Home » Home & Style » Budget Decorating » Bring the Outdoors In: Garden-Style Decorating

Bring the Outdoors In: Garden-Style Decorating

© L.C. Dumke

A few weeks ago, I visited one of the largest antiques markets in the Southeastern U.S. -- the Lakewood Antiques Market in Atlanta. On the second weekend of each month, antiques dealers from all over the country bring their wares and peddle them to eager collectors, dealers, and antiques aficionados.

In addition to loading up on budget decorating accessories, I often attend the Lakewood Market to observe the latest decorating trends. This month, I was happy to see that one of the biggest trends around is one of my favorites: garden-style decorating.

Shortly after I arrived, I stopped at a booth to inspect sap buckets. I continued through the Market and found wrought iron patio furniture, picket fencing, topiaries, iron gates, and other garden-inspired decorating treasures.

If you want to bring that wonderful garden feeling into your home, here are a few easy, inexpensive ideas to get you started:

• Display cut flowers in sap buckets or watering cans.
  
• Use old, iron or metal patio chairs as kitchen table seating. Just spruce them up with floral pillows or chair pads!
• Entertain with a garden theme! Make place cards by writing the guest's name on a large leaf with a metallic marker; use small clay pots to hold utensils for a buffet; and make a natural centerpiece by wrapping real or silk ivy around serving platters.
  
• Decorate with birdhouses. I purchase small, unfinished wood bird houses for just a few dollars at crafts stores and let my children paint them with their own designs. (They make great gifts too.)
  

The copyright of the article Bring the Outdoors In: Garden-Style Decorating in Budget Decorating is owned by L.C. Dumke. Permission to republish Bring the Outdoors In: Garden-Style Decorating in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.