In my opinion, silk greenery has its place, with one or maybe two pieces in a room, but that would be my limit.

I have silks plants and greenery here too!

For a fresh change -- perhaps switch to two basic silk ferns for each of the white columns? And move them closer to fill more of the empty space behind the pretty sofa? Maybe add a standing lamp at one end of the sofa?

As for my silks -- I move them around -- and stash them for periods of time. One year -- I took a large arrangement and sprayed it lightly with copper and then gold spray paint for a Holiday seasonal change.

You asked, so I assume you truly are seeking opinions.

My reaction to the rooms as pictured is two-fold: firstly, you seem to have confused your home with a store display, or hotel lobby by using so many plants (whether faux or real.) Those spaces are necessarily decorated in an impersonal and somewhat over-scale style on purpose so lashings of greenery and funeral-home type floral arrangements do the trick. But in a private house, especially in one like yours, where it's clear that the owner has exercised considerable care and and thought and taste, the commercial/store window display quality of the added plants kind of jars.

Secondly, and this may be more idiosyncratic to someone like me who is a keen plant lover, and grower, when I see a lot of plants in a room that clearly is unsuitable for them (if they were actually living things) it is kind of unsettling. Of course, cut flowers can be anywhere because they are already harvested, but look-alike faux plants that are out of place seem wrong to my eye. And that pouf of what, Swedish Ivy(?), on top of the clock makes me want to rush over and snatch it away lest it leak on to the clockworks.

So I'd get rid of most, or all, of the fake greenery. In its place I'd concentrate on tending to one or two real plants suitable for the space (and there are plants for dark rooms and sometimes well-targeted gro-lights help, too). For flowers, I would substitute smaller, more personal-scale touches of real flowers, alternated with ever changing displays of non-floral, but more long lasting examples of nature: branches, stones, acorns, etc. The sort of found articles you find every day on a walk. Move them in for a few days, then refresh your sense by moving them back out, and have something new that keeps you in touch with nature and the changing seasons.

Your walls may feel a bit bare without their green beards, but you then would have lots more space for art or pictures, or textiles. Less decorated wall-space is lovely to have, too, but without the plants you could have bigger art, or at least a stronger design element than the little wall hangings there now which are sort of crowded by the encroaching herbiage.

Hide the speakers with furniture or screens, or build book shelves and plunk 'em there.

You have many pretty things and clearly have great natural taste to arrange them well, but it's time to get out the silk machete and prune back the silk weeds. (Weeds is not perjorative; when I was in hort school it was constantly emphasized that a "weed" is any plant in the wrong place.)

Hope I haven't hurt your feelings!
L

I have fake stuff in my house too. I wish I had the green thumb thing in me but really I don't have any desire to mess with real plants.

Maybe try taking all the greenery out and add a few back.

I would take the ivy off the top of the curio cabinet.

Are all three of those photos part of the same space?

I also like big, elaborate flowers in very small doses (1) and it looks like you only have one? If if you like the one of the column then I'd keep it.

The speaker area... I'm trying to think of another way you could hide them better. How thick are the speakers? Maybe you could put bookshelves in front?

I do have a few decorating books that a few photos show tons of greenery so it's not that it's never been done, but I agree you have a lot of nice things there and I think you could do even more if you'd free up some space. The speakers look kind of close to the wall color so maybe they wouldn't look so bad if there wasn't anything there? I'll admit one thought that crossed my mind was to paint them the wall color. I don't even know if you can or would want to do that.

I like your big, white bunny.

My thoughts are less is more. If you take most of the greenery away, you will be able to appreciate your furnishings.

I think Liriodendron stated that very well. And I agree.

You have a lovely home with wonderful architectural details. I love your creamy walls and crisp white trim. Your flooring is gorgeous, and your furnishings are really, really lovely. It looks like a very elegant, tasteful space.

However, all of the greenery is distracting, and IMO completely takes away from an otherwise stunning room.

A good question to ask yourself is why did you put it there to begin with? Do you want more texture in the room? More color? Do you love plants and flowers, but can't grow them in that room due to the light? Do you want natural elements in the room? I think figuring out what the goal was to begin with may help you find another solution.

The plants covering the speakers...one of the things I've learned about landscape design, is that when you try to screen something unwanted, and you put the screen directly in front of the thing, the eye and the mind is driven to see what's behind the screen, and that's exactly the effect those plants have. It makes me want to look behind them and find out what's back there. Are they actually hooked up and working? If not, I'd move them to another place (closet?garage?) and if they are, they do blend in with the wall, so I would either just ignore them altogether, or maybe skootch them together behind those chairs.

For now, I'd take it all out, and just live with it for a few weeks. See how you feel about the space. For that urn with the flower arrangement, can you just remove the flowers and leave the urn?

I'm not saying that there's no place for fake flowers and plants. I have a few arrangements in my own house, but just like any other accessory or piece of furniture, it should enhance the room, not take away from it.

I think you have a lovely home and lovely furnishings. I think that the faux plants are a distraction. I agree with liriodendron. The space would look far better, in my opinion, if they were removed. I would replace with sculptured art. Maybe a large vase. I think that removing the plants would update the look immediately. But, on the other hand, if you love it then keep it. You are the one that has to live in the space. I think a house should be decorated in a way that represents the personality of the owner. For me, the flowers make your space look very dated.

I love your stuff! Your tables rug...just the eclectic/traditional style of the thing is really my cup of tea...
BUT...( you knew that was coming didn't you?? LOL) the room really looks like a fake plant department at K-Mart.....too much....and most of it is the same color and same texture green. If those ficus trees where real I would prune them because they are too big for the space.
Also I love big showy mixed bouquets....real is best but since I can't afford that I go for good quality fake....but that bouquet on the pedestal is too tall for the vase on top of the pedestal and the pedestals too white and "plaster of Paris" looking for the other lovely antiques in your room.
Find a nice pewter or old bronze or perhaps an art pottery vase and plop that bouquet into it and stain and darken those pedestals to look a little like old bronze or perhaps carved walnut. But with your other stuff, the white doesn't make it.
I don't think you need to do away with all the silk greens....just most of it...and in particular the stuff on top of the bonnet top cabinet and most of the jungle in the corner by the speakers...
keep the greens on the mantle and one of the giant ficus....and do away with the topiary...unless you want to make it a seasonal thing and change it with the seasons.
Also all the greenery seems to be located at one end of the space....maybe you could keep more if it were spread around.
You know outside of all the fake greenery...it's really a fabulous room!
Linda C

"So I'd get rid of most, or all, of the fake greenery. In its place I'd concentrate on tending to one or two real plants suitable for the space (and there are plants for dark rooms and sometimes well-targeted gro-lights help, too). For flowers, I would substitute smaller, more personal-scale touches of real flowers, alternated with ever changing displays of non-floral, but more long lasting examples of nature: branches, stones, acorns, etc. The sort of found articles you find every day on a walk. Move them in for a few days, then refresh your sense by moving them back out, and have something new that keeps you in touch with nature and the changing seasons."

I couldn't have said it better than the above - from Liriodendron. There are so many easy houseplants and other items to use. I realize it's a personal opinion, but I have never been fond of silks. Your home is lovely, but imho, you are overshadowing much of it with all the greenery.

If you can't do away with the silks, I agree with others who said that less is more. Take some away and live with that for a few weeks.

tina

I love silks but I do agree with the other's. I like the floral arrangement and I'd put it at the end of the mantel.

I see you have a large window behind the sofa. Even if you only get shade there are some great and easy plants to place on the table.

One thing I do when I get rid of a silk is save the planter it came in and use it for real plants. Put a plant in a plastic container and plop it in a decorative planter.

You have really lovely furnishings and a floor plan that is unique and creative. Love all your trim and crown mouldings. Once you get rid of all the faux greenery, maybe you can choose a soft green for your walls.

Wow, this is very unique! You have some great stuff, too! Now I think in your heart of hearts you already know that there's way too much greenery going on, right? I would take it ALL out and then replace veeeerrry sparingly. IMHO what needs to not come back: all the trees, the plants on the ledges (you have such fabulous architechtural details - don't need any thing up there to take away from the open-ness of it), the too-big flower spray on the columns, and the plant on the clock, for starters. Can the speakers go on that wall behind the couch? It seems like there's enough room, since the couch is pulled away from the wall. The plants and trees are really not hiding them, and as someone pointed out earlier, they are only serving to draw the eye to the very thing you want to hide! I think just a few touches of greenery will go a long way. Your rooms have many nice things for the eyes to feast upon, but the jungle is detracting from them, rather than enhancing them.

I agree with everyone about how lovely your room is and that the greenery takes away from all that loveliness. I LOVE that floral arrangement though. I'm a southern girl and we seem to take to our florals (real and upscale silks alike). I think you should move the floral from the column...it's way too tall for the arrangement and move it to one of your side tables. If it doesn't work on any of those, than maybe put it in your entry way (if there is room) or on the dining room table. While I don't like peeking over any arrangement during dinner, something with height on the table is nice when it's not in use. It's definitely a keeper IMO.

what they said...

Also, even if you don't have enough light for real plants, you can always have an arrangement of fresh flowers rather than the fake one. I would pick up some flowers at the grocery store and plunk them in a vase. My DH buys me several bunches every week and I especially like the lilies (stargazers or the white ones) because they have such a lovely fragrance. You only need a few stems to make an impact. I have one round, rather flat vase that I stick only one stem into-it looks fabulous. The lilies sometimes last for two weeks, so it doesn't end up being terribly expensive.

Oh, I see now that you have a curio cabinet, NOT a clock in the corner by the fireplace. See, I was so overwhelmed by the stuff on top of it that I didn't even see what it was!

Unless I am seeing things there appears to be a sky light in that room....lots of light for real plants.
But, real plants are more work...you have to water them and feed them occasionally and pick up the occasional dropped leaf or so.
But what they lend to a room is worth it. The thing about a real plant or real flowers is they don't stay the same.They grow, flower, wilt, die and are ever changing.
I like that.
Linda c

You haven't replied to anyone for offering their advice and suggestions, so I don't know if you're still interested or not.

If you are, have you considered dried flowers? Take a look at the link below. See the dried stems around the old truck in baskets? Something like that would look great in your room.

They're easy to keep clean. Just use a blowdryer on a cool and low setting to blow off the dust.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dried Flowers

My live plants are everchanging too....they die, I throw them out and buy new ones.
And I know what I'm doing believe it or not! Real plants that look fabulous, the desirable varieties anyway, can be tricky.

You have received some great advice here, so I won' repeat. However, I wanted to say you have a very pretty home to work with. I love the little table at the end of the sofa. Very unusual. Would you please tell me about it..is it antique? Would love to see a close-up of it.
I also want a drum table like yours!
Tuesday

Thanks for all your input, I really appreciate it. You all have given me a lot to think about! I did remove the large floral from the living room and it created a BIG HOLE! I will get used to it and shop for an object 'd art to fill the space. The columns are not as white as they appear in the picture. They have a beige/tan "wash" to them that looks balanced with my walls and white trim. I do occasionally place real flowers on my dining room table in a large rose bowl. (I used to have a large silk arrangement there too!) Wanna see a picture?
{{!gwi}}

I need to clarify that the room where the speakers reside is a totally different room. That is a large family room (29' x 17'). The speakers do work and are hooked up. Book shelves housing the speakers would be wonderful, but also costly as the ceiling height is 10 feet. Speakers need to stay on this wall due to wire and hookup. I love the trees and not ready to give them up. They are hand-made and I paid dearly for them 12 years ago. I will start to replace the smaller plants with real ones and take a "silk machete" to that area :) as liriodendron suggested.

I also need to add that I live in Texas (near Dallas) and the way people decorate here is a bit "overstated" maybe not tasteful to some. I really love my "green". Summers are so hot that yard work isn't fun. In winter, very little grows. I've had a decorator to come in and give me a fresh opinion and only remarked that the flowers need to be changed out to coordinate with my new color scheme. Yet, I had this nagging feeling that "something" was not right.

This change is hard for me. Any more comments will be appreciated and you won't hurt my feelings!

I have zz plants. They survive in very dim light. You could take a plant like that, and get two. Put one in the room that gets more light and rotate it with the one in the dim room. Very easy to grow.

Tuesday2008: Thanks!
The little table at the end of the sofa is not an antique. I found it in a store in Dallas. Don't know the manufacturer name. Just liked it and bought it! I'll get you some pictures soon. The drum table is by Butler. Link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Clover Leaf Table

I have a few high quality silks/rubber in my home. Real plants commit suicide at my house, so since I like the ambiance a palm brings to the setting I go with the silk. About 1 per room is my limit.

I think a floral arrangement of all whites and ivories would look very fresh in your room.

Here is an after picture with the floral removed. On the wall, above the sofa is a collection of Rodney Kent & Continental Silver Co. Hammered Aluminum. I know, I need to remove the green blobs on top of the secretary! :)

{{!gwi}}

For Tuesday2008


{{!gwi}}{{!gwi}}{{!gwi}}

Red, I did have a thought about the speakers-if you want to be a little sneaky, just buy him some of the new high tech small speakers that will probably give him even better sound than those oldies! B&O has some very cool ones, but very pricey. There are others as well. :)

WOW! What a transformation! You can even stand to put a few small floral accents back. Say some peonies is a crystal vase. And the ones that are left, don't bother me a bit.
I was gonna say something about TX and going *big* but I wasn't sure if that was insulting. I like your style!

Looks VERY nice -- and I love vintage hammered aluminium items too! :)

Do consider adding a standing lamp behind the sofa (at the end by the desk) -- and perhaps one on the round side table beside the wing chair ....

Just for fun -- try a couple of your greenery silks on each column .... and slide the columns closer into the open area behind the sofa -- Just to see if it would work ....

You don't live in Ellis county, do you? LOL!

Really, I think if you can't do anything else, remove the greenery from the tops of the furniture. You have beautiful pieces, and they can speak for themselves.

That window treatment in the dining room is absolutely stunning!

Was the collection of silver/aluminum on the wall before? It looks really nice there!

Looks better without all the florals. While it does create a little hole, I can't help but want to see the sofa against the wall. If not, I would rethink the columns. When I was in design school, I learned a very valuable lesson that if you repeat an element too much, it loses it's impact and I feel that the addition of the little columns makes the other, real looking ones lose their impact.
I do love your furnishings and that side table at the end of the sofa is to die for!

cyn427 - already tried that, they went back to the store. He REALLY loves these speakers! ;/

paintergirl94 - "going *big*" is not insulting. It's true! :)

franksmom_2010 - Western Tarrant

sheesharee - Aluminium Collection was there, just out of view from due to the angle the photo was taken with the floral.

I'm sharpening my silk machete!
Thanks for all your comments and your help!

WOW! Really nice traditional pieces. I agree with another poster, a floor lamp at the end of the couch, kind of placed behind it would be a good addition. The pedestals could get a brown paint wash, so they blend better, then maybe display a statue of birds? Pheasants? on the tops....

Well, it's a shame you're not closer to me. We could be shopping buddies! Isn't this heat just dreadful? I hate summer in Texas!

"I did remove the large floral from the living room and it created a BIG HOLE!"

Not really. What you need is a rearrangement of the furniture. Right now it is not set up to function comfortably with the coffee table is too far from the loveseat to be able to use and a chair jammed into the corner crowded in by a tree and a pot of greenery ready to fall on someone's head from on top of a curio cabinet. Everything is set around the whole room making it an obstacle course to get through the room.

I would center the rug on the fireplace. Pull the one chair out of the corner more towards the fireplace and put the other chair next to it keeping the pedestal table between them. Put the couch opposite the chairs cozied up to the fireplace. This will give you a nice tight grouping good for conversation with easy open access to the seating. Then you will have a nice pathway to pass through the room too.

I would put the beefier console on the big wall and hang the tapestry higher above it. Do you have two chairs you could take from another room to flank the console? Rearrange the metal wall art to fit in with this grouping.

The ideas above are using what I see in the room but I bet you could 'shop your house' and switch out many pieces for a better fit in this room. You don't show all of the rooms in the house but I am thinking the secretary may have a better place for it where it will be a real focal piece. Right now it is dwarfed by the pillars and doesn't really shine.

Lose the pedestals and the wire screen. Just keep greenery on the tops of some of the short walls. If you like flowers use dried ones - or even faux dried ones. The one place in the room that could really handle a nice large flower arrangement, is the coffee table. Not one too high though.

dilly_dally - Thanks for your suggestions. This room is large. (17' by 18') The fireplace is on a slant to the room. The rug (9' by 12')and the sofa (7') sits square with the fireplace. There is plenty of room to walk around. Hard to tell from a photo, but in the 3-dimensional, this arrangement is really quite pleasing to the eye and very efficient. You also can't tell from the photo, but the secretary is quite large and is not dwarfed by the columns which are 33" and 41". The metal screen is a keeper. I love it and made by Maitland Smith.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

I said the secretary is dwarfed by the pillars - meaning the ones that are part of the house not meaning the plant stands on the floor in front of it. I know those are short. Maybe the current arrangement does work for you best but you seemed unhappy with the "hole" created when removing the flower arrangment. I did think the room looked like it was taken with a fisheye lens and that can really distort things in a photo, completely throwing off the perspective.

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I just Googled *Maitland Smith* and Wow! Some very creative beautiful stuff there. Love the lamps they do. Thanks for the tip.