Ralph Waldo Emerson rightly said, “Earth laughs in flowers.” We cannot agree more. An ideal ‘accessory’ that can instantly add life, colour and panache to any space, fresh flowers can do wonders to the look and feel of your home. A must if you are a home décor enthusiast, flowers not only make the space bright and cheerful, but blooms also add a certain vibe that is positive and calming at the same time. So, if you are someone who has been shying away from using floral beauties in your space, here are a few ideas that you can work on to make your abode look fresh and lovely. Moreover, the upcoming festive season is the perfect excuse for you to start.
Ideas Aplenty
Fresh flowers have the quality of enhancing the aesthetics of your home irrespective of how you use them. While a bouquet of roses instantly perks up the space in and around your centre table, an urli of floating flowers at the entrance of your home adds an equal amount of charm. Considering it is the onset of the festive season, this is an ideal time and reason for you to get creative with flowers.
Whether in old vessels, tin containers and bottles or with kolam and diyas, flowers work wonders to accentuate any setting. “Decorate thalis with flowers like marigold and rose and serve sweets in it. Use flowers to create a rangoli, also take traditional garlands to drape the doors asymmetrically to create a stunning look” says Priyanka Mehra, principal architect, PS Design.
Every festival is unique and it is a great idea to mix flowers associated with core elements of each festival. “Flowers are a symbol of celebration and just like plants and fruits, flowers symbolise offering and thankfulness which make them perfect for brightening your home in the festive season. Whether it is the colour powders of Holi, the diyas of Deepawali or the angels of Christmas, intersperse your floral arrangements around it and see the décor transform magically. It is surprising how everyday environment becomes enchanted when surrounded with flowers!” says Latika Khosla, founder and owner of Freedom Tree Design.
Highlight your tablescapes using flowers like orchids, lilies or even axora. Jasmine buds in glass bowls placed in the corners of the room fill the entire space with an enchanting perfume and is a perfect setting for festive evenings. Add a hint of quirk by arranging some birds of paradise in an old water jug.
Flowers Galore
Roses, marigold, mogra, orchids, rajanigandha, jasmine, carnations and lilles are some of the commonly used flowers for decorations in India. Mix it up with foliage like ferns and palms and you have a great arrangement ready. “Bougainvillea is a wild flower that we all love; they are perfect to bring a riot of colour to your living room. Chrysanthemums are great too as they are available in many colours, are low maintenance, easy to find, economical and beautiful to wake up to! Marigold is another favourite as the bright colours go beautifully with wooden interiors and are perfect for any traditional set up,” says Rhea Karuturi co-founder, Rose Bazaar India.
While lotus is a wonderful flower, it is not only difficult to get but also very delicate. If you are looking to make a bold statement with bright colours consider orchids, however, they may be quite expensive.
“Softer flowers such as dahlia, iris, daisies, tulips, aster and hydrangea will make for a pretty cottage garden arrangement. These are flowers that are reminiscent of a summer meadow and are fabulous for creating soft, textural arrangements. Foliage, grass and herbs are a beautiful addition to flowers, available in lots of different hues of grey and green. These add volume and interest to the flowers. Twigs such as magnolia branches or any interesting fauna can also be used within an arrangement of flowers to add a focal point” says Hariharan Subramaniam, founder/ CEO, La Fleur.
Some dos and don’ts