Written by Brad Mee | Photography Adam Finkle
Orchid Dynasty’s Shelly Lewis makes a living turning flowers into floral art. When it comes to creating centerpieces for her clients, she relies on color, form, texture, and repetition to create aesthetic “tension” and interest. Some of her creative ideas and fail-safe strategies include:
Think Beyond Flowers
Use twigs, fruits, nuts, and vegetables to contribute color, form, and texture to a centerpiece. Pomegranates and large nuts are very popular this season. Don’t contort the natural form of a flower or branch. Instead, showcase its innate beauty. Cascade berries over a container’s edge, float a blossom on water, or stage a leafless branch upright and dangle delicate ornaments from its form.
Limit the Colors Used in a Single Arrangement
Create intrigue by coupling just two contrasting colors, like orange and blue, or design a monochromatic arrangement using a single color like green (incorporate assorted textures and varied shades to create drama and beauty).
When using clear glass vessels, place leaves, screens of twigs, or stacked, submerged elements along the inside of the containers to hide unsightly stems.
Think Outside of the Box When Choosing Containers
Candle stands, stemware, cake stands, and fruit bowls all work well. Metallic bronze and copper containers are the rage this holiday season.
Use One Type of Flower En Masse
This creates impact. Carnations (spicy and vivid) and baby’s breath (looks like a cloud), for example, are inexpensive, easy-to-find varieties that make spectacular single flower arrangements.
Create a series of Small, Identical Arrangements
Five is a good number—and line them down the middle of a long table or in the center of a round one.
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You might also like: 6 Elegant Holiday Centerpiece Ideas
