How to Create a Modern Floral Arrangement

Though many might think it takes a professional florist to arrange and display swoon-worthy blooms, the reality is that you can make a floral arrangement at home on a budget easily. Read on for our tips on how to create a modern floral arrangement that feels fresh and fabulous in the comfort of your own home.

• Flowers should be 1.5x the height of the vase
• Use chicken wire to keep stems in place
• Purchase store-bought flowers no more than 2 days before any events

A couple years ago, we interviewed Los Angeles-based florist Emma Hampton, of Roobarb Studio, on how to put together a DIY floral arrangement for a party. Her top tips for arranging, which we’ve listed for you above, are a great place to start whether your bouquet is for a tablescape or simply for your own viewing pleasure. But there are lots of prep steps we recommend prior to the arranging process that you may want to jot down if you’re looking to become a DIY florist in your own right.

It’s a fairly common experience: you head to the deli or bodega to buy some (overpriced) flowers, only to find that they’ll die in a couple of days. Fear not: it doesn’t have to be like that! We’re all about sustainability here at Casa de Suna, so we were thrilled to find out that shopping for flowers sustainably was possible.

Why you should shop sustainable flowers:

• Reduce carbon emissions 
• Cut down on plastic consumption
• Avoid pesticides

How to find a sustainable flower source: 

• If you’re in a city: 
  • Search for “organic florists” or “sustainable florists” in your area 
  • Give that florist a call and ask where they source their flowers 
  • Ask them if they know whether their source uses pesticides 
  • Request your flowers wrapped in paper, not plastic
  • If the florist is tying the flowers   
• If you’re in the suburbs or country: 
  • Search for flower farms near you–nothing like going straight to the source! 
  • Check with the florist that they don’t spray their flowers with pesticides 
  • Bring your own canvas bag and chicken wire to tie the stems together 

How to choose flowers for your arrangement:

Choosing the right flowers for your arrangement varies depending on what season it is (prioritizing seasonal flowers is another way to stay sustainable as you shop). Here are a few flower combinations you can consider pairing together, season by season. 

Flowers to combine for the fall: dahlias, cornflowers, and garden roses are what Emma recommends. 
Flowers to combine for the winter: snowdrops, primrose, and winter jasmine for a fragrant and romantic cold-weather vibe. 
Flowers to combine for the spring: we love creating a subtle pastel rainbow of different pink and yellow tulips to welcome in the bright new energy of the season–and of course, you can never fail with peonies. 
Flowers to combine for summer: marigolds, lisianthus, and lavender make for a creative, fragrant, and colorful bouquet. 

When it comes to making an arrangement that stands out, there’s no need to restrict yourself to flowers! There are lots of other things you can add to your arrangement–even things that don’t cost a ton of money–to round it up.

Add greens
Adding greens to a bouquet is always a good idea: you can clip stems from other flowers and even houseplants if you don’t want to buy them separately.

Incorporate dried flowers
You can also combine fresh flowers with dried flowers (and even high-quality fake flowers–we like Afloral for those)–to create a nice mix of sturdy and delicate blooms.

Forage for additions
If you live in the country, you can also forage for additions–ferns are typically easy to find and can make the simplest bouquets look lush.

How to protect yourself when foraging for wild plants
Just be sure to pre-identify plants in the wild before you pick them to make sure they’re not poisonous (Picture This is a great app for identifying plants in the wild and even in a local store, restaurant, or at a friend’s house, if you’re inspired by their arrangements).

• Add green clippings
• Incorporate faux flowers
• Don’t be afraid of baby’s breath
• Place rocks at the bottom of a vase
• Fan out stems at the bottom

Making a floral arrangement look more full comes down to what the other things you fill it with. Our top tip will always be the aforementioned green clippings–whether you get them from your own bouquet, a friend, or even out in the wild. You can also fan out the stems of your bouquet at the bottom, which can make the flowers appear wider at the top. If it’s the vase you’re looking to fill up or you’ve cut your flowers too short, adding some tasteful, smooth rocks to the bottom of your arrangement can help give you height.

And when it comes to “filler” flowers, don’t shy away! Baby’s breath got a bad rap for a while, and became a flower people associated with events like proms.That has changed entirely in recent years; with many chic brides leaning entirely into baby’s breath for their wedding florals–and there’s no reason you can’t do the same at home. It’s an inexpensive, tasteful way to fill up a floral arrangement. And, if you have faux flowers on hand, again, those are an equally great option.

• Add flowers to a larger tablescape
• Create height variance
• Incorporate different vases
• Incorporate candles
• Juxtapose with neutral table linens

Creating balance in floral design is all about how you juxtapose the flowers with the other things in your home. Here are a few of our tips for styling florals in a way that feels balanced, natural, and fits seamlessly into your home.

Place your arrangement (or arrangements) in vases. If you have multiples, try buying a few sizes and colors of the now-iconic Hawkins vase. Pair it with one of our ceramic compotes if you have lower-lying arrangements to show off as well.

Because flower arrangements are romantic in nature, you can use a simple, neutral table runner to create balance and let the flowers’ natural palette shine. To create height variance amongst the flowers, floral design tools are key. The most important investment? Strong floral shears. Clip your flowers with the Floral Society’s floral clippers–they’re far more powerful than a kitchen scissor and will give you a far better result. Finally, if you’re at home and want to show off your arrangements–whether you’re hosting a party or a dinner for one–dotting candles, like these tapers across the table, will set the ultimate scene.