Weekly Design: Cymbidium Orchids

Wow, it's been a while since I've shared a weekly design. Well here is a new one!
I love the color of these cymbidium orchids, such a warm and rich green. 

And that succulent?!?? Yum!

Inside the Studio: Busy days of spring

I've been working on a bunch of different projects lately and I hope to share them all with you soon but in the meantime here's just a sampling of some of the pretty things I've surrounded myself with over the last few weeks.

 Oh peonies, peonies, peonies, 'tis the season.

You don't often see me mix white and purple (my old flower friends might gasp!) but this just seemed to work for me and these tulips...sneaky little guys with their "Mysterious" name. Yes, that's really what they are called. Those flower growers over in Holland must love choosing the variety names...makes you wonder what they might be smoking doing when choosing names...ahem.

 Okay so I did it again...more purple and white...what can I tell you?!? It just felt right. And the accent of the cherry branch foliage was the perfect touch.

 A little something for my friends over at Catch for a dinner a few weeks ago. The asked for deep rich cranberry tones, keeping it clean...what do you think?

 I had made these arrangements for a client but then...

 

...they turned into these because of a request to make them a bit more masculine.

What do you think? Were they masculine before or did the yellow make them too feminine?

 

 

 These were great little bundles wrapped with twine to use in a small vase for cocktail tables.

You can see I was a big fan of the "mysterious" tulip while I could get it.

So I've been busy (thank you very much!) and I've been trying to be really good about talking pictures before these loves head out the door so I can share them with all of you!

More to come...

Creative Little Garden

I would love to have a garden of my own someday but as a city dweller it's not as easy as just heading to my backyard to make that happen. Luckily for us there are many places to find a bit of peace and quiet throughout the city and hear a little less of the hustle and bustle of the city that surrounds it.
The Creative Little Garden was recently given the "Best of New York" by the Daily News. I love living in the East Village because there are quite a few community gardens that are open to the public but the Creative Little Garden is really one of the most beautiful. If you have the chance be sure to check it out, 530 East 6th Street (btw. A and B).

 

Advice shared with Rent The Runway

I shared some advice over at Rent The Runway on how to choose flowers for all of your wedding related events. From bridal shower to the wedding you can design the perfect look. And once you choose the perfect look for your decor be sure to check out Rent the Runway to create your perfect look. They have so many amazing and beautiful options.

Check out the full post here.

Inspiration and choosing your wedding style

There are more resources than ever to find inspiration for your wedding design. From Pinterest and Lover.ly to the many amazing wedding and design blogs there is no shortage of inspiring designs. But when you are in the midst of planning how do you narrow down the choices?

Here are four tips to keep in mind:
 
 1. Choose the mood. Choose a feeling that you want to evoke throughout the day. Whether you want a grand and extravagant affair or a warm and intimate setting choose design elements that will reflect that feeling but keep the design of the venue in mind as well.

2. Choose a color palette. You can choose a combination of tones or keep it neutral with an accent color. The color doesn't have to remain the same throughout, it can vary in shades and composition for different areas. From ceremony, to cocktails and then to the dinner reception the palette can change slightly or even more drastically if you want to create a little more drama.

3. Personalize the day. This does not mean that your monogram needs to be emblazoned on everything. While you can use your monogram there are other ways to incorporate personal touches without being so literal. Tell your story, share your love and the things that you love to do as a couple. Any way to engage your guests and let them know a bit more about you as a couple is always a nice touch.

4. Edit. With so much inspiration to choose from it's important to edit, edit and then edit again. Don't try to incorporate every great idea you see. Once you choose the mood, create a central "theme" and stick with it. Enhance the look and personal touches but don't go overboard. Make sure the props and additional elements you choose make sense and compliment the look rather than distract from it.

Most importantly, have fun, make it yours and remember what it's really all about!
(I promise, the day won't be ruined if you don't have the perfect shade of matching paper straws.)

Rent the Runway Summer Lookbook

I had the chance to work with Rent the Runway recently and provide flowers for their summer lookbook shoot. It was fun to use the inspiration they sent and translate their ideas into specific flowers choices for each look. It's hard to know what flowers will actually make it into the final images but that's half the fun. Here are some of the final shots but you can check out the entire lookbook and all the other RTR fabulousness here.

All photos courtesy of Rent The Runway.