Flower Arranging 101
If you have not thought of incorporating fresh flowers into your interior design, you are missing out on one of the most inexpensive and impactful ways to elevate the aesthetic of your home. Fresh flower arrangements are no longer considered an indulgence reserved for special occasions. Today, flowers are the perfect, inexpensive, and eco-friendly way to treat yourself, welcome guests, and add freshness to your home.
Not only do fresh flowers add an organic texture, but they also imbue the room with a pleasing freshness and liveliness. Even simple arrangements made with flowers from the grocery store or foliage from your backyard will add a sense of effortless luxury and serenity to any room in your home.
In this blog, I will discuss the basics of floral design and share tips on how easily and affordably you can incorporate fresh flowers into your home.
Designer tip: Flowers are a perfect addition to your home all year round. With Valentine’s Day approaching, this is a perfect time to make a fresh flower arrangement for the special person in your life.
Choose a Vase
The number of vase options available to choose from is virtually unlimited. Provided the vessel you choose will hold water and not fall over, you can use any type of vase, pitcher, glass, teapot, jug, or jar made of porcelain, pewter, marble, metal, or any other material. Even baskets can be used with a waterproof container tucked inside and hidden by Spanish moss. Just remember, it is important to choose your vase based on your overall vision for the size, shape, and style of the arrangement. Once you have the vase, choose flowers accordingly.
Keep in mind that that top-heavy flowers like hydrangeas may need a weighted vessel, and long-stem roses need taller vases. Tulips work better with shorter vases with smaller mouths.
Pick Your Flowers
Choosing the right flowers depends on your personal taste, the design aesthetic of the room, the space the arrangement will fill, and the type vase you use. While there are many variables to consider, I will share a few tip for choosing flowers based on my experience in hopes that this will be helpful for you.
Designer Tip: One of my favorite places to purchase flowers is Trader Joe’s! They usually have an array of options, and they are so much more affordable! I create 2 arrangements for $50!
First, I choose three or four focal flowers such as roses, tulips, hydrangea, gladiolus, or lilies. Choose flowers of similar or complementary colors for an intentional and professional look. I prefer flowers with long stems so they can be cut to fit exactly where I want to place them in my arrangement. Next, I choose two or more types of green foliage such as fern, lemon leaf, myrtle, and eucalyptus to add interest and visual depth. For my third layer, I choose one or two filler flowers that will complement my focal flowers such as silver dollar, heather, Alstroemeria, Bells of Ireland, or Queen Anne’s Lace. Finally, I incorporate a reed or other wooden accent such as curly willow, berry stems, or pussy willow for structural interest. Curved grasses such as snake grass or zebra rush helps to soften edges and add a nice touch of whimsy.
Designer tip: It is best to buy more flowers than you think you will need and try to buy buds rather than fully open flowers to extend their shelf life.
Prepare the Flowers
Next wash the vase and prepare the flowers by removing any leaves below the waterline. Any organic material left in the water will grow bacterial and significantly reduce the life of the arrangement. If you are using roses, remove any wilted or charred outer petals. These are called guard petals that protect the bloom. Removing the guard petals will expose the softer, unblemished petals beneath.
Cut ¼ inch off the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle, which will help the flower soak up water and bloom longer. Floral clippers work better than scissors, which can tear the stems and prohibit good water absorption. Place the cut flowers in a bucket of tepid water until you are ready to arrange them in the vase.
Once you are ready to arrange, fill the vase with water one-half to three-quarters full and start placing the flowers in the vase, cutting each one individually to the desired length in the arrangement. Do not apply the grocery story “chop and drop” formula for cutting all the flowers the same length and dropping them into a vase. Take your time for the best visual and structural results.
To extend the life of the arrangement, change the water every one to three days. Remove any flower that is beginning to wilt, recut it at an angle and return it to the vase. Usually, the greenery lasts longer than the blooming flowers, so I preserve the greenery and replace dead stems with fresh flowers.
Build the Structure
Depending on the type of arrangement you want, there are a few ways to build a foundation to support the flowers. Method number one, use leatherleaf fern or other base greenery as the first layer in the vase. Add flowers next, crisscrossing the stems so that they intertwine with the stems of the fern and support one another in the vase.
If the mouth of the vase is wide, use clear, thin floral tape stretched in a checkered pattern across the top of the vase, forming a grid to hold the stems in place. This works particularly well with long-stem roses in a clear vase. If you have a opaque container, you can use a wire floral mesh available at Amazon to provide support the flowers. Floral foam can be used in shorter, opaque vases, as well. Simply soak the foam in advance, cut the foam to fit the vase with a few inches above the edge of the vase and arrange directly into the wet foam.
Arrange the Flowers
Floral design is an art not a science. The more you do it, the better you will be. If you are new to the process, I suggest you look at photos of arrangements you like and try to replicate the shape, color, texture and form. Unless you are designing an arrangement to sit against a wall (most likely not) you will need to continually turn the vase as you arrange the flowers to ensure the arrangement is visually appealing from all sides.
Arrange the flowers in a way to create interest and drama by contrasting the heights. Keep in mind that the flowers should be arranged in levels so each bloom can be seen. Choose a focal point and place the flowers in groups of three which is more natural and appealing than symmetrical groupings. Finally, consider that less can be more in floral arrangements. Look before adding each flower and decide if the addition adds to your design or detracts from it.
Remember practice makes perfect. Let your creative juices flow. I hope this information is helpful.
Be sure to check out our Instagram video with more tips and a step-by-step guide! In this arrangement, I chose a limited palette of soft pink tulips and lilies with white hydrangeas and mixed assorted foliage to create a gentle yet sophisticated design.
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