Indoor Decorative Plant Stands

It's true that some homeowners can get away with buying a plant and plopping it in its original pot on a windowsill. Houseplants are beautiful in and of themselves, but to add a special touch discerning homeowners are willing to spend a bit extra for indoor decorative plant stands. These stands come in an amazing array of materials, sizes and shapes that can complement any decor.

Wrought Iron
Many plant stands are made of wrought iron. Because they are so malleable, they are easy for a gifted ironmonger to form into all kinds of shapes. Though they look like they're made of filigree or lace, they are surpassingly tough and sturdy enough to support even a heavy plant and its pot. Many have lower shelves on which to place gardening supplies or plants that don't need too much light.

The shapes that wrought iron indoor decorative plant stands can be turned into including troughs with curved legs and curled feet, whimsical shopping carts, modified wheel barrels and bowls and urns on pedestals. Some have wheels that make it easy for them to be moved from one sunny spot in the room to another and indeed are made to look like bicycles or tricycles. Others are fashioned after a child's chair, baskets placed at the top of lamp posts or miniature spiral stairsteps. Others have two or more tiers of wrought iron baskets, while others are sold in sets to be placed together or arranged around a room.

Wrought iron plant stands don't have to come in basic black either. They can be white, red, green, yellow, blue or any other color the homemaker fancies.

Other Types of Stands
Plant stands are also made out of wood and range from stands that are rustic and unfinished to stands made in Sheraton, French Provincial, Mission or other styles with curved legs, lion claw feet, carvings or gate legs. Some come with drawers and lower shelves. Other plant stands are made of metal in the contemporary style while others are simple plexiglas cubes. Some are built like ladders, with room for a plant or two on each rung. Etagere style plant stands to resemble ladders, but they have open shelves instead of rungs.

Antique Horse Weathervanes: A Rich History

Weathervanes are a beautiful, practical way to identify the direction of the wind, and they have a rich history of use for farmers and ranchers. In the days before meteorologists used modern tools to determine future weather patterns, farmers relied on simple tools to keep an eye on the weather. The direction of the wind could help a farmer determine a change in the weather conditions that could affect his crops; for example, a sudden change in the wind direction is a sure indicator of low pressure and the possibility of storms. Over the years, weathervanes became quite ornate and a beautiful expression of art and history that enrich the look of a home and property.

The artists who created weathervanes looked for symbolic figures to incorporate into their art. Often depicting a way of life, weathervanes incorporated farm animals into their designs, such as horses, pigs and chickens. Weathervanes were added to churches and other urban buildings to symbolize tradition and culture. By the end of the 19th century, elaborate weathervanes could be found on most Victorian-era buildings. As an important part of daily life for riding, farming and transportation, horses were a favorite subject.

Horse weathervanes were often shown depicting famous race horses in various running or trotting styles. The horses were designed to face in the same direction as the wind was blowing, to give the illusion that the horses were running with the wind. The elegant form of the horse gave the weathervane artists a noble subject to create in many beautiful forms and variations. As the horse weathervanes were exposed to annual weather events and temperature extremes, they developed a beautiful patina which gave them even more character and detail.

Antique horse weathervanes are a beautiful addition to any home or landscape. Not only are they representative of both history and art, they provide a bit of decorative elegance in addition to serving a functional purpose.

Spruce Up Your Library With Wrought Iron Book Shelves

If you have a home office or library, book shelves are an essential part of those rooms. It's always a good idea to have a quality, well-made place to store and keep all of your reading material. If you're in the market for a new book shelf, wrought iron book shelves are well built, made to last, and have a sleek, modern look. Wrought iron can be used to make anything from furniture and tools to home decor. When it comes to choosing this for your book shelves, it's sure to be a gorgeous yet sturdy addition to your library.

Most store-bought shelving is made of compressed wood, composite, or solid wood. While wooden shelving can be sturdy, it will never replace the heavy duty capability of wrought iron book shelves. Whether you have college textbooks or loads of classic literature, you want to be able to store your books on something that can not only hold up all of the heavy weight but will also look attractive.

Aside from a place to keep your books, high-quality shelves made of wrought iron can handle any decorative items with ease. Wrought iron is not restricted to silver toned or black colors. Today's furniture makers can create iron furniture in a wide array of beautiful colors including pastel shades or more classic colors like navy blue, white, or gray. You can opt to have a free standing shelf that sits on your floor, or a wall shelf. Either one will be able to handle the many books or other items you wish to display.

Another interesting feature of wrought iron is that it can be combined with other materials. Use wood to accent the bookshelves, or hang simple shelving made of wrought iron using L-brackets. The diversity of this kind of shelving makes it very appealing to most homeowners. If you're in the market for a new bookshelf, wrought iron is certainly a smart choice.

Lovely Ready Made Garden Gates

A Beautiful Welcome
 The welcoming beauty of a metal garden gate appeals to both onlookers and visitors. Many residential and business properties employ attractive wrought iron or woven wire gates to adorn backyard gardens or highlight front entrances. The intricate curling and spiraling of metallic components adds visual interest to these structures. Today, advances in manufacturing technology permit ready made garden gates to complement a wide array of specific design and color patterns.

Stately Premises 
Many Victorian homes even today possess incredibly beautiful ornate metal fencing and gates. These gates also enhance the appearance of a variety of modern styles. An Iron Country French Arbor Entry Gate provides a tasteful decor addition. It functions as either a standalone item of garden interest, or an entrance gate to a hedged or fenced path or yard. The main hoop gently offsets the rigid lines of any nearby vertical fence posts. It provides a prominent, graciously symmetrically curving shape which attracts attention.

 Some people especially appreciate garden gates with main hoops, such as the Iron Country French Arbor Entry Gate. The gate's rounded frame can also function as a trellis. Landscapers sometimes train climbing vines to grow along the curving metal hoop. Entering a garden during warm months beneath a cascade of Grape Vines, or sweet-smelling Miniature Roses or Morning Glory blossoms immediately conveys a sense of abundance and vigorous natural growth.

Practical Protection
A simple Woven Wire Garden Gate appeals to many property owners with green thumbs, also. Its traditional farm-country design conveys practicality and utility. In locations where bunny rabbits or other wildlife regularly graze on vegetable plots, these type of ready-made garden gates serve a very useful purpose. The close weave of the wires across the surface of the gate helps discourage some mooching garden visitors.

 In a property designed to reflect a country theme, a Woven Wire Garden Gate carries forward the ambiance of the architectural style to a backyard, garden or patio very well. So architects and builders can use this type of gate extensively to promote a hobby-farm theme.