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How to Arrange Flowers Like a Pro

August 29, 2016 by Sarah Dooley, Associate ASID 3 Comments

Top 5 Design Questions – Tips and Tricks That Will Help You Arrange Flowers Like a Pro

how to arrange flowers like a pro Leedy Interiors NJ Interior Designer Interior Design New Jersey

Welcome to our 4th installment in our 5-part series where we answer your questions on how to arrange flowers like a pro.

The thought of arranging flowers can unhinge even the most stylish people. The secret to “doing” flowers is not to be intimidated. You are the boss of them! You can whack the long stems off roses so just their flowery heads peek over the vase or cut a flowering plant and turn it into fodder for the vase. You can do whatever you want, and then redo it the next time if it doesn’t work. Sometimes the chicest thing is to just drop a bunch of flowers like some daisies or sweet peas in a mason jar and call it a day.

This Is How

Think about a mixed bouquet as three elements- the filler, the flowers, and the wispy bits. These ingredients build an arrangement.

The Filler

The filler is the foundation: the leafy, branchy stuff that fills the vase and forms the base.

The Flowers

The flowers like daisies, dahlias, tulips, and roses, are the stars, the main attraction.

The Wispy Bits

arrange flowers Leedy Interiors NJ Interior Designer Interior Design New Jersey

The wispy bits are the taller, stalkier, grassier things that rise out of the arrangement and loosen it up.

Tip– Cut the stems at an angle. If you cut them flat, the stem will sit flat against the bottom of the vase limiting water uptake.
 arrange flowers cutting stems on an angle Leedy Interiors NJ Interior Designer Interior Design New Jersey
 
Tip– Since it is critical for the flowers to take up water after they’ve been cut, they should be placed in lukewarm water rather than cold water. Who would’ve thought, right?! Be sure to change the water regularly!
View

It’s important to face the arrangement head on. Seated at a table or standing at your kitchen island is ideal for viewing your work at eye level so you can see it all come together and from all different angles.

Anchor It

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You can use chicken wire, rubber bands, or floral tape to anchor your arrangements. Bend the chicken wire to fit inside your container, or wrap the stems in rubber bands, or crisscross the top of the container with clear or green floral tape.

Start With Greens

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It’s important to strip the stems of any leaves, especially any leaves that will be in the water. Leaves in the water have a tendency to rot, and will cause the arrangement to die more quickly. Add the greens first to create the initial shape of the arrangement.

Add Interest

arrange flowers scale Leedy Interiors NJ Interior Designer Interior Design New Jersey

Add interest, depth and texture to your arrangement by adding flowers in different colors, sizes, and textures. Start with small buds and filler flowers and then layer in some bold blooms in places where they can make a major impact.

Scale

Be sure to think about the proportion to arrange flowers. Make sure that your arrangement is in proportion to the container or vase you use.

Tip– Planning to arrange flowers on your dining room table? To find the appropriate size, place your elbow on the table- the arrangement should be no taller than your fist so that your guests will be able to see one another across the table.

Vases

arrange flowers vases Leedy Interiors NJ Interior Designer Interior Design New Jersey

Flared Vases

Vases that widen at the top are lovely for loose bunches of wildflowers or for flowers like tulips that naturally bend over the vase.

Pinch-top Vases

Vases that are slightly tighter at the lip, like most pitchers are, seem to magically “gather” the flowers into an arrangement on their own.

Cachepots

These pretty decorative containers may seem a little old-ladyish, but they are wildly useful. You can obscure an ugly plastic pot by simply dropping it right in, hence the French meaning of the word- hide pot.

Bud Vases

arrange flowers bud vase Leedy Interiors NJ Interior Designer Interior Design New Jersey

Love these little guys! You can’t get much simpler than a container that holds only one stem, or three. Odd numbers look more natural.

Flowers On The Cheap

arrange flowers on the cheap Leedy Interiors NJ Interior Designer Interior Design New Jersey

Fancy flower shops? Not necessary. No farmers’ market? No problem. You can get decent flowers from the grocery store year-round, rarely spending more than fifteen dollars every two weeks. Here’s how:

  1. Before you buy, decide what vase or container the flowers will work best in and where you will put them.
  2. Flowers are least costly, and most delightful, in their natural flowering season. So tulips in May and peonies in June… not February for instance.
  3. Buy flowering plants when you can, like hyacinths, paperwhites, and amaryllis, which last much longer than cut flowers, and drop them in a pot and you’re done.
  4. Go for the impact of scale with few large branches or giant tropical leaves.

We hope this post has covered all of your basic questions on how to arrange flowers like a pro – now start arranging!

For more inspiration check out our Fabulous Florals and Plant and Garden Pinterest Boards.

If you found this post helpful, go ahead and share it with your friends! Tweet it! Pin it!

More to read:
How to Hang Wall Art 
How to Hang Curtains the Right Way
Interior Lighting Tips – Size and Placement Guide

About Sarah Dooley, Associate ASID

Principal Designer at Leedy Interiors

Honesty, integrity, and down-to-earth approach… Learn more about Sarah by visiting her profile.

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