Decorate With Fruit

Flip through any interior magazine and you'll find that the majority of staged and styled rooms include a big bowl of fresh fruit. I'm all for antioxidants, yes, but does the average homeowner showcase their produce this way? I'm not so sure.

Tired of what I like to call the "kitchen bowl effect," I embarked on a mission to find fresh, fun fruit displays that I'd be proud to feature in my own home. Let the fun begin!

1) Add sliced lemons or limes in a clear glass vase with water before you arrange your flowers. The look will add a dash of color to an otherwise bland arrangement.

2) Got a hurricane vase? Stack a few lemons and limes and place them on a fireplace mantle. Fresh fruit can be costly, so try a few good fake pieces for this effect. Furniture Gourmet has some great options.

3) Not a fake fruit kind of gal? What about a really fake fruit? These onyx stone carved paperweights can be beautiful when displayed in a cluster on an office desk.

4) If you're into country living, a dried fruit wreath is always a welcome statement.

5) Arrange green apples in a vessel of water for a lovely centerpiece. Bonus: The kids can bob for apples after dessert!

Hopefully these have given you a jump start for re-envisioning your fruit displays. Go throw out those bowls and get to work!