Feeling Fruity

Placing a bowl of fruit on the kitchen bench or dining table to add colour and interest certainly isn’t a new trend in the world of interior decoration.

Yet it has come to my attention over the last couple of years how the humble banana, pineapple you name it has become a striking design motif in its own right gracing everything from cushion covers to lampshades even including fashion items.

As accessible and affordable as fruit may be the downside to decorating with fresh produce in a warmer climate is that there is a finite shelf life. Our tropical environment unfortunately speeds up the ripening process causing fermentation and more often than not attracting pesky fruit flies.

If it’s more Carmen Miranda than a living Damien Hirst installation you wish to create in your home then try this next fruity project.

Adding fresh fruit to the vase of your next floral arrangement is a great way to create a beautiful centrepiece. Simply place a block of oasis in the centre of your vase and arrange fruit around accordingly. You can use a variety of different coloured fruits whole or halved for instant impact or work with one colour way depending on your interior or theme.

Next add your floral arrangement using the oasis to hold its formation. The insider trick to this fresh fruit floral arrangement is to fill your chosen vessel with distilled water. Tap water is full of impurities that make the water cloudy and once again speed up the decay process.

Another great way to incorporate fruity flare to your abode is with textiles. There are so many fabulous fruit inspired fabric prints on offer created using traditional and digital techniques.

Fruit patterns are not only trending in home design ranges these days with international fashion designers also taking inspiration from the fruit cart.

When models strutted the Stella McCartney runway showcasing her S/S 2011 Collection it was a zesty show of orange halves, lime quarters and bold lemons proving that dressing fruity is most definitely fashionable.

Quirky, bright and original, bold fruit patterns blend perfectly with coastal life and add a sense of humour and playfulness to any interior or wardrobe for that matter.

So have some fun and add tangy touches to your world this weekend. After all with this theme it really is just a ‘matter of taste’ how far you take it!