Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Accessory Alert: Greens apples and other fashionable fruit.....

OK don't ask how it started, but I have an obsession lately with green apples and pears  amongst other fruit. Oh and artichokes, not in the fruit family but equally great looking! And of course gotta include beautiful and highly decorative lemons and limes! How beautiful are they to use as decorative objects, as in filling gorgeous old world urns with them, as in lining a pair of tall glass hurricanes with them, as in filling a huge bowl on the middle of an island with them, as in decorating a flower arrangement with them, as in using them at place settings.....yes they are that versatile and can be used in that many ways.

 Then forget the GORGEOUS color that they bring into a room....I mean seriously these have to give more bang for the buck than any decorating element on this planet!! A seriously under looked but amazing little accessory. What kitchen island wouldn't be prettier with a big bowl or urn of green apples? What foyer chest wouldn't be more elegant with an urn topped with artichokes or bright green pears? What dining table wouldn't be more beautiful with a pair of tall glass urns filled with green and yellow lemons?

Try it......I think you will see I am onto something! I know for my island, I will be filling a big over sized pair of urns (cement or stone) with them.....my grocer might think I have a stable of horses with the amount of green apples I plan on using, so what do you think? Do you or have you or will you decorate with green apples?  Best part is this is something every one can do today for under ten dollars!! Send me a picture if you really love how it comes out, would love to see! And always love to know what you think.........

What kitchen wouldn't look prettier with a white pitcher, something we all have filled to the brim with artichokes?
Love how the limes liven up this spectacular vignette of blue and white!
Gorgeous pears grace this fabulous setting, Charles Faudree
A perfect sample of how beautifully flowers and fruit paired up, can be!
Something about beautiful artichokes against warm rich wood and a creamy palette, photo by Tria Giovan
Black and white plus pops of green equals perfection! John Jacob
Tell me what kitchen wouldn't look uber elegant with an arrangement like this on its island!
A small pop of green does a lot to a white space! Homebug
 
Wouldn't a pair of these be pretty on an island? The Silk Garden
Love green against black...something about it feels so old world
I think this tiered container holding green apples is spectacular in this space!
Timothy Corrigan artfully arranged beautiful fruit and vegetables in this gorgeous compote
Love the idea of a rustic container holding beautiful green fruit.....
Just look at how apples add to this already spectacular setting....LOVING this, Master Faudree
Love lining a cylinder vase with fresh vibrant lemons! Beautiful.....
Look how the green and yellow pop in this glorious kitchen, Deane
Once again the green against the black is perfection!
How gorgeous is this! Beautiful huge urns hold a mound of green apples....
Small bursts of color in an otherwise neutral kitchen is a great accent
A great example of how pretty green looks against the dark bold drama of black, M Elle


How cute would this little bad boy be in a charming kitchen? Lee Karen designs
Another great looking one.....
The yellow and green adds such great color to an all white kitchen!
Even in the simplest settings, a small bowl of pears can be equally powerful
A graceful black urn holds yellow apples, love the effect, Timothy Corrigan
A classic look, the yellow and green are the perfect accent to the dark wood and white marble!
I mean seriously does it get any prettier than this? Love the bowl of lemons!
Classic white kitchen gets a little pop of color with bright lemons, limes and artichokes! William Waldraun
A gorgeous cache pot holds a beautiful batch of green apples, Charles Faudree
A simple bowl with mini yellow apples can have such impact on a coffee table
Look how pretty this pop of green is on this otherwise very neutral table.

And finally to show I practice what I preach, I filled my little chefs container that I have had in my kitchen for years with my pears (they are fake but very good fakes) and this is another good point, if you find very good imitations of fruit, those are a great thing to have on hand. Cannot tell you how often I use these!! Love how it came out, just a little burst of color made such a difference!




So....what do you think? Will fruit and other fashionable vegetables be making their way past the refrigerator in your home? Would love to know what your thoughts are and if you have a particular way you like to decorate with fruits and vegetables. Always love to hear! Have a delightful day!




Photobucket

47 comments:

  1. Tina ~ I just love the pop of
    green and yellows!! Those are
    gorgeous pictures!

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  2. Good morning, Tina!

    How are you doing today? It's lovely around here... it feels like Fall.

    I really enjoyed this post. So beautiful! Well, I'm not a huge fan of "fruity lamps" to be honest, but I do love to decorate w/ fruits around my kitchen. Make them visible and reachable for the kids and bring some color. Cheap, easy and healthy!!!

    Have a great day!

    xo

    Luciane at HomeBunch.com

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  3. Great topic!! Wow got so many great ideas here, think I will go out and buy myself a bushel of apples and pears and go crazy!
    Love so many of the examples here, and really love your beautiful container filled with pears. So elegant.
    Thanks for giving me my project today! Hubs will be thrilled that this one is so cheap! Wonderful ideas.

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  4. I always have a big bowl of fruit on the kitchen island, I like to choose colors that coordinate with the decor or with the season. I also love to mix fuit & flowers in an arrangement. There are a lot of nicer faux flowers & fruits available now, so manay choices. I truly think fruit /veggies/flowers make a house an inviting home.

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  5. What beautiful images. When my sister-in-law was married her florist used green apples in the arrangements on the tables at the reception. They were the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen at a wedding.

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  6. LOVE YOUR ARRANGEMENT. BEAUTIFUL!

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  7. What lovely images! Yes, I do decorate with fruit. Mostly lemons and green apples. That is until I use them all! What better way to both decorate and encourage a healthy snack or dessert than to have these fruits visible and within easy reach.

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  8. I have always decorated with vegges and fruit. My favorite is artichokes and pomegranates. I think it looks creative and it gives another texture to your home. We use this little trick in photographs. It brings life to the photograph.

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  9. I'm totally with you on this Tina! Artichokes are my first choice but I also love lemons or limes - beautiful images today, several of which I will file away for inspiration later on...:)

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  10. One of my favorites, to use limes and lemons for pops of color. Not so much with other fruits and veggies. After viewing these fabulous snaps I'll rethink this. Great simple inexpensive ideas. Thanks Tina........

    ~Emily
    The French Hutch

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  11. Tina you are a gal after my own heart!! I do exactly the same thing with exactly the same fruit and artichokes. My fav. is green apples in a cobalt bowl, in fact I have that on my kitchen table right now flanked with a lime green pitcher. Love the look. I also have a ceramic piece that is an urn filled with a topiary of lemons. I have a quirk about anything on my counters, but I will allow a bowl of fruit and I have an antique wooden bowl full of necatarines, peaches and pluots with limes, so pretty. Love all of the above examples and you are soooo speaking my language. This is one of the elements I bring in for Fall decor, Fruit in a wood bowl, xo Kathysue,
    PS Loved, loved this post!!!

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  12. loveeeeeeeee the photos, this post its AMAZING :)

    Congrats ! :)

    santiroyalhome.blogspot.com

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  13. Tina, sorry for this anonymous coment!Normal emailaddress didn't work for some reason!
    Love the fruit deoration. Sometimes we forget to use apples and pears, the most simple but beautiful decoration!!
    Gorgeous post!
    xx
    Greet

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  14. I have green apples and limes out currently. But I love to use clementine oranges too. I put them in a small vintage blue striped cornishware bowl. Love the color combination.

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  15. I have just finished arranging a big basket of yellow apples and a glass stand piled high with green pears. I couldn't beleive it when I logged on and found this delicious post.
    It is the nicest way to make a room feel fresh and different.
    Lots of lovely inspirational ideas. Thanks.

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  16. Art in nature! Beautiful post, Tina!
    So much to love...the bouquet of artichokes, the peonies with citrus in the vase, the black and white tiled kitchen (saved that one!) and so much more! I always keep a cake stand with fruit on it and will have to try something new!

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  17. i have to say, i selfishly LOVE this post, because we are having lady apples used in our wedding floral arrangements. so pretty!

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  18. Prettiest post I have seen all day. Love all your ideas, coming here is like opening the best magazine(s) all rolled into one. A total treat. Got so many wonderful ideas and am going to go get busy now!
    LP

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  19. I have used green apples for my tablescape many times... love the color and the organic quality they bring to the table... of course, I have to deal with my goofy brother in law pretending to eat them during the evening... but nevertheless, they are charming and cheap!
    Beautiful post... I love all your photos - you amaze me at the number of photos you come up with!
    Jan

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  20. Love seeing fruit used in the kitchen, but I like it when it looks like one can reach for a piece of fruit, not when it looks like the "look" will be messed up if sometimes takes a piece. I keep a big wooden bowl filled with bananas on the coutner. Another with apples during the autumn. Pumpkins looks wonderful during the fall and add nice charm. Great images!

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  21. Love to have a 'spot' of green here and there in the house, particularly in the kitchen.
    Green is the color of hope! (in old fashion Germany)

    Very lovely post - gives me hope, ha-ha....

    Greetings from the 'Périgord Vert'
    karin

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  22. What a fascinating topic Tina, I really like seeing so many ways of using green and yellow in particular! I have used lots of lemons but must confess to never using green apples, it just never occurred to me. Fortunately I have your wise eye to help nudge me in new directions!

    Sending you a smile,
    tp

    PS: Tilly just knew you would concur on the Eus de prep horror. :)

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  23. These pictures are beyond gorgeous! I found myself drooling over every single one. So fabulous!

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  24. I love the look of artichokes in a bowl! It is so warm and inviting! :) Great post with gorgeous images.

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  25. I am lucky enough, here in SW Florida, to have a tree that produces a minimum of 500 lemons twice a year. So guess what I use. You've got it. Since I have lots to spare, I often pick a large amount ewhile they are still green. They will ripen in the house, but this takes a while and in the meantime look like limes. I have a lovely, rather large vintage tian bowl that I pile high with the green lemons and I love the way they look. I also have a key lime tree and often add them to the bowl. I like the look to be monochromatic. When the lemons are ripe, I like to put them in tall, straight-sided glass vases, similar to the ones you have shown.

    Many years ago, I bought two dozen hand-made porcelain pears. They are beautifully done and I keep them on my kitchen counter piled high in a huge old mortar and pestle.

    I love the look of the artichokes, but I would be tempted to cook them. I may have to plant an avocado tree next, because I think they would look great in the kitchen.

    Thanks, Tina, for another entertaining post.
    best...Victoria

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  26. green .black and creamy white do it for me every time!! xx

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  27. Beautiful! It's funny you posted this since I have been obsessed with limes of late. My MIL has a Persian Lime tree in Florida and I took a WHOLE bunch home with me a couple of weeks ago. I love to accessorized with fruit and vegs in a kitchen!

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  28. Tina, thank you so much for your comment today...it was so sweet! I also want to tell you how much love this post. These touches add so much to a room. I LOVE using green apples - I have them all over my first floor. They add such a nice pop of color. Those were my favorite photos out of this incredible collection.
    xo Stacy

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  29. Couldn't agree more, Tina! I've got artichokes and apples on display in my kitchen. The apples are great... not only do they look good, my kids are more likely to choose them as a snack ;)

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  30. Loved this post because it is so inspiring~anyone can do this, and it has so many applications! I like the bowls of limes, they last a long long time! Where you find all of these great pics is amazing to me...just keep it coming!

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  31. This post made me laugh because I am a green apple nut! and it's just for looks! Did you see the movie the Break-up with Jen Aniston and that guy? She asked him to get her 12 lemons for a centerpiece and he brought her 2-3. My husband and I had that same argument! I love using lemons and apples for decoration but that can get costly if they're real!

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  32. Love your chefs container filled up. We're pretty lucky since we can pick the fruit ourselves off our trees so I always have fruit around. For constant green in the kitchen I keep small herb plants, they smell good and are useful in the kitchen!

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  33. Definitely liking the artichoke green as an accent - such great color and texture! I'm glad you said your pears were fakes as mine would be soft and brown in no time.
    xxoo

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  34. Hi Tina! I love the first image with the artichokes for my moms kitchen and dining. Stuffed artichokes are a staple around our Italian family and I think that would be a beautiful touch for the fall. And, I love fruit to decorate. I have a fruit dish on my center island always! Love your passion for fruit! You just might have helped every produce department! : )

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  35. I'm with you, Tina....that pop of green adds life and color to any setting. I often like to look at vignette I like and try to see what it would look like without the fresh flowers or fruit. Usually....they add just that needed color to make it come to life.

    It doesn't hurt I love apples and pears!!
    xoxo Elizabeth

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  36. Love them all! I tend to do lemons and limes in spring and summer and pull out the apples in fall ... good news is we use them alot! So I don't feel like it is a waste! I do have some fake lemons that are pretty and work well in a pinch! I love something "living" in all my rooms and fruit gives me that feeling in my kitchen! And even if I only grab a small bunch of flowers while I am at the grocery, I NEED fresh flowers every week in my kitchen. It is my little treat!!

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  37. I am a huge fan of decorating with fruit! The colors in nature are the most exquisite. Your pictures are just stunning too! And I love the artichokes in the pitcher...I'm definitely going to try that one.
    xo
    Sharon

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  38. WOW are these images SO PERFECT for the new season upon us! I THINK YOUR INCLINATION to use fruit in your landscape of home and hearth is a great idea dearest..I always think of the organic, the natural combined with the EUROPEAN elegance and You are going to have it all when that castle of yours is done....Oh dearest, this is so perfect and I think I will strive to add these elements into my home this season!!!!! LOVE, Anita

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  39. This is one seriously photo heavy post. You really explored the many ways of using fruit to decorate. I'd best get mine out.

    - The Tablescaper

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  40. Love that color of green! Green apples and artichokes. It's fun to see all the examples. Wonderful post. Loved the eye candy!

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  41. Ok....be still my heart!!! Every picture is perfect...every detail incredible!!! You are definitely a woman after my own heart!! Love all the colors from the fruits and veggies!!! Love, love, love the kitchens and especially the wooden dough bowl filled with green....ours is about to be filled with green and purple cabbages and pumpkins and gourds! Can't wait!! Thanks so much for always being upbeat....encouraging and inspirational!!! Also...thanks for your sweet comment today on our vintagemulberry blog!!!
    sincerely,
    carolyn bradford

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  42. I love fresh fruit as decor! Practical (more likely to eat it when it's out) and pretty too!

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  43. I love decorating with fruit and vegies, and it's a great, cheap and easy way of filling nice large bowls and vases with something colourful and textural, without spending a fortune on fresh flowers. But I think that artificial fruit and veg doesn't have the same effect.

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  44. Wow, I cannot believe all of these beautiful images, there is something for every home! I love green apples and think they look beautiful anywhere.

    Thank you so much for your comments abbot my kitchen and for becoming a follower.

    I hope you are feeling better after your fall. Make sure to take care of yourself and not let all of the house decisions consume you. Hopefully soon you will be happily blogging from your dream home.

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  45. ...and they're lovely with a few leaves still attached. Before too long we'll be sticking cloves in our oranges - ha!

    p.s. Have you noticed that limes become deadly weapons once they're dried?! Keep them out of the reach of young, feisty boys - seriously!

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  46. I love the bright. fresh green, so beautifully presented. I concur completely. I've come across a couple of other fruits, in tones of chartreuse, that are a little more unusual, here is a post on hedge apples or osage oranges {there's a tree in central park} http://www.splendidmarket.com/2009/11/hedge-apples-en-masse.html, {I had the good fortune to come across a local abandoned tree}. I also love piling quince up in antique bowls, see photos here: http://www.splendidmarket/2010/11/green-orbs.html. Aside from their unusual beauty, both of these fruits are extremely fragrant, in a very refreshing way.

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  47. I loved what you did on your buffet as well as any that you have pictured.

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Would love to hear what you have to say......happy thoughts only please!!