Flowers for the Home
With a little basic knowledge of the elements of floral design and a bit of creativity, you can create beautiful floral arrangements for your home and decorate with confidence for a party or special occasion. Whether it’s an arrangement on the dining room table or a simple bouquet in
the bathroom, flowers add life to your home and make it welcoming all year round. When working with flowers, don’t be afraid to to experiment with different styles. Flowers have their own inherent beauty, so you really can’t go wrong.
Selecting a Container
Selecting the container is an important step in designing an arrangement. Choose a container that will complement the flowers you’re using and fit within with the surrounding décor. Glass vases are a good choice for a more formal room, while ceramic pitchers are perfect for a casual kitchen table or counter. A mason jar or mint julep cup are good choices for a bathroom or other small nooks around the home.
Design
Floral design is based on a combination of elements: form or shape, proportion and scale, texture, balance and contrast. From the first step of placing flowers in the container, think about the overall shape you want your arrangement to have and place the flowers according to that basic idea. Most designs use larger flowers as a focal point, and build around that. Hydrangeas, peonies and of course roses are all easy to work with and always look amazing. Sometimes it’s as easy as placing a few stems into a great vase.
Color
Create contrast by using texture and color. Combine cool colors with warm ones, or light with dark. If your design uses a monochromatic color scheme, add interest with a variety of textures. Let your own personal taste be your guide in selecting the flowers. Greens form the foundation of most arrangements. Using two or three different kinds will provide a lush backdrop for your flowers. Be sure to use enough greens to anchor the flowers in place. Though remember that greens aren’t a must, and a smaller arrangement or a few stems in a bud vase, don’t need anything extra.
Final Touches
This is where you can get really creative. Accent your arrangement with a branch or two of birch or curly willow to tower gracefully above the flowers. Or place some seeded eucalyptus where it will drape over the edge of the container. Fruits and vegetables, river rocks, seashells and glass stones are just a few of the items you can use to accent your design. Just remember to let the flowers have center stage.
