Vicki has a new article in the Charlotte Living magazine.

Remember when a great backyard meant you had a swing set and a fence?  Not anymore.  Today homeowners are spending a small fortune to turn their backyards into world class resorts.  In Charlotte we can take advantage of the mild climate and enjoy being outdoors almost year around.  For those of us who moved to Charlotte from the frozen north, we even find the winters downright balmy.

Click here to read Vicki’s article in full.

Spring is just days away, and with it comes the natural urge to get out and relish the great outdoors. Houseplants are a fun and easy way to keep that fresh, springtime feeling inside your home all the time. Even better, the health benefits associated with having indoor plants are fantastic. Not only does the presence of plants lower stress by promoting a calm and relaxed attitude, but research undertaken by NASA proves that plants are capable of cleaning indoor air of volatile organic chemicals.

Houseplant  Basics

All houseplants need the correct balance of light to thrive. Always judge available light during the middle of a sunny day and be sure to choose a spot that has light for at least five hours of the day. Lack of sufficient light can lead to spindly plant growth. Check new plants daily for watering needs.  Most plant roots don’t like to be under water for more than 15 to 30 minutes, so make sure to put pebbles or other drainage material under the pot so the water that drains out isn’t touching the bottom of the pot.  Watch the leaves for signs of improper watering. Drooping or shriveling means not enough water is getting to the leaves, either because the plant needs water or the roots are damaged. Brown tips can mean dead root tips, either because the pot is too small or the plant isn’t being watered enough. Yellow leaves can be a sign of too much or too little water, so adjust accordingly.  Because the available nutrients in most potting mixes are depleted quickly, fertilizing houseplants appropriately is important. Fertilizers can come in the form of powders, spikes and premixed liquids, as well as slow-release pellets and water soluble crystalline plant food.

Troubleshooting

If a plant is slowly declining for no good reason, or is experiencing a browning or “frying” of leaf margins, chances are it is being chemically poisoned by chlorine, wrong-PH or fertilizer build up. Many plants are sensitive to the chlorine in tap water, so try leaving the water out overnight before watering the plant. Limit fertilizer to once a month or once a quarter. Dilute twice the recommended amount and don’t use during dormancy. Try testing your water’s PH with a cheap kit from the pet fish store. Most houseplants like a medium or slightly acid PH. Acidity can easily be increased using a drop or two of vinegar.

Five Great House Plants

1. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Native to South Africa, Spider Plants get their common name from the long thin leaves that emerge from their central point. They prefer cool to average home temperatures, but will tolerate hotter temperatures, and do well in just about any amount of light. The roots of Spider Plants have actually evolved to store water, making them very tolerant to inconsistent watering practices. The fluoride in tap water may turn leaf tips brown. To prevent this, use distilled water or rainwater for watering. Little plantlets form on hanging stems, making it very easy to propagate. Consider using an abundance of these plantlets in your container gardens outdoor this spring. This is a great and economical way to add variety to your annuals!

2. Mother-in-laws’s Tongue or Snake Plant (Sansecieria trifasciata)
This plant comes in tall and short varieties and will tolerate just about any growing condition. It also has an amazing capacity to miraculously revive from any “brown thumb” care once treated properly. Repotting is seldom necessary, since roots are sparse and the plant looks best when allowed to crowd the pot.

3. African Violet (Saintpaulia sp.)
When conditions are right, African Violets can bloom all year. There are a wide range of colors and sizes available and plants are easily hybridized to produce new colors and forms. African Violets need a lot of light throughout the day, but hot, direct sun will scorch the leaves and blooms, making indirect or filtered sun ideal. Water plants from the bottom using tepid water and feed the plant regularly with liquid houseplant fertilizer.

4. Aloes come in a variety of forms, but they all have thick succulent leaves coming from a central point. They like a lot of light and are reasonably easy to propagate. Plantlets grow up alongside the parent plant. Cut them off along with some roots, put them in soil and you’ll soon have many of them. Aloe is also a heavy hitter in the world of medicinal plants, most commonly used to treat burns and rashes.

5. Geraniums possess characteristics that make them ideal plants. Not only are they easy to care for, but they have a long bloom and lovely fragrance. Bright light is important to keep them flowering throughout the year. Light from a southern or western window is recommended. Geraniums like their soil to dry out a bit between watering. The best technique is to check about 3″ down into the soil, not the top of the soil, for watering needs.

Vicki has a new article in Charlotte Living magazine!

If you think homeowners are not in the mood to spend money, you would be shocked to discover that 2011 may be one of the most lucrative years ever for remodeling contractors. For the past couple of years homeowners have been very conservative about investing money into their current homes due to falling real estate prices. Now that homeowners are deciding to renovate rather than relocate, the remodeling business is off and running.

Click here to read the full article in the March/April issue on page 42.

Springtime Centerpiece

Need a pick-me-up project during this dreary winter?  I have just the project for you.  Bring springtime indoors with this creative centerpiece.

Click here for the Spring Centerpiece project .

Hello Everybody,

I am getting excited about this spring weather!  This seems to be the longest winter I have experienced since I moved to North Carolina 15 years ago. I know I can hear all of you in the mid-west and northern states saying, “She doesn’t know what winter is all about.”  Well as a Texas gal that moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1969 until 1994, I have first hand knowledge of how cold it can get and while we are much warmer here in the Carolinas it has been a long, wet winter for everyone.

This weekend I pulled out a planter I have not used since last summer. Vietri’s  pistachio- colored planter is great for indoor and outdoor use. Its elegant and rustic look make it the perfect accent for any kind of décor.  I decided I was going to use it inside my house for now.  Most planters, when placed properly, can be used in and outside the house, depending on the look you are going for.  This would make for a great party ice bucket for wine and beverages as well.

I began by wiping the planter down with a damp rag.  Luckily, it had not accumulated a lot of grime since the summer.  I decided to use silk flowers instead of fresh, because I didn’t want the mess and expense of having to change out fresh flowers every few days.  Plus, I did not want the hassle of cleaning the planter. This planter happens to be a hand made Italian terracotta.  Because it is terracotta, you should not leave it outside during cold weather.  The terracotta will soak up moisture.  When the temperature drops below freezing the pot will crack.

Cover the top of the planter with silk flowers.

In addition to your planter, you will also need enough silk flowers to completely cover the top of the planter. I chose to use bunches of silk flowers instead of single stems. This is a much more affordable way to get a lot of flowers without spending a fortune. I paid $4.99 per bunch at Garden Ridge.  I purchased five bunches; if you over buy, you can always return what you do not use.  I cut each bunch of flowers apart to create single stem flowers.

Chicken wire is a great material to anchor the flowers in the container.  You could use floral foam or antique floral frogs, but I prefer chicken wire.  The wire is affordable and available at your home improvement center and you can use it repeatedly.

Start by placing the flowers in a row around the edge of your container.  Then repeat this process by adding a second row, a third row and then fill-in any open spaces at the top of the arrangement.

Silk flowers are a great accent piece for almost any room in your home.  They are easy to maintain and will not perish. This is a great home décor piece to help bring the appearance of the outdoors, inside to your own home.  Celebrate! Spring has finally arrived.

I would love for you to send me your ideas for celebrating the spring and summer season! Email me at FYHmedia@cutterstv.com

A Fall Casual Table Setting…

If you want to do some simple fall decorating, consider setting your breakfast table or the less formal dining area in your home.
Trust your own taste and style to make a place setting that your find comforting.

*Feel free to mismatch dishes or take them from different collections. If you don’t have any around the home check out some discount shops.
*A breakfast place setting is decorative and casual. We used a mug with a goblet.
*By using the napkin pleated underneath the plates we eliminated the need to iron your linens. This technique allows use of older linens you may have using b/c of stains ect. Just fold your linens into a pleat and throw a napkin ring at the top and you will get another season of them!
Take a look at your dishes and linens and use what you already have to spice your home. You may surprise yourself!

 

This is the second straight year Susan G. Komen Build for the Cure has partnered with For Your Home with Vicki Payne, PBS’s premier home and garden television show airing nationally on over 702 PBS stations across the country, to build and decorate the Build for the Cure Show Home. The house, located in the Springfield Community in Fort Mill, South Carolina, will help to raise funds for the Charlotte Affiliates of the Susan G. Komen Fund, the largest grassroots initiative for finding a cure for breast cancer.

“This was an exciting project for all concerned,” says interior designer and television personality Vicki Payne. “Our goal was to make this traditional farm house look as if it has been there for a hundred years. Its white clapboard siding, natural stone porches, columns and historic architectural details will remind you of the simplistic beauty of yesterday’s American farmhouse. The décor is casual, colorful and most importantly, livable. Everyone will find ideas and projects they can apply to their own home and garden.”

For Your Home, hosted by Vicki Payne, is one of today’s most popular television lifestyle series. It is the #2 most aired home and garden show on television. Vicki will share her design expertise and the building experience of this custom built 5700 square foot house with her national viewership via the FYH Show. Check your local PBS listings for day and times you can watch the FYH show starting in January 2010.

Cutters Productions would like to acknowledge our generous sponsors. Click on the logos below for more information about each sponsor.

American Leather

Founded in 1990, American Leather is a manufacturer of custom upholstered premium leather and fabric furniture, and is recognized as one of the industry’s luxury furniture leaders. American Leather has received various industry awards, and has been recognized as a “Best Buy” product through Consumer Digest magazine.
www.americanleather.com

Ames True Temper

Ames True Temper has offered innovative landscape products since 1774, leading the way in non – powered lawn & garden tools, wheelbarrows and lawn carts, watering products and decorative accessories, including planters. Enjoy time at home gardening with your family.
www.amestruetemper.com

Anderson

Anderson Hardwood Floors has the perfect floor to complement your personal style and unique taste. Whether you’re searching for something in particular or waiting to be stunned by our one-of-a-kind designs, there’s no need to look any further than our web site,
www.andersonfloors.com.

Aspenhome

Aspenhome specializes in thoughtfully designed innovative furnishings for the way people work, play and relax. The fashionable and functional family furniture includes bedroom, dining, seating, occasional, home office, home entertainment.
www.aspenhome.net

Casa Fiora

Casa Fiora provides tailored draperies in over 200 fabrics with a variety of custom options including pleats, trims and COM accessories. Casa Fiora draperies are available through interior designers and furniture retailers at less-than-designer prices and delivered within four weeks or less.
www.casafiora.com

Currey & Company

Currey & Company’s perspective on product and design is one of a lively interest in historical influences, the correct materials for the design, as well as a keen interest in the integrity of the product. Using the best ideas from the past and giving them a new twist that reinterprets them with a fresh perspective is characteristic of a number of the most successful Currey & Company products. Currey & Company has showrooms in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles and High Point, North Carolina. Sales representative cover the United States and Canada. The company’s offerings include chandeliers, wall sconces, table/floor lamps, accessories, and accent furniture as well as garden furnishings.
Call 877-768-6428, or e-mail info@curreyco.com

Dewoolfson

Dewoolfson is a North Carolina company that specializers in imported European linens,down products and silks. Our experienced staff is expert in helping you select the perfect bed and bath linens.
www.dewoolfsonlinens.com

GuildMaster

GuildMaster manufactures furniture, accessories, wall décor, and lighting. The GuildMaster line is known for its rich, hand-carved, hand-painted, distressed finishes on solid mahogany. For over 25 years, GuildMaster has been serving the furniture industry in this specialty niche (complex finishes).
www.decorize.com

Hammary Furniture

Hammary Furniture was founded in 1943 as a manufacturer of covered lawn furniture. Today, Hammary is a well-known residential marketer of eclectic, high-fashion furniture for every room of the home. Its product line is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. Hammary is part of La-Z-Boy Incorporated’s family of companies.
www.hammary.com

Oly

Celebrated for their signature mix of casual elegance and organic reference, California designers Kate McIntyre and Brad Huntzinger continue to bring a fresh perspective to classic design with each OLY collection of furnishings and fashion.
www.olystudio.com

Palecek

Palecek is a preferred national wholesaler of distinctive furniture, accessories and lighting. As a family business in operation for more than 30 years in Northern California, Palecek designs handcrafted, naturally elegant home furnishings whose style and substance are sustainable, now and always.
www.palecek.com

Phillip Jeffries Ltd.

Phillip Jeffries Ltd. is a manufacturer and importer of unique and fine quality textured wallcoverings. Founded in 1976 with just 10 grasscloths, the company now stocks more than 800 natural wallcoverings. A family-owned company, Phillip Jeffries Ltd. works hand in hand with skilled artisans and craftsman to create the design world’s most beautiful and sought-after wallcoverings.
www.phillipjeffries.com

Progress Lighting

Progress Lighting is the largest single source for residential and commercial lighting, offering more than 5,000 lighting fixtures. For more than 100 years, Progress Lighting has been committed to providing a diverse selection of high quality lighting fixtures, including energy efficient decorative lighting fixtures.
www.progresslighting.com

Rain Bird

Rain Bird Corp. is the leading manufacturer of irrigation products. Rain Bird and The Intelligent Use of Water™ is about using water wisely. Its commitment extends beyond products to education, training and services for the industry and the community.
www.rainbird.com

Sam Moore

With over 60 years of experience, Sam Moore has been the icon of quality and style with affordable price points. We offer a diverse line of upholstered chairs concentrated on categories including traditional, contemporary, transitional, motion, dining, and office. Customization is limitless with our broad range of decorative options, detailed finishes, and top quality fabrics and leathers.
www.sammoore.com

Shaw

Shaw, one of the word’s leading flooring manufacturers, offers an abundant selection of beautiful flooring options including carpet, hardwood, laminate, tile & stone and area rugs. Plus, many of Shaw’s products are eco-friendly. Shaw’s stylish Anso® nylon patterned carpets contain recycled content and can be recycled into carpet again and again. Also, Epic™ engineered hardwood contains 50 percent recycled content. Visit our online product catalog or Try On A Floor™ with our room visualization tool at
www.shawfloors.com

Vicki Payne, the founder and chief executive officer of Cutters Productions is driven by style. As the host of two national television series, For Your Home and Glass she is always on the lookout for the next trend and ways her viewers can incorporate that look into their homes. Vicki has multiple platforms to present her stylish and chic ideas via her books, television shows, and personal appearances and as a product designer and merchandiser.

Click Here To View Fabric Line