You don’t have to be a pro to make something beautiful. But you can get a few pointers from a pro. We sat down with our head floral designer, Hernando Salazar, an industry veteran who’s designed floral arrangements for the likes of Tiffany & Co., Cartier and Vogue Magazine, and learned the basic principles of how to arrange flowers so beautifully, you’ll want them to sit on your dresser forever… or at least until your new Enjoy Flower arrangement arrives at your doorstep. Go inside our conversation.
Enjoy Flowers: What’s are some of the first things a beginner should consider when arranging flowers?
A/ Floral design is more about an attention to detail and less about the type of flowers.Stick to the same color scheme when choosing flowers for your bouquet, focus on the size of the flower arrangement in relation to the vase and always be aware of the space that the flower arrangement will occupy, to give it a proper shape.
Enjoy Flowers: How should we go about choosing colors when it comes to our arrangements?
A/ The most important thing is to identify the main color in your living space (or table or room decorations) where the flower arrangement will be located and based on that decor, you should choose colors that radiate the contrast and highlight the flowers in relation to the room. For example, white roses or daisies in a room full of dark furniture will instantly draw attention to the bouquet as well as dramatic design.
Enjoy Flowers: Which kinds of flowers tend to pair really well together?
A/ There is not a specific rule for this. I think you should keep in mind the most important principle: if you have the right colors, you will be able to create multiple combinations for your arrangements.
Enjoy Flowers: Can you describe how to create a simple bouquet with one kind of flowers? How about with two kinds of flowers?
A/ To create a bouquet from 1,2, 3 or any number of flowers varieties, the simplest way is to start with the spiral technique, which consists of putting one flower above other in a circular manner. You can learn this technique watching Enjoy Flowers DIY videos. This technique helps maintain an even bouquet when many flowers of different sizes and shapes are being molded into one group.
Enjoy Flowers: How would you recommend arranging flowers with long stems when you have a short small vase?
A/ First you should arrange your bouquet and once it is finished, you should cut the stems to the length you need according to your vase. It all depends on the type of vase you are using, for short and wide ones, a rule of thumb ( so to speak) I try to follow is to always cut the stems so that the outside flowers are flush with the rim of the vase, this gives you a more compact arrangement. For longer ones you want a looser form, try to leave the stems longer than the rim of the vase, but not to a point that they look disorganized. You can refer to this how-to video on using multiple types of flowers for one bouquet.
Enjoy Flowers: Are there any easy ways to make an arrangement look unique or special?
A/ The easiest way is to use the spiral method, as shown in Enjoy Flowers DIY videos, try to use small vases, and try to make them compact, also try to mix a couple of varieties so you can obtain similar looks in respect to color and texture.
Enjoy Flowers: How do you make an arrangement stand out?
A/ It starts with proper flower maintenance because essential it’s about showing off that fresh arrangements to all of your guests, or just to yourself when you enter a room. Proper flower care includes: changing the water and trimming the stems as often as you can, adding the flower food that you receive with your bouquet and not exposing them directly to the sunlight.
Follow Hernando Salazar designs and events on his company’s website, Instagram and Facebook Pages.