porcelain swans and lawn statues

Question

Dear Rabbi Abadi: Please forgive me for asking what may seem like a silly question......but: I was an an affair recently, and on the tables with the food were two enormous decorative porcelain swans. There was no food in them, and they were just there for visual benefit, probably instead of flowers. Several people were gathering around debating whether or not this was OK. So: Are you permitted to have decorative porcelain swans on your table? How does this extend to decorate lawn ornaments, such as a cast-brass dog, or concrete pink flamingo?