really cute. We had a fire going and every so often I would tear off some rosemary and throw it in the flames and it scented up the whole room wonderfully. :)

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

Love it all! Totally different taste in decorating, however I love the cripsness of your decor. The greenery is wonderful.

Pinky at Designs by Pinky said...

I am all faux, I am decoprated and like to enjoy it til mid Jan. so real stuff wouldn't last. I also had a real tree all the years my kids were growing up and do NOT miss the mess:):) I DO love the look and smell of the real stuff though!!!! XO, Pinky