(ARA) - Warm weather is finally here, and there's nothing more beautiful than or as anticipated as the season's fresh flowers.

For lifestyle expert Martha Stewart, one of life's greatest pleasures is living in a flower and plant filled home. Stewart loves to arrange the flowers that bloom in her gardens and greenhouses, and to incorporate purchased flowers into her table arrangements. She especially likes to give garden fresh cut flowers as gifts, artfully arranging them herself in one of her unique containers. Whether decorating for an occasion or remembering a loved one, fresh flowers always make the home feel special.

People love flowers but don't often indulge in the purchase because they are unsure how to arrange or care for them. Stewart and the professionals at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM offer some simple tips to help you discover the many pleasures of flowers, whether you are buying them or cutting from your own garden:  

Four Simple Arrangements
It's easy to enhance your flowers' unique personality by creating a lovely arrangement based on one of four basic styles. The nature of your flower's stem and blossom, as well as your choice of container, will guide you in choosing the right one.

* Domed arrangements display the blooms in an arching bunch. Mass them tightly together, crossing the stems within the vase to allow the flowers to point in every direction, creating a delightful dome of rich color. This arrangement is ideal for gerbera daisies, chrysanthemums and carnations.

* Spiky arrangements are best for long flowers with stiff, vertical stems, such as sunflowers, irises, French tulips and Oriental lilies. Create a dramatic effect by arranging them in a tall, cylindrical vase that holds them upright. This keeps a big display from looking too sparse.

* Free form arrangements allow flowers to reach and bend naturally. Cut the flowers at various lengths for a more organic look. Try combining flowers with sprigs of foliage in a relaxed cascade of color. This arrangement is ideal for tulips, roses, and freesia.

* Display arrangements in groups for a charming and spontaneous look. Use several small arrangements to create a single centerpiece by running them in a row down the length of a table. Any flower looks great in a grouped arrangement, from those with larger blooms such as Oriental lilies, roses, and dahlias, to smaller blossoms such as freesia, spray roses, and nerines.  

The Rules of Color
It's important to keep it simple. Stewart avoids high contrasts, which can look static. Instead, she prefers colors that complement each other and lend richness and depth to an arrangement. She explores every aspect of her garden for inspiration.

Bouquets
All cut flowers and bouquets need food and water, so each stem will need to be re-cut, preferably underwater at a 45 degree angle -- shorn of leaves and arranged in a vase with tepid water. Add a flower food packet (or, if none is available, add one teaspoon of sugar, a squeeze of lemon juice -- or one aspirin -- plus one or two drops of bleach) and place away from drafts or excessive heat. Refresh every two to three days by re-cutting stems, changing water, and adding flower food.

Vases
A bouquet's vase should be carefully considered. The scale and material of the container must captivate the eye and showcase the flowers. In addition to traditional vases, Stewart uses everyday objects such as sugar bowls and creamers, measuring cups, metal buckets, compotes, and teacups to display her favorite blossoms. Vases and other containers can be divided into six basic forms:

* Trumpet: Fluted at top. Blooms fall and arch outward naturally, echoing the flare of the vase.

* Cylinder: May be tall or short. This type of vase is good for stems that need support or flowers with long very straight stems.

* Sphere: Perfect for any flower that grows in clusters. Cut stems short so blooms will mound in a dome.

* Bottle: Similar to cylinder, but works well for exotics or slim-stemmed flowering branches, arranged in individual bottles which can be clustered or displayed in a row.

* Low Pan: Wonderful to display one or two floating flower buds.

* Pail or Urn: A shape that opens slightly at top. Flowers will have room to fall away to the sides, great for larger blooms.

Many household items can work as a vase, including ginger or jelly jars, wine goblets, egg cups, pitchers, sea shells, tea cups or pots, shallow or footed bowls, and glass tumblers.

Martha Stewart believes that flowers belong in every nook and cranny of a home. She's sharing her passion for flowers through the introduction of the Martha Stewart for 1-800-FLOWERS.COM boutique, a collection that features her favorite flowers, paired with specially crafted vases that are inspired by her personal collection.

Visit the Martha Stewart for 1-800-Flowers.com Boutique at www.1800flowers.com/marthastewart, which features beautiful gifts styled with Martha's unique touch, including the Rose and Nerine Bouquet.

Courtesy of ARAcontent
Tips from Martha Stewart
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(ARA) - Sick of those saggy silk drapes? Does the trendy color you painted your walls last year now look so "last year"? Your décor leaves you uninspired, yet the current economy makes you hesitate to spend a bundle on a total redesign. The good news is you don't need the skill - or budget - of a TV decorating diva to give your home a fresh new look. Small, inexpensive changes can make a dramatic difference.

Here are some ideas to transform your room for less than $100:

Lighten Up

The type and placement of lighting can completely change the look of a room and create different moods. Most of us stick with light fixtures that were in our homes when we bought them. Those aren't always the most attractive or illuminating options.

Overhead lighting - the kind that comes installed in most new homes - can be great if you're quilting, but might not set the mood for more relaxing moments. Supplement your overhead lighting with lamps strategically positioned around the room. Light cast from the side, rather than from above, will create a cozy, homey feel. Four $25 lamps purchased at a discount store can make your room feel like a million dollars.

Create with Color

Fresh paint dresses up a modest room, but drama is still missing.

Repainting in this season's hot colors can give a room a contemporary, trendy look - even if you don't update any of your furniture. Or, opt for more classic colors that will still be in style for years to come. Whatever color you choose, repainting is a powerful way to make a room feel fresh and new.

You don't have to stop with simple painting. Many home improvement stores offer free classes on decorative painting techniques and the use of color. Total cost of doing a decorative sponge effect in your powder room? About $26 for a gallon of paint, and another $25 for sponges and paint trays.

Make it Better with Murals

A wallpaper mural, available from Lowe's for less than $100, puts the punch in this room's decor.

Wallpapering an entire room is a big commitment, but you're still not content with just repainting a room. You want something that's going to make the décor pop - without busting your budget. Wallpaper murals are a great compromise. You can find images to match virtually any décor - from an underwater scene for a kid's room to the view from the verandah of a Tuscan Villa for your kitchen.

Home improvement store Lowe's carries a variety of these easy-to-install wallpaper murals by Environmental Graphics, for less than $100. You can find a style and size to fit in nearly any room. To find a Lowe's near you visit www.lowes.com.

Accessorize your Bath

Americans tend to spend their at-home hours in the kitchen. But the next-most-used room is the bath. If walking into your bathroom feels like walking into a bad thrift store - nothing matches and toiletries everywhere - it may be time to spend a few dollars and take control.

It's easy and not costly to replace mismatched accessories such as toothbrush holders, cups and lotion dispensers with ones in the same design. Major retailers and home specialty stores carry a wide array of patterns to appeal to virtually every taste. A full set can easily be bought for less than $100.

If you're willing to be a "big spender," you can also pick up shower curtains and window treatments to compliment your new all-matching accessories.

Go Green and Get Moving

Nothing says "home" like green plants. You don't need a green thumb to green up your living space. Opt for low-maintenance live varieties like a philodendron or pothos. Or, if you just can't keep plants alive, consider artificial. Many modern artificial plants duplicate the look of life so well only the aphids who try to eat them can tell the difference.

Place tall palms next to chairs and windows to bring the outdoors inside. Smaller plants are marvelous accents for tables, shelves and windowsills. And a hanging basket with cascading leaves will add drama to large entryways.

Finally, don't think you need to replace your furniture to make it work in your new room décor. Sometimes simply moving it around is enough to create a new effect that will please you and work well in your room.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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