Gardening with glass

So if you're like me and have a lot of serving dishes and bottles gathering dust in your cupboard, just waiting to be brought out for the party you've never had, there is a way to make use of them. Olive oil pourers and creamers make especially good vases, and come in handy for fresh herbs that could benefit from some water. I always keep a cute elephant creamer that never fulfilled it's original purpose filled with fresh rosemary in the kitchen. There's nothing better then when style and function are a perfect match.

Enviable abode

GWYNETH'S GORGEOUS HOME: Metropolitan Home magazine's last cover story before the magazine folded was on Gwyneth Paltrow's summer house in the Hamptons. It's a gorgeous home, with a beautiful pink blossom glass chandelier and a standalone yoga/pilates studio in the backyard. It's pretty spectacular, yet definitely sickening, and totally enviable. Known for her simple and classic style, Paltrow's home reflects those tastes, and is decorated in cool tones with a lot of blue and white. Her home is as indicative of her style as her wardrobe, which is a good start for inspiration if you're struggling with how to decorate your home. Take a look at your closet, see what colors your attracted to, what shapes you like and what fabrics appeal to you, and start from there.

Top of the pyramid

We just love MOMA museum stores for odd, fun innovations for home. The Wedge, in all its simplistic glory, keeps pyramids of beverages from slipping and sliding all over your fridge; it saves space and curbs potential disaster, and that is beyond worth dishing out $12 for two. And if you're looking for a way to keep your champagne fresh once it's been opened, here's a tip: Insert a spoon into the top, handle down, to keep it bubbly. Thank god for Mr. Wizard!

Flower power

Beyond just water, flowers need an energy boost, too. This usually comes from store-bought additives like Floralife powder, but if you don't have time to run out to the store, why not make it yourself? A simple solution is to take 1 quart warm water and add 1 teaspoon sugar (for that aforementioned energy boost), about half a lemon's worth of juice (the acid helps stems absorb nutrients — if you don't have this, copper from a couple pennies does the same thing) and just a couple drops of bleach (it wont kill the buds, but it will kill the bacteria and make washing the vase easier later). This easy at-home solution will make your blooms last days longer, and who doesn't want that! For the potted plants in house, there is another easy at-home solution for fertilizer: epsom salt. The magnesium and sulfur from the salt makes leaves grow bushier and encourages flowering plants to bloom. Make a solution of 2 tablespoons salt to a gallon of water, and feed about about once month.

Scent of a woman

One of the most underlooked senses is scent, bringing it into your home is a great way to elevate your mood and to make your space welcoming and warm. Here's a way to do it while washing dishes turn from a horrible to chore into a mildly unpleasant one. Mrs. Meyer's Dishwashing Gel will fill your house with a fresh fragrance that lingers long after your dishes are dry, and at about $5 it wont break the bank or the fine china. The gardenia scent is our favorite, but you can also get it in lemon verbena and lavender. Wash on.

Swedes do it better

Except when it comes to food. What is it about Sweden that makes its residents so stylish? Marimekko is best known for its bright and bold patterns when it comes to textiles, but they also make clothes and accessories well worth a look. Check out their site to find out if there's a Marimekko store near you. If not, don't despair. There are many other retailers that carry their wonderful wares, including the ubiquitous Anthropologie.

Scents and sensibility

I know my night couldn't get any better when I'm curled up on my sofa under a blanket, emptying out my Tivo queue with a yummy candle burning. Pacifica candles are one of LookGirl's favorites — inside and out — as they smell as good as they look. My top choice is Ruby Hawaiian Guava: sweet, fruity and floral but not at all cloying. The soy candles are the most versatile as they come in glass hurricanes, but the goodness doesn't stop at the candle. The box the candle comes in is beautiful, with a pink floral design that's reminiscent of islands, beaches and early '70s style. The box is perfect to be used as a makeup brush holder, just don't keep it too close to the sink, water is not its friend!

Knocked up

This is the coolest door knocker we've ever seen, by a long shot. A LookGirl spotted this on a door in the town of Oia in Santorini, Greece. We haven't been able to find anything like it locally, but Restoration Hardware has a cute dragonfly knocker ($79) that's worth checking out. But the search continues for this perfect knocker!

Deck the halls, the bedroom, the den...

So, you're in the process of taking down the tree and figuring out the safest way to store your holiday-time decorations. Ornaments are becoming so cute it's a shame they can only come out to play once a year. If you've got an ornament you love and it's not too Christmas-y, find a spot in your home where you can hang it year-round. Try hanging several from fishing wire in a corner of a room that's looking a little lonely. Glass globes, like this beauty from Free People, are perfect for this. Cluster several similar ones together to so it looks purposeful. If you have an ornament that's more of a dangler, a doorway can be a good home for it. But, please, save the snowflake ornaments for the tree!

By a nose

If you're looking for the ultimate indulgence for yourself, or a friend, Volupsa home frangrance diffusers are the way to go. At $48 they're definitely pricey, but the bottle is beautiful etched glass, and the Capri Fig Frangipani scent is the company's best. If you want something a little less expensive try the candles in etched ceramic containers, which are $38, and are also really nice. Find them at anthropologie.com.

For the hostest with the mostest

If you're looking for an indulgent gift for the person who has everything, check out the new "Vogue Living Houses, Gardens, People." It's perfect for anyone into style, whether in the home or in clothes, and has gorgeous photos accompanying the articles, which cover a wide range of celebrities and socialites. On sale now at amazon.com for $47.25, so pick one up!