(ARA) – Winter’s chill and the hectic pace of the holidays may leave you longing for the peaceful, warm tranquility of your summer garden. You may miss the comfort of sitting on your favorite garden bench, watching bright song birds splash in the decorative bath. But you don’t have to.

“Today’s garden furniture and statuary mix durability with decorative beauty, and are often design-friendly enough to come indoors for the winter,” says Michael Ciriello, president of Florentine Craftsmen, a New York-based manufacturer of lead statues and ornaments for more than 85 years. “You can use outdoor pieces to make a bold statement in your holiday décor. Then, when the weather warms, move the pieces outdoors to extend your enjoyment of them.”

Here are some ideas for bringing the garden indoors and incorporating outdoor pieces in your holiday décor:

* A low-profile birdbath makes a great spot to store kindling or scent-producing pine cones beside your wood-burning fireplace. These decorative baths nestle well beside the fireplace and come in round, leaf and shell motifs.

* For a stunning floral statement, bring inside your tall birdbath or favorite garden urn. Fill them with seasonally appropriate flowers and greenery. For example, a tall birdbath will be a stunner when positioned in your entryway and filled with pine boughs that drape toward the floor. When visitors enter, the scents and sights of this display will remind them of an evergreen forest.

* “You can even find a spot for your most-loved garden cherub,” Ciriello says. “If you’re feeling whimsical, bring the statuary inside and dress it with a Santa hat. For a more sophisticated effect, surround the base with seasonal greens. Or go celebratory by placing empty boxes wrapped in bright holiday paper around the base.”

* Planning a visit from Santa to delight your kids? Give him a grown-up perch with a decorative garden bench. You can find a bench to complement virtually any indoor décor. The old-world appearance of a garden bench blends well with Santa’s traditional look. “Plus, shy youngsters who may not want to sit on Santa’s knee may feel better about sitting beside him on a bench,” Ciriello suggests.
 

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