|
|
|
HOW TO USE FLORALS AS ACCESSORIES
Having worked in flower shops and owning my own custom silk floral
business, you could say I am enamored with flowers. Keep these ideas in
mind to help your décor sparkle.
Fresh flowers are the ultimate accessory, and are especially enjoyable
when you buy or receive them for no particular occasion. You may have
Easter flowers in your homes now, but after they fade, you should
consider keeping spring alive with a regular purchase of cut flowers.
Like any accessory, how we display flowers follows certain trends.
Design magazines are featuring clear vases full of the same type of
flower more than the multi-floral bouquet.
When choosing vase flowers, avoid bunches that consist of a single rose,
a single iris, a single daisy, etc. Such groupings are more about the
florist finding a way to make use of leftover flowers than making a
strong statement.
Flowers always draw attention so think of buying a few bunches of the
same type, such as daffodils, irises, lilies or roses, and making a big
splash in a ceramic or glass vase.
Tall, airy arrangements are always appealing, but to keep things in
proportion, have your flowers two, or two and a half, times as high as
the vase or bowl.
Conversely, another current favorite is the small, more rounded puff of
flowers. Now you want the flowers cut low to the rim of a container to
form a rounded shape. Roses, carnations and peonies work beautifully.
Keep your color scheme in mind, and add puffs of flowers to your coffee
or end tables and powder room vanities. Tall vases look fabulous in
foyers, on deep mantles or kitchen tables. A floor vase of pussy willows
or cherry blossom, or forsythia branches will steal the show.
Silk flowers of course imitate the real thing and have permanence, but
the quality varies widely. It’s wiser to invest in one higher ended silk
arrangement than scattering poorer quality throughout the house.
The biggest disadvantage of silk is that people hang onto them too long.
Just like clothes and fabrics, the color, texture and look of silks
continues to change.
Outdated florals, more than other accessories, can sound the trumpet
call that the room they occupy feels tired. But a new arrangement can be
the perfect freshener.
Other than topiaries and good quality greenery that can last up to five
years and look good, most florals look dated within three years, even if
kept clean.
As for the silk ficus tree in the corner, and the ivies atop every shelf
and bookcase, these trends have passed in favor of a less cluttered
look. There are better ways to accessorize.
Dried flowers are not the rage anymore, but for those who can’t be
without them, renew them as soon as they begin to fade and shatter.
Arrangements of orchids, amaryllis, and touches of bamboo are popular
today. Just like fresh flowers, tall and stately, or round and puffed
are excellent shape choices.
|