I got a call from good friends last week, asking whether they could come by and visit this past weekend. “Yes,” was my immediate answer and invited them for dinner Saturday night.

I knew within 10 minutes what I was going to make — my favorite roast chicken, my new cornbread dressing recipe and an apple crisp. But what to do for a centerpiece? I didn’t have the budget for flowers, but then I remembered an idea I spotted in the lobby of the 4-star Omni Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.

Near the check-in desk, the hotel had on display tall, clear vases filled with a multitude of orchids submerged in water — it was truly elegant. I had seen a similar treatment in which lemons and limes were piled in a vase, and then it was filled with water. Much more in my budget!

So, with one pound of limes at $1 and two pounds of lemons at 99 cents a pound, I had my centerpiece for $3, just using a large lead crystal urn I already had. I think it turned out beautifully.

You could do a similar arrangement with oranges, apples, etc. The secret is to fill it totally with the fruit, and then add the water. You can’t be skimpy. But it’s the time of the year to get good deals on fruits (I just got apples for 25 cents a pound today), so it is still very economical.

Just wanted to pass this idea along, and show how it turned out.

I love when readers post questions, and this one was a great one:

Well, I’m blessed with a wonderfully large apartment. This building went up in 1870 and has a lot of “character”. It has 11′ ceilings. But (the) problem is the window, which faces an air shaft and the brick wall of the building next door. What can I do to the window that make it less dreadful?

Any window treatment needs to address three issues:

That’s it! Pretty simple when you break it down.

In this instance, privacy is not an issue — not with a brick wall outside the window. Light and creating something attractive are the main goals.

I’ve thought about this for nearly two days now, and here is the (economical) solutions I came up with.
Regarding light control, you could go with a cut-to-measure mini- or wood-slat blind, but no one will want to open it because there is nothing to look at. I would go with a sheer, cellular, pleated shade that can remain in place, except for when you wish the window to be open. This will allow light to filter in the room, without having to look at a brick wall.

But the next problem is this will look like a cut-out square in the wall with nothing else to make it attractive. That’s where the “treatment” part comes into place.

You’re blessed with high, 11-foot ceilings. This is probably the most dramatic architectural aspect of the room. Accent them!

If the window is centered on a wall, I would opt for panels on either side of the window, but placed all the way to the ceiling! Interior designers do this in a low ceiling room to make it look higher, and what you will do is accent how high the ceilings are in this room. If the window is against a wall, just put one panel up on the wall side, and swag it over the entire wide of the window to reveal the light and window.

You can make your own long panel with 3 yards of fabric. Buy a rod and finial set (Walmart and Target have great ones online). But don’t buy one for the width of the window, add a foot on either side to increase the drama and not cover the precious light coming through the window. You can either sew a “tube” in the fabric for the poll (and make it loose, say about 2 inches on either side) or use hem tape and iron one in top and bottom. If the window is against the wall, just buy a rod set the width of the window and swag it over with a pull back.

If you want to go simpler — and less hands-on — buy the rod and finial set, and a standard 8-foot set of panels from either Target or Walmart online in a neutral (beige/taupe, etc.) You only need one panel if the window is against the wall.

In either case, the added benefit is that one can pull the panels closed to block light out completely, if you use a thicker fabric (I have velvet in my bedroom).

Hope this helps, and thanks for asking!

Storage is always a challenge in a bathroom, especially when you’re faced with a pedestal sink (and no vanity), as I was with our powder room. Where to store extra toilet paper, magazines, and all the other items you would prefer guests not see?

I happened on this idea at a discount department store. I purchased two decorative hat boxes to store those extra items (and add a touch of glamour to the room). Total cost - $12. I used the same tactic in the master bath “toilet room.” Works great! Hope it may work for you, and here is the strategy in action. Welcome to our powder room! For more storage hints, check out this post.

I’ll let you in on a secret when entertaining — tealights.

My friend Annamarie came by last night. and I had a smattering of them around the living room and kitchen. They add sparkle and atmosphere for just a few pennies.

I always have a bag stocked in the kitchen cabinet for just such an occasion. I buy 100 at Big Lots for $4.99, which lasts me easily 6 months. They are also sold in bulk at Ikea, if you have one near you.

No need to buy tealight holders (though they are cheap), you can put them in crystal bowls, old wine glasses, shot glasses and more. They last about 4 hours and add so much in ambience when you have people over — or even when you are by yourself and want to relax.

This is truly an affordable luxury. Try them next time you have people come over, too. Just place them around the room, and your house will sparkle.

After all the work in the bath for the past week, how about a fun — and cheap — way to brighten your home?

You know what lasts longer than flowers? Fruit. And this is the time of the year!

A fresh bowl of fruit always brightens your home. Put them in a pretty bowl — perhaps one of the ones you received as a wedding gift. It will last for two weeks plus! Much longer than flowers.

Watch your favorite produce market over the next few weeks, and when you see fruit on sale, grab it — and a lot. Sure, you can eat some, but mainly we are adding “life” to a room. A living thing — be it flowers, plants or fruit — brings your rooms beyond tired and static. I recommend this for many of my real estate listings.

If you’re lucky enough to have a lemon tree in your yard, I’m sure you are inundated with fruit. Take a cue from wedding coordinators, and float it in water in a large vase. If the Bellagio in Las Vegas does it, you know it’s chic.

Whatever you do — a large bowl of oranges, or a vase of lemons and limes floating in water — you will enjoy the results for weeks.

When we moved into a new house, I wanted a simple window valance over the kitchen window where privacy was not an issue, and I came up with this idea.

I bought a Waverly table runner at Target for $22 and then a rod and finial set for about $15, and then clip-on hooks for about $5. For $42 I had a custom window treatment!
>I just spread out the runner, and clipped the hooks till they were evenly spaced, and threaded through the rod. I coordinated this by purchasing napkins that matched and staple-gunning them onto two chair seats.

You can adapt this idea to any window in which privacy is not an issue — just a wonderful, easy, no-sew touch. It would also work wonderful over a blind!