FLORAL DESIGN - Design Principles

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You’re in big trouble.  Yes, you.  You have officially forgotten your significant other and your anniversary.  You’ve been kicked to the couch and you have no idea how you plan on getting back into your own bed.  Yes, chocolate would probably work, but it would be best if flowers accompanied that chocolate.

            I know it sounds super cliché but it’s true.  All women love flowers, even if they try to deny it.  You know how they say, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”  The best way to a woman’s heart?  Flowers. 

            I’m not saying go out and get the most basic rose bouquet ever.  Put a little thought into the flowers you are getting your significant other.  Figure out her favorite flower and incorporate that into your flower arrangement.

            Hold on, what?  Flower arrangement?  Don’t you just call the florist and tell them to figure it out?  You can, but a lady would appreciate it a lot more if the bouquet were personal.  Now, I’m not implying you build your own bouquet out of flowers you picked out of your neighbor’s yard, but you should work with a florist to help create the masterpiece that will once again allow you back into your bed.

            Florists typically use floral elements of design in creating their arrangements.  Here are the elements along with a little description about each.

1. Line: patterns that make the eye move around the arrangement.
2. Form: the shape of the arrangement.
3. Texture:  how the surface of the arrangement appears to feel.
4. Color: use of different tones, shades, and tints of color.

           After applying all of these principles, one must make sure the arrangement is balanced and harmonious.   All the parts of the arrangement must be in harmony or the design will not look “right.”  You must select combinations of material that work well together for a harmonious arrangement.  There are two types of balance you could choose from; symmetrical or asymmetrical.  Symmetrical means that if you drew an imaginary line through the middle of the arrangement, it would look the same on both sides.  The opposite is true of asymmetrical arrangements.

           So now that you know a little more about floral arrangements, you can help the florist of your choice put together an arrangement that is pleasing to your significant other.  It’s something to be proud of!