A fresh flower—
— A surefire way to add softness and life to your interior. Flower arranging is a great way to play with your palette, add to your design without taking anything away, and bring the outside in. McGee & Co.’s summer catalog can be found digitally below and here. How to choose stems based on size and how the colors and textures of the flowers play with each other Stunning at-home arrangements created especially for you by Ashley Swapp, her exclusive Studio McGee flower lover Get the complete guide to creating Get inspired to create your own arrangements with all the beautifully arranged centerpieces from McGee & Co.’s summer shoot. under.
What do you look for in a wonderful bouquet of flowers?
Movement, texture, and color! Choose stems based on size and how the colors and textures play with each other. If you have large flowers to base your arrangement on, you always want to balance them with crisp, soft flowers like butterfly ranunculus or sweet peas. The changes in the shape of the greenery and flowers breathe life into the arrangement.
Where do you start when arranging?
I like to lay out all the stems, both greens and flowers, and be careful with the shape, size, and texture I’m working with. From there, place leaves at varying heights to give the arrangement shape and size, then layer larger flowers towards the bottom of the arrangement, with whispering babies floating on top to give movement to the arrangement.
What is your rule of thumb for fillers and greens?
There are no rules of thumb here. Just follow your heart! Some arrangements look great with all flowers, but foliage definitely adds another element (and keeps costs from skyrocketing). If I had to say, you want 3-5 filler/green mixtures for 5-7 different flowers.
What size vase do you recommend?
Start with a vase smaller than you think you’ll need. If you want a centerpiece arrangement for your dinner table, consider a small, low-slung bowl (bonus points if it’s on legs). Almost any bowl can be turned into a container by adding a floral frog to the bottom (secured with waterproof adhesive tack). Roll the coated chicken wire arranged in the bowl to support the arrangement. please give me. No need to fill the vase. Branches look best when given room to breathe. Or a simple bud arrangement on a nightstand can be beautiful in a small vase with several of the same flowers neatly arranged in the vase.
How can I extend the life of flowers, especially those brought from the garden?
Treat flowers as soon as you bring them in. Cut fresh flowers from their packaging or stems at a 45 degree angle to maximize surface area for water uptake. Remove any leaves below the waterline in the arrangement to prevent the stems from collecting mold.
What are your thoughts on the impact of flower arrangements on the home? How do they affect the space they are in?
Flower arrangements are a great way to bring in the outside atmosphere. Adds softness and life to your interior. I love how arrangements can play with the color of a space and add to a design without compromising anything.
