There is something magical about picking out flowers for an arrangement.
It’s easy to get carried away and grab everything that looks pretty, but a well-put together floral design tends to require a more deliberate strategy.
The trick is to choose flowers that aren’t identical but work together in terms of color, form, scale, texture and visual weight.
Start With The Goal
What do you want the floral design to accomplish?
Will it be used as a dining room centerpiece, a gift bouquet or a room decor?
This will dictate the size, shape, color scheme and intricacy of your design.
A centerpiece might be a tightly curated symmetrical design, whereas a room decor can be more loose and organic.
Pick A Color Scheme
Color is the most prominent feature in any floral design, so start by deciding on a color direction.
Don’t go haphazardly picking out flowers in whatever color you please.
Instead, go for a monochromatic, analogous or complementary color scheme.
Select A Main Color
Determine which color you want to dominate the design.
Any other colors in the design should play a supporting role rather than competing for the spotlight.
So for example, if you want a pink arrangement, keep white flowers and some neutral greenery as accents.
Introduce An Accent
A dash of a bright or contrasting color will elevate the design.
But remember, too much of anything is a bad thing.
So rather than use one bold accent flower per stem, choose one or two statement blooms to really pop.
Look At Form And Texture
Different types of flowers have different forms, and these shapes affect the overall shape of your design.
Some flowers are big and round, others are tall and narrow, clustered or open.
Mixing forms adds variety and gives your design a more dimensional look.
Choose Some Statement Flowers
Statement flowers have a very strong visual impact.
Whether due to size, form or color, they draw the eye immediately.
Use these strategically to set up key points of interest in your arrangement.
Don’t place all your statement blooms at the same height!
Incorporate Line Flowers
Line flowers add height and directionality.
They are great at drawing the eye up and out, giving the arrangement a sense of flow. They also play a role in establishing the general shape of a floral design.
Support Flowers
Support flowers fill gaps between focal flowers and tie the design together.
Select smaller or less visually dominant flowers that harmonize with focal flowers instead of competing for attention.
Focal flowers can be repeated to distribute color in the floral design.
Don’t Miss the Smaller Things
Even when smaller flowers don’t stand out, they still can play an important role.
Smaller flowers, berries, buds, etc., can soften edges and provide visual interest. However, they must be used in moderation in order not to make the floral design appear cluttered.
Play With Texture
Texture adds dimension to a floral design.
Floral designs with smooth, flat petals will have a different aesthetic than floral designs made of wispy flowers, grasses, twigs, or textured foliage. Don’t overdo it, experiment by playing with just a few contrasting textures.
Mix Soft and Strong Shapes
Soft, ruffled flowers can be offset by strong, architectural shapes. For instance, softer flowers can be paired with twigs or foliage with a stronger form.
Utilize Greenery
Greenery can serve a number of purposes. Not only does greenery act as filler, but foliage is used to accentuate or complement other elements in a floral design. Different types of foliage can achieve different results. Long foliage can give a design a sense of movement; wide leaves can add weight to a floral design; and narrow foliage can give a design a sense of airiness. Foliage isn’t just a decorative element that is tacked on after the fact, it should be thought of as part of the design itself.
Repetition of Elements
If you’re using one type of foliage, repeat it in multiple places within a floral design.
Keep Proportion in Mind
Make sure that the size of your floral design matches the size of the flowers you’re using. Large blooms can be overpowering in a small floral design. Inversely, small flowers will be lost in a large floral design.
Vary the size of flowers to create a hierarchy. The eye should be drawn back and forth between focal flowers and smaller flowers.
Design With Rhythm
Create a sense of rhythm by repeating certain elements throughout a floral design.
Color, flower shape, texture, and foliage can be repeated to lead the eye from one section of a floral design to another. Try not to space out elements evenly if you want to avoid an overly structured feel. Small inconsistencies can make the floral design feel more natural.
Go Odd
Use an odd number of flowers when grouping similar varieties. When possible, use groups of three or five stems instead of symmetrical ones. It doesn’t have to be a hard rule, but it’s a great guideline to get started with.
Think About Negative Space
Flowers don’t always have to touch.
Small pockets of open space allow each bloom to be seen and give your arrangement room to breathe. Negative space is particularly important for large focal blooms or intense colors. Instead of filling in all the gaps, step back and ask yourself if the negative space makes the arrangement look better.
Consider the Silhouette
Take a look at the overall shape before you finish the arrangement.
Does it have a defined silhouette? Is it uneven on one side? Do the tallest blooms have enough height? The silhouette will depend on the style of the arrangement you’re going for.
A round arrangement will require different decisions than a lopsided or tall design.
Step Back From the Arrangement
It’s hard to see the whole picture when you’re close to the flowers.
Set the arrangement down and step back a few feet. From a distance, you can tell if the colors are distributed evenly, if the focal points stand out, and if the overall shape feels right.
Consider What Flowers You Have Available
A skilled floral designer knows how to work with what’s available. Depending on your region and season, certain flowers might be in and out of stock. Rather than rely on just one type of bloom, get familiar with alternative options.
That way, you can swap in flowers with similar shapes, colors, or textures when your first choice is not available.
Create a Flower Formula
If you’re not sure where to start, try a basic flower formula.
Use:
1 focal point to catch the eye.
2-3 secondary flowers for volume and color.
1-2 foliage or filler flowers for texture and movement.
Then adjust the amounts depending on the scale of your arrangement.
In Conclusion
Picking flowers can be a bit tricky, but it gets a lot easier when you know how each type of flower fits into the larger composition. Don’t just think about the looks of individual blooms, think about how they fit into the overall design. Color, shape, size, texture, foliage, proportion, and movement all play a part.
As you gain experience, you’ll start to see flowers as building blocks instead of individual pieces, which can then be assembled into beautiful, well-balanced floral creations.