Whether you know it or not, you probably have an innate sense of design. When you accessorize your walls or mantel, arrange furniture, or choose color schemes for your rooms, you’re thinking like a designer—and the same thing happens when you arrange flowers. There are some universal rules of floral design that can help you get beautiful results every time. These basic floral design concepts include:
- Balance
- Color
- Form
- Texture
Table of Contents
Balance
Balance refers to the visual stability of your arrangement in terms of both shape and color. Balanced arrangements look even from all angles. Floral arrangements can be purposely asymmetrical, but they shouldn’t appear lopsided.
Color
From bright red poinsettias to sunny marigolds to cool blue irises, flowers come in a huge array of colors, giving you countless options for intriguing color combinations. Colors evoke specific moods—blue is soothing, yellow is energizing, and so on—so their effect on their environment is strong. Choose colors for each arrangement based on your own personal preferences, the mood that you’re trying to evoke, and the ways in which the colors exist together (see the color wheel shown here and the following color scheme ideas for guidance). Experiment with different colors and let your eyes be the judge.
Complementary Color Scheme
Use bright flowers in complementary colors—colors that lie opposite each other on the color wheel—to achieve vibrant, dynamic color schemes. Complementary colors work well together because each color plays up the other’s best qualities.
Complementary schemes typically use a warm color, such as yellow, that pops out when set against the backdrop of a cool color, such as purple, which appears to recede. The contrast—as in the sunflower-and-iris arrangement shown here—is visually pleasing. To cheer someone up or revive a dull room, use a floral arrangement in a lively, complementary color scheme.
Analogous Color Scheme
For a more subtle approach, use flowers in hues that lie next to each other on the color wheel (and in the rainbow), known as analogous colors. Analogous color schemes take one dominant color, such as red, and add touches of related colors, such as yellow and orange, to play up the main color. In the arrangement shown here, yellow roses highlighted by gerbera daisies in shades of red and orange have a soft, sophisticated appeal.
Monochromatic Color Scheme
To create a monochromatic floral arrangement, pick a single color and then add variations on that hue. Building an arrangement of just one color in a number of shades and tints is a safe way to create an interesting look. In the arrangement shown here, pink roses combine with alstroemeria (Peruvian lilies) for a richly layered effect.
Form
Form refers to the basic shape of your floral arrangement. Most arrangements take one of three basic forms: line, mass, or line-mass.
Line Arrangements
Line arrangements are relatively spare. They place an emphasis on just a few vertical flowers or branches. The effect is often dramatic and modern in appearance. Tall flowers, such as the gladiolus shown here, are crucial to these types of arrangements, as they create a long, graceful line.
Mass Arrangements
Mass arrangements are composed of flowers that are displayed symmetrically, either in a triangular, round, or oval shape. This type of arrangement can also consist solely of one type of flower, as in the arrangement of lilies shown here. The effect is classic with a very full appearance.
Line-Mass Arrangements
A combination of line and mass arrangements, line-mass arrangements use linear flowers to create a strong line along with larger focal flowers for a distinct mass. In the orchid arrangement shown here, branches with unopened buds provide a line while open blooms provide mass. Either the line or the mass portion—but not both—should be emphasized to create a shape with a defined focal point that blends well as one arrangement. Line-mass arrangements are often asymmetrical.
Texture
Add another layer of interest to your arrangement by using flowers with different visual textures. Texture can refer both to tactile textures and the sizes and shapes of petals. For instance, combine spiky ferns, velvety roses, largely plumed poppies, densely bloomed amaryllis, and shiny berries for an eye-catching and visually interesting display.
