Asked on Apr 12, 2015

What to put in beautiful container?

Cindy Carley
by Cindy Carley
We have this metal container and we're wanting to put "artificial flowers, greenery &/or candles" inside and display on our kids "Kitchen Island". Any suggestions???
  21 answers
  • Robin Stauffer Robin Stauffer on Apr 12, 2015
    I REALLY like your kitchen. It is just perfect!
  • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 12, 2015
    Thank you, but it's not ours .... it's our kids kitchen. I'm looking for suggestions as to what to display in the "gold container" so that they can set it on this island. What you see in the photo above was before they purchased it and the items aren't there anymore. So trying to come up with something else! TY for your comment!!
  • Susan R Susan R on Apr 12, 2015
    2 2 inch candles some moss in the bottom so you don't have to overload it. I would go with some Ivy draping over and for contrast put a couple of red apples and other bright fruit, wax fruit, that way they don't have to worry about changing it. The colors of the fruit and Ivy would make a beautiful contrast to the gold basket and their kitchen,,which by the way is gorgeous!
    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 13, 2015
      @Susan R Thank you for your comments.......we really like the suggestion of the "ivy and brighter colors"!!!
  • What about kitchen kind of stuff? Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dish towels rolled up, salt and pepper container, or even snack bars for the family? Hope that helps. Beautiful kitchen and a lovely container.
    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 13, 2015
      @RCooper @ thoughtsbyher.com Thank you for your comments. I just couldn't throw the "container" away, since it was metal and so pretty. They received it from a company full of food/wine products at Christmas time. Exquisite, if I say so myself!!!
  • Carol Carol on Apr 12, 2015
    It's hard to tell by the picture the width and depth of the container. However, it appears that the kitchen tends to swing more toward the old world or French country look. With that being said, greenery would work, but having a rooster mounted within the greenery would look nice along with floral that match the décor.. Then next to the container, you can have candle holders with brick red candles to add a punch of color. I'm an interior decorator who specialized in created custom home décor.
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    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 13, 2015
      And, yes he whole house has an "OLD WORLD" theme to it and is just "beautiful"!! So happy that our children chose this "home" to live in!!!
  • Diane K. Diane K. on Apr 12, 2015
    Rolled kitchen towels, colorful scrubbies, bottles of dish detergent, anything you already have, because you needed it enough to already have bought it.
    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 13, 2015
      @Diane K. Thank you for your comment. I'm sure that the kids have all sorts of items setting around that we might be able to use!!
  • Kate Kate on Apr 12, 2015
    I would do succulents entirely! They are gorgeous and require little care.
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    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 27, 2015
      @Dee Beckham Now these won't get any "sunshine" since they will be sitting on the kitchen island. Will that cause them any issues????????? ~~ Thank you for your suggestions!!
  • Upstater Upstater on Apr 12, 2015
    Make twine balls. Wrap small inflated balloons with twine you have dipped in (and wrung out) a solution of half elmer's glue and half water. Once they dry, deflate and remove the balloons. Use 3 colors you have in your kitchen.
    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 13, 2015
      @Upstater We had seen your idea of the twine balls on "PINTEREST" awhile back and was thinking about trying those someday. May use your suggestion!! Thank you for you comment!!
  • Gail Salminen Gail Salminen on Apr 12, 2015
    @ I like the idea of the rolled towels etc. I would avoid putting artificial flowers as over time they would collect the oils that get into the air from cooking. Perhaps a combination of real plants - great suggestion of putting a rooster in the center, then arrange real plants on either side - may need to have small pots for the plants - can turn a 3rd upside down in the center to place the rooster on. I think I remember seeing roosters at Home Sense and Pier 1 Imports. Sure would like to see the finished product. It is a classy container by the way.
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    • Gail Salminen Gail Salminen on Apr 13, 2015
      @ I think @Carol had a great idea there. Either way I wouldn't get rid of that container. When I first saw it I thought it would be perfect to serve rolls etc. in for dinner or other items at a part.
  • ByLightOfMoon ByLightOfMoon on Apr 13, 2015
    Potpourri maybe? What a beautiful home and kitchen! Smiles, Cyndi
  • Lin1396287 Lin1396287 on Apr 13, 2015
    I think put beautiful artificial orchid they sold with root, look real then finish with river rock. Will look stunning.
  • Melly Melly on Apr 13, 2015
    Please don't default to artificial greenery. Lots of good ideas already posted here.
    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 13, 2015
      @Melly I really agree with you about the "artificial greenery", because I think it would take away from their "BEAUTIFUL" kitchen area!! Thanks!!
  • Kathy Leveque Kathy Leveque on Apr 13, 2015
    I would just put a beautiful plant in the middle and then have it contained somehow and I think that the bottom of this basket is a lot less in width then what the sides show? So maybe then line the inside around the plant so that you can put oranges and apples etc that their kids can grab when they come home from school.
  • Miriam Miriam on Apr 13, 2015
    It seems rather large to fill, you could always use filler on the bottom up to a point so you won't need as much of whatever you choose to fill it up. What about wildflowers? Or maybe you can fill it with ice and wine bottles for special occasions.
    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 13, 2015
      @Miriam Thank you for your comment, Miriam. I had thought about your "ice & wine bottles"; but the kids have a small room off of the kitchen between the "formal dining room & kitchen" which is a "bar area with a wine cooler"....so that idea will not work. I've measured the container and it's ~~ 22" length, 8" width, & 5" depth in middle and 8" depth at the ends. The container dips in the middle, so we may have to fill in the bottom with something!! :)
  • Clunygrey Clunygrey on Apr 13, 2015
    I'd go with real greenery or potted flowers that you could change with the season; please don't put artificial stuff in there. The kitchen is too pretty for that. You could also put filler in the bottom and fruit on top.
    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 14, 2015
      @Clunygrey Thank you for your comments!! Will definitely NOT put in any artificial flowers!! And, yes I'm envious of our children "because their kitchen is absolutely gorgeous & the pantry behind the doors on the left of the photo is HUGE"!!!! :)
  • Martinigal Martinigal on Apr 13, 2015
    I just purchased a bag of those decorative balls. One is twine, one eucalyptus leaves, one covered with a brown little leaf, ect. I think you get the idea. I would use some moss to fill some of the volume and have always liked planting very small ivy plants to get some dramatic affect when it grows over the side. You've got tons of great ideas here. Plants also clean the air so there's that!
    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 13, 2015
      @Martinigal & Clunygrey: Thank you both for your suggestions!! You ALL have been very helpful and we appreciate your input!! ~~ WE LOVE HOMETALK!! ~ Everyone have a great day!! :)
  • Linda Fraser Linda Fraser on Apr 13, 2015
    If you like to do crafts there's one that would look cool in it since it's on a kitchen island. Go to a discount bread store or where ever you can find cheap small marked down bread. Like small rolls, small mini loaves of bread, small bagels etc. * **Do this craft outside because of fumes*** You need some polyurethane cheap paint brush rubber gloves ***IMPORTANT*** some foil wrap cheap tongs from dollar store bread Your choice of glue, no string hot glue (don't use reg hot glue, the strings will drive you nuts with this project), 6000 glue (I like the white 60000) It isn't stringy like the clear but still dries clear. newspaper lay out your foil wrap on where you will be working and leaving items to dry. This is a easy craft stir your poly good, now with tongs dip each piece of bread in it let excess drip off and place on foil. Do however many you think you will need. Better to have more then not enough. Now go back any redip again. Let set for a 1 hour. Redip. Now let dry overnight. In the morning see if bottoms are dry , if they aren't just turn over to dry for a short time. doesn't have to be totally dry like top. crumple some newspaper and place into the container to the rim. Now if your using 6000 glue put glue all over the newspaper, if hot glue you have to do small sections at a time. where you glue put your pieces of bread. Your going to stack it up so it looks like it's a big stack of fresh bread waiting t be eaten. Your bread on the side will be standing on there sides. However you would like it to look. Just glue and stack. Let me know if you do this. I would love to see the final pic if you do this..
    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Apr 13, 2015
      @Linda Fraser Thank you for your very "detailed" craft idea. Sounds like something we could do and it would be easy for the "kids" to change things in the "container" occasionally!! ~~~ Great idea!! :)
  • Carol Carol on Apr 13, 2015
    Let me see what I can find, @Cindy--and get back---
  • Sue Peet Sue Peet on Apr 14, 2015
    Since it's metal it would be a good way to keep small bottles of water, soda, juices cold for parties. Buy small pots of colorful flowers to place inside, flowers that work best with the colors of your kitchen. I agree its a pretty container. Put healthy snacks in it like peanuts in their shells, granola bars, dried fruit in pretty sacks, etc.
  • Sherry Kurtz Sherry Kurtz on Apr 26, 2015
    I think real greenery would look really pretty in there! Maybe get 2 pots of Ivy or however you need to make it full
  • Carol Carol on May 02, 2015
    Hello--sorry I haven't been able to get back to you in regards to your container. I looked back over my pictures and I do not see any where a rooster has been used in floral. However if you check out one of my connections, you can see many pictures she has done with roosters . You can find her on ETSY under Kristen's Creations.--Carol
    • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on May 02, 2015
      @Carol Thank you!! I was looking on PINTEREST the other day and came across a photo of one that did use a rooster. Will talk with our children and see if it's something that they want to add to the décor. Greatly appreciate all you've done! :)