One of our greatest loves here at the Kit Kemp Design Studio is florals – we bring them into our design through fabrics and wallpapers, motifs and accessories. But honestly, nothing beats the real thing. Accessorising with flowers and styling a space is an important component to any beautifully put together room.
This week, our styling handbook focuses on the art of flower arranging and how to make them stand out whilst perfectly blending into your space.
Small but Mighty
Sometimes going big and bold is a wonderful way to create drama in a space, but small and beautifully arranged bouquets can be just as impactful. Think of your arrangement as a little flourish acting as an accent harmonising with the rest of the room. This modest bouquet by the bed is a thoughtful and tasteful detail next to the ornate headboard.
Play into the Colour Story
When choosing your flowers, a fail safe way to ensure they will work is to play into the overall scheme and pick out the tones and hues of the wider room.
In this autumnal suite, the flowers mimic the vibrancy of the pillows and the kilim rug under the coffee table. It isn’t necessary to match the colours perfectly, but as long as your room accessories are speaking the same language, a visual story can be sewn into the fabric of the room.
Here at Charlotte Street Hotel, we styled the space with a small and textured flower arrangement. The florals are enough of a punch and accent to create a beautiful point of interest, but since the vase and flowers that sit within it are low, they do not detract from the beautiful scenes of our Tall Trees wallpaper beyond.
Sometimes the perfect addition is something small yet powerful to aid the beauty of the rest of the room.
This little spring arrangement works in harmony with the colours of the fabric walling, chair and the artwork it sits in front of. Linen whites, soft blues and zingy greens come together to mimic the room’s palette.
A vase doesn’t always have to sit within the confines of traditional. When the seasons change and summer arrives I have been known to repurpose baskets to create seasonal and interesting arrangements. As long as they are properly lined, just about anything can be home to a beautiful flower display.
Choosing a Special Vase
Another fun way to bring a special bouquet to life is to give it the vase it deserves. This painted bloomsbury inspired jug is such a happy home for any flower arrangement. The two work together like a scheme in themselves.
A great little trick for ensuring your vase or vessel stands out is repurposing an old glass one and wrapping it in bark and brown string. It’s a trick we use time and time again creating a sculptural and organic look.
This incredible stem vase by the marvellous Katrin Moye was recently discovered by our studio on the artists’ Instagram. This masterpiece is a true delight and something as special as this is exactly the kind of impactful vessel we like to use.
Peppering a Space with Florals
Sometimes for a bit of playful styling, I pop over to my florists and get a large bunch of flowers, often unarranged and my favourite stems of the day just bundled together. Once home I set about the task of creating charming little miniature arrangements that flow throughout the room.
This is always a great trick for dinner parties… long lines of flowers in jars or glass stem vases creates an abundant table scape without impairing your line of sight.
The Rule of Three
For a more powerful and impactful arrangement I love to play with numbers and scale. A format I turn to time and time again is three vases at varying heights to create drama. Here in The Whitby Suite at The Whitby Hotel, the fireplace is crowded with a simple yet impactful arrangement.
As long as there is a thread such as the same florals, similar colours working together or the same style of vase, this rule of three always looks so impressive.
The Power of Plants
We adore styling with flowers, but plants can be just as special and often made to feel like a special floral arrangement.
This dance of green in the Townhouse at Haymarket Hotel is so lush. The antique shell adorned planter makes for a combination that almost feels like a sculpture in the room. Antique and impressive planters are a great asset to give life to your plants.
This cheerful arrangement in The Whitby Suite is one of my all time favourites. The amusement of the leaves acting as the hair to this incredible vase is just so much fun.
Styling with flowers is an every day way to bring joy and life into your interior design. We hope these tips help you to create your own beautiful arrangements and sculptural floral moments at home.
