A living Christmas tree offers so much more than a mound of mulch at the end of the season. But how to cover its not-so-pretty pot during its indoor tour of duty? Amass a squirrel's cache of nuts, and pour them on: Line an orchard basket with a garbage bag, place the pot inside, and fill the space around it with bubble wrap. Then top with nuts still in their shells. (Leave a small opening for watering.) The nuts' simple beauty and warm palette complement a tree done up in woody neutrals--just be sure to keep extras around for cracking and snacking, to keep everyone from nibbling away at the display.

Bushel basket, texasbasket.com. Ercol butterfly chair, in Beech, conranusa.com.