Want to decorate a table in an original way? Why not use herbs. Fresh herbal arrangements are the perfect way to decorate a dinner table. Their fragrance awakens the senses, while their flowers and leaves provide colour and interest as well as instant garnishing material. For a simple dinner party, a spray of parsley, mint, marjoram or thyme by each place setting looks attractive and can be nibbled to freshen the palate between courses, to sharpen the appetite or to aid digestion. You can either lay the herbs on the table or set them in pre-soaked florists’ foam. Selected for their colours and flavours depending on your theme, they can…

Whether it’s a dinner party, a birthday party or simply to decorate the house, flowers are always a beautiful thing. When arranging flowers, you need to be aware of some things. Here are a few helpful hints we have to help you arrange your flowers. Decide where you will place your flower arrangement before you make it so you can determine if the finished piece should be tall or wide or round and full. Select a container that is appropriate for the decor and/or theme of the arrangement. Choose a vase that is in proportion to the flowers. Often the vase should make up one half to one-third the size…

Our sense of smell plays a huge part in determining our mood. After all, when you go into a room, would you rather smell sweet roses or rotten eggs? What’s more soothing, the smell of lavender or the smell of cigarettes? I think we can safely say that a good smell makes for a good ambience. There are many ways to make a room smell good and one of the easiest ways is by using potpourris. (Ironically, did you know that potpourris in French means rotten pot! but anyway, that’s beside the point.) Potpourris can be found in many shops and supermarkets and can be bought in a variety of…

Whether you have a gathering of friends or an intimate dinner for two, make this Valentine’s Day one to remember. IF you don’t believe in Valentine’s and think it’s just a commercial thing, well who cares, use it as an excuse to have fun anyway!Here are some suggestions to get you started on your way to a wonderful evening. — For your dinner, choose a setting that is new and different. Perhaps in front of a view of water or city lights. If you don’t have a nice view, create the setting with some nice plants to give an outdoor-ish feel. — Layer your tablecloths for a beautiful effect. Start…

One of the pillars of living a happy and healthy life is human connection and a dinner party on a weekend is a sure thing to catch up and keep your friendships alive. You might think that having people over means hours of prepping in the kitchen and an expensive grocery bill, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are a few tips to plan an easy, affordable, no fuss dinner party. Tip #1: Planning ahead Distributing your tasks over a few days is the smart way to go. This will only require an hour or so of your time on a given day. The two main tasks…

A lot of people look for the cosy decor and earthy tones to come home to, a haven from the outside hustle and bustle. And while cosy decor is important, nothing is more inviting than a fresh smelling home. There is something about a clean smelling home that reassures us we can relax in a healthy environment. So where do we start? Step 1: Declutter This might sound like an overwhelming and daunting task, but our advice is to consider it as a long term goal, a bit like losing weight :). You have accumulated those things (weight) over a long period of time and it is logical that it…