Styling with Flowers: Finding inspiration

One of my favorite parts of any photo shoot is styling the flowers since they really do add the finishing touch to a room. Many photo shoots require that I create eight to ten arrangements in a day so keeping the look fresh can be a challenge. The inspiration for my flower choices on photo shoots can come from many different places. Last week I was styling a home story in Vermont and I turned to the colorful Turkish kilims found throughout the home for inspiration.

Considering how beautifully the pastel colors of this rug work together, it was no surprise that the peachy colored poppies, soft blue hydrangeas and pinky purple chives made a spectacular bouquet.

The vibrant orange, bright pink, and steely blue of this rug motivated this selection of flowers. First the bright pink peony and orange tulips came straight from the rug design while the purple chives echo the steely-purple borders. I added in the blue delphiniums for an energizing contrast. Imagine the arrangement without the bright blue—it would feel flat.

Sedums, hosta leaves, maroon and purple lilacs mixed with alliums mimic the earthy colors of the rug.  Don’t worry about what does and doesn’t go together. It all works!

The shape of an arrangement is just as important as the color. Placing flowers against a dark background can give you a lovely silhouette. The flowers should add to the composition of your photo like the final stroke to a painting.

With Gardens full of summer blooms, it’s a great time to play and make inspiration in your own home. A rug, painting, or piece of fabric—whatever it is—take the cues from your home to create floral arrangements.