When company's coming, skip the standard bouquet from the corner store, which will dress up your dining room for only a night or two. Instead, rely on one of these perpetual centerpiece ideas to decorate your table day in and day out -- no green thumb needed.

Great Wall of China
A cluster of towers made from stacked patterned ceramics forms a graphic, sculptural centerpiece. Even if you don't have an extra set of dishes lying around, you can buy great inexpensive rice bowls at an Asian outlet or pick up mixed sets at flea markets, says senior home editor Shane Powers. First, arrange columns of varying heights, some with open bowls on top, until you find a combination you like. Then attach them to one another with evenly spaced dabs of craft wax (temporary fix) or superglue (stronger hold). Top the bowls with fruit, if desired. Assorted ceramic blows, from $3, and ceramic dinner plate, $20, Pearl River, 800-878-2446. Tacky Wax craft wax, $3 for 1 ounce, ornament-trees.com