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Flower Arranging: A Central Focus
| Article
# : |
14244 |
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Section : |
LIFE
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| Issue
Date : |
7 / 1988 |
1,423 Words |
| Author
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Judy Ford Hogan
Judy Ford Hogan, an internationally known floral artist, is
the author of Fabric into Flowers. |
Flowers add beauty to any room, and the art of successful floral design is within everyone's reach.
Composing a floral focal point of the colors already established in upholstery drapery, floor and wall coverings will pull together an interior design and bring a fresh, colorful look to an otherwise ordinary décor.
Just as a beautiful view in nature will immediately attract the eye, a strategically placed flower arrangement can draw attention to the positive aspects of a room. To determine the most advantageous placement, take an objective look at the room, noting not only the positive features but the negative ones as well. Placing a flower arrangement near a window with an unsightly view or on a table that might need replacing will only highlight these negative features. However, the same arrangement placed on a table next to a attractive lamp, off-center on a buffet in front of a favorite painting, or on the coffee table in front of a beautiful sofa will call attention to these pleasant elements of the room.
To successfully complete this visual sleight-of-hand, the flowers, as well as the containers, should harmonize with the overall décor.
Choosing the Flowers
Usually when people think of floral arrangements, their first thoughts are of the flowers themselves. Today, selecting among floral types--fabric, dried, or fresh--has never been more difficult. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, but modern construction and improved processing techniques have blurred the difference between them.
Many of us lead such fast-paced lives that handmade fabric flowers, because of their simplicity and lasting beauty, are most appropriate. The realistic quality of fabric flowers often draws one to "sniff the blossoms" to determine whether they are fresh or artificial. For arranging ease, they top the list! The sturdiness of their stems permits easy shaping; and with a bit of floral tape and wire, they can be adjusted to any length.
Also prized for their lasting beauty are dried natural flowers and foliage. "Drieds" are of two basic types: those with their moisture completely removed from petals, leaves, and stems, and those with their moisture replaced with a glycerine-based preservative. While both types will give lasting beauty, those
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