Lighting

I've used many different types of lighting to enhance particular settings and displays in our home over the years. Natural light on a sunny day is by far the best kind, but we all know there are times when it is not available or feasible to use. An up-light can be used out of sight to put emphases on a particular object, or to bring attention to a dark corner behind furniture where an artificial tree might be standing. This type of light will add a sense of length to a room too.
Lamps used overhead or sitting on a table can also provide excellent lighting. Most light sources now come with dimmer switches that you can turn to the desired brightness needed any time of day or night. Swag type lighting may be out of style for many people, but there are certain places where you might want to consider them when table space is limited.
If you can't find the right color of lamp shade for your decor, don't be afraid to cover it with materials to fit into the style of your room. Always keep safety in mind, and use materials that will not catch fire easily. When in doubt you might want to contact an electrician or your local fire station and ask them if they can aid you. Most will do this for a small fee or free when asked.

Silk Flowers

Silk flowers can be used anywhere in the home. Take them off the plastic stems and attach them to clothing, purses, hats or anything else you would like to perk up a bit. Use silk flowers to decorate the edge of a mirror with petals matching a color in your bathroom, or place a grouping of sweetheart roses on an upper corner of your vanity mirror with a sweet bow made of lace.

Keep a couple of zip-lock baggies with flower petals not used up in other projects. You can use the larger petals to cut your own flower designs out of. There are new medium kits in discount and specialty stores that will change your silk flower petals into flowers with a porcelain texture. Be sure to follow instructions clearly when doing this project.

I have made many beautiful swags for our home with silk flowers. Find a branch as large as you would like to use over a doorway, picture, or just to hang on a wall as an accent piece. Hot glue the silk flowers along the branch, decorating it like the flowers would normally bloom on the branch of a shrub or tree. There is no need to spray the branch or flowers if you like the natural look of them. However, there are sprays in the craft section of stores that will give the branches and flowers a shiny finish to seal them. This will not make the flowers hard, but I have found that they are sometimes sticky and will allow dust to adhere to them. I prefer the natural look of the branches. Be sure not to leave strings of hot glue on your projects. This will take away from the beauty of your work. I have seen pricey swags in specialty stores that look terrible because the time was not taken to clean off the glue strings. You will enjoy enhancing the beauty of your home with silk flowers, and they can easily be removed when you want use a different color.