One option is to bring budding branches into your home. Branches have a much different look than a vase of flowers and they will usually last longer. Branches have a variety of shapes. They can be long and straight or others are crooked with lots of little branches attached. Long branches can be arranged in floor vases to make a dramatic impact in your foyer. Or a large arrangement can be placed on a dining room table to add a more organic look. These branches work well in any home, but they are especially suited for contemporary and transitional interior designs that are currently so popular.
Branches are available to everyone. Your local florist can provide them or you can cut them yourself. For example, Forsythia is a bush or hedge and is native to New England. Most of the year it is green, but in the spring it produces thousands of small yellow flowers. They grow very quickly, so there is no worry of cutting off to many branches. When I was a kid, every spring my mother would bring in large bunches of Forsythia, Pussy Willows, apple blossoms and some times Dogwood branches throughout the season. She would cut them prior to the buds opening, put them in water and wait. Once the branches were warm inside the house, the buds would start to bloom. She called it forcing the blooms. The florist has access to more specific looks that may not be available in your yard. 
The wall sconces pictured are a great option if you want to change their look every few months.
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Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.
