How to Decorate With Antique Bottles

Antique bottles come in all shapes colors and styles and are a versatile and interesting decorating object. Antique bottles can also be worth a great deal of money. Some old drug or perfume bottles go for at least a five figure sum on eBay or at flea markets. Antique bottles can be found in your own life, or at flea markets or washed up on the beach. The most attractive old hand-made bottles have evidence of being hand-made. They have clusters of air bubbles, scratches and clouds in the glass.

You can decorate your place with antique bottles simply by setting them on your vanity,mantelepiece and shelves but there are other interesting things you can do with them. For instance you can take a small wicker basket, fill them with the bottles for an enchanting display. You can also use them as miniature flower vases or use them to store things like toothbrushes, cotton swabs or bath salts. Even just cute little twigs look nice in a small old drug store or pill bottle.

You can also try filling old jars and bottles with river rocks, sea shells or marbles. Colored sand looks nice in these old jars as well. They can also be used to hold spices but make sure they are absolutely clean inside or this may not work.

Smaller glass bottles can be hung with ribbon from tree branches outside or even fashioned together to make a shiny mobile.

If you want a display of multi-colored old bottles to create a light show for you then you can display them in a window where the sunshine is going to gleam through the old glass and create rainbows on your walls. You can also line them around the edge of a fireplace and let the flickering flames of the light create flickering and dancing lights on your walls.

One designer on eBay recommends creating a glass castle. You can take a collection of bottles and stack them with the smallest bottles in front and the largest bottles in back. You can use small narrow bottles as turrets. You tie these bottles together with copper wire to create a castle.

One of the most coveted fashion objects to own is a giant old water jug or wine jug. Some people make these into aquariums or terrariums with plants inside. Others fill them with gleaming coins to make a giant green glass piggy bank.

How to Decorate Your Dining Room in an Asian Theme

It is possible to decorate your dining room in an Asian theme without having it looking like a Chinese restaurant. When an Asian theme is done properly it does not look tacky; it looks elegant, calm and inviting. The looks is also quite easy to achieve by just adding a few appropriate accessories. Do not be afraid to coordinate your tables and chairs with your placemats and cutlery.

Serving bowls and dishes should look Chinese and be in the colors of Chinese reds and bamboos. Another popular design is the blue and white Chinese porcelain that features fish. The cutler should be rudimentary and consist of bamboo sticks. Make sure the bowls are big and round for holding steamed rice and soup. A little ceramic wine set also gives the room an authentic Chinese feel. Cherry blossoms make a nice centerpiece and give the dining table a truly fresh Asian look.

The best way to make a difference is to simply shop for the right Asian inspired serving dishes, gable ware, serving dishes, runners and table cloths. Just these few touches can easily add a touch of the orient to your look. You may not want to paint all of your walls in mandarin oranges or bamboo greens but you can add an instant oriental flair by adding folding screens made out of rice paper or Shoji doors combined with Asian potted plants. Exotic knick knacks like Buddha’s, geisha girl figures or swords hanging over the mantelpiece or table can give your table an exotic flair.

You can buy Chinese art or you can do something simple like hang an elegant kimono on the wall. A small tank filled with Chinese fish such as angel fish, carp or goldfish also gives a room an oriental touch especially if it also has a small pond in it.

Any wall that is painted a deep red and then contrasted with woods does automatically convey a room that has a bit of a Chinese flair. To really accomplish the Chinese effect well you can also try furniture that is covered with white or red silk and rattan and finished in a crimson or black lacquer finish.

Lighting is important when it comes to creating this type of look. Although a crystal or wrought iron chandelier would do, wooden or big white paper shades look more Chinese. One idea is to hang little Chinese lanterns in a chandelier to give it more of an Asian celebratory effect.