Bottling the Power
of The Home Ecology of Flowers

Floral Expert Rebecca Cole Brings Harvard Research to Life
with How-To Ideas for Everyday Display and Care

Rebecca Cole, author of Flower Power and co-host of Discovery Channel's Surprise by Design

From her New York City design studio, interior and floral designer Rebecca Cole is a pro at creating personal spaces in which her clients love to live. Through her Discovery Channel show, Surprise by Design, Cole has made it her life’s work to inspire viewers to create individualized living environments.

“The recent Harvard research is proof that if we live in places that lift our spirits, we can live happier, healthier lives,” said Cole. “Fresh cut flowers are the perfect everyday accessory for any budget – they add color, fragrance and style – and now we know they even increase energy and compassion.”

According to Cole, it’s easy to create a home ecology, and she offers tips for those who want to easily add flower power to their homes in a way that matches their personal style and décor.

Location, Location, Location

Participants in the Harvard study reported the greatest mood-boosting effects when fresh cut flowers were placed in common areas of the home such as the kitchen, dining room and family room. Cole’s easy ideas for social and personal spaces include:

• Place bud vases in high traffic home areas – with even just a few flowers. Any decorative glass from the kitchen will do!
  
  
• The kitchen table might be the best place for flowers, because it’s where people gather together. Stop by a florist or supermarket, where you’ll find a wide selection of flowers from which to choose.
  
  
• For an easy, elegant table decoration, set a series of crystal vases on a fabric runner. Place fresh flowers in each of the vases and surround them with greenery.
  
  
• Float two or three blooms, such as open roses or gerbera daisies in a favorite crystal bowl.
  
  
• In the foyer, create a space to hang your keys that also includes a weekly vase of flowers. It will be the last place you see on your way out the door and the first you see on your way back inside.
  
  
• Go big and bold for open spaces. An abundant arrangement of lilies, gladiolus, hydrangea or any large blooms create an inviting environment for an expansive entryway or dining room.
  
  
• A bouquet can also perk up personal spaces such as bathrooms and bedrooms.
  
  
• A bud vase with a simple cluster of flowers hidden in the center of a clear bubble bowl filled with potpourri is the perfect way to create a welcoming atmosphere in a guest room.

Styles and Trends

• Experiment to match a room’s décor with one the hottest flower trends – monobotanic (arrangements of all one type of flower) and monochromatic (using all one color palette, such as a range of pinks).
  
  
• For a contemporary look, group several vases together holding just one or two stems. If you’re using your own container, be creative! Use champagne glasses, china pieces or other items that fit the décor of the room.
  
  
• Old water pitchers, antique teapots, classic urns or even tattered clay pots make fascinating containers for a casually placed flower arrangement.
  
  
• Choose soothing colors, like blues and greens, to create a tranquil feeling or bright reds and oranges for a more sensual arrangement. Yellows and peaches are nurturing and pinks and lavenders are romantic.

Maximizing a Budget

• Care for your flowers to keep them lasting. Before you put the flowers in the vase, remove all leaves below the waterline, and include flower food for extra nutrients. If the water becomes cloudy after a few days, replace it entirely with properly mixed flower food solution. If possible, re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife or scissors.
  
  
• Flowers have different life spans. Once some flowers begin to fade, remove them, and transfer the longer-lasting flowers to a smaller vase to place elsewhere in your home.
  
  
• Shop strategically. Know what’s on special at the supermarket, and ask your florist for the freshest varieties in stock that day.

“Whether experimenting on your own or eliciting the help of a floral expert, bringing flowers into your home will brighten your mood as well as your surroundings,” added Cole.

Rebecca Cole’s Rules & Recipes
for Easy, Everyday Kitchen Flowers

Today’s kitchen interior trends – such as more prominent windows, expansive islands and countertop space, open floor plans and creative seating areas – all lend well to another major trend – bringing the outdoors inside. But whether your kitchen is spacious or cozy, there is no better or easier way to welcome nature into your kitchen than with fresh-cut flowers.

For years, Cole has been helping people choose flowers that are grounded to their personal style and taste. Now, she shares her simple advice for anyone who wants to add some floral flair to the hub of their home.

“Whether you want a kitchen that is relaxing, stylish, functional or elegant, you can accent with flowers to help inspire that atmosphere,” says Cole. “While there are no hard and fast rules, certain design guidelines will get you on your way to effortless, everyday arrangements.”

Rebecca’s Color and Design Truth or Dare

Whether your style is cottage or classic, modern or mosaic, B&B or urban chic, you can tailor these floral design tips to work in your kitchen. Place the flowers on your table or countertop. The most important thing is to enjoy them every day.

Truth: Try Classic or Commanding Colors and Containers

• To be bold with color, choose just two colors at a time. Yellow and orange, for example, look amazing and bold together. Remember, in flowers, green is neutral and white is a color.
  
  
• For a simple look, select a variety of flowers but keep it to one color. It’s a sure-fire bang of modern beauty. For the kitchen table, keep the stems cut to below eye level and about the same length as each other.
  
  
• When bringing home flowers from the florist, have a couple of small vases and containers available so you can place a few flowers around the house. You’ll be amazed how many small arrangements you can get out of a single bunch of flowers. Be creative with containers – try a demitasse cup, champagne flute or even fun salt and pepper shakers.

Dare: Dabble in both Dramatic and Everyday Design

• When arranging with a variety of flowers, think “scale” and “texture.” Mix large-headed flowers such as sunflowers, peonies, hydrangeas and dahlias with smaller blooms. Also try adding some fun, textured blossoms such as belles of Ireland or delphinium with softer petals like sweetpea or lisianthus.
  
  
• Try “monobotanic,” all one type of flower, for a simple, elegant look. Roses (standard or spray), alstroemeria, lilies, tulips or gerbera daisies work well. Place them in a big jug, pail or coffee tin for maximum impact.
  
  
• Mix everyday, “humble” flowers such as daisies, carnations and mums with “showoffs” like peonies, roses and ranunculus. Keep the color palette simple.

Click here to see why flowers are the perfect pick-me-up in the morning.

Matching Flowers to Your Home Style

Just as people have their own personalities, so do their homes. According to the Society of American Florists, popular home decorating personalities tend to fall into five categories. The guide below shows how flowers can complement and enhance these styles.

Classic Traditional

This home has formal architecture with impressive front doors, foyers and individually decorated rooms. Design elements include classic furnishings and antiques with elegant fabrics of brocade, silk and tapestry. Classic arrangements call for a mixture of flowers (roses, gladiola, iris, carnations, lilies or snapdragons, to name a few) and accents such as dried fruit and foliage. Crystal, brass, silver or porcelain containers are ideal for the classic floral centerpiece.

Modern Contemporary

Sleek and chic, the modern home calls for clean lines, smooth surfaces and form. Elegant fabrics, colorful silks, gauze or leather accent steel, glass and other man-made materials. Bold, exotic flowers (anthuriums, heliconia, callas, orchids) with strong lines work well to complement this home's clean, open spaces. To complete the dramatic look, flowers are best displayed in frosted glass vases, decorative pottery and metallic containers with pewter or stainless steel finishes.

Victorian

Velvets, satins, chintz, lace and organza create a feeling of softness and romance in the Victorian home. Pastel colors or soft tone-on-tone prints are used to delight the senses. Fragrant flowers (roses, spray roses, peonies, lavender, gardenias, freesia) in pale peach, lavender, pink, yellow and cream conjure images of romance and sensuality. All of these delicious colors glow in lovely, romantic vases of clear glass, crystal and silver.

Casual Easy Living

Casual living lifestyles focus on the simple pleasures of life. The decor includes furniture of light pine, natural woods, bleached oak or a white-washed painted finish with fabrics of linen and cotton in neutral tones. Because these homes are designed for "stress busting," flowers provide nature's balancing formula. The right match might include flowering and green plants (like cyclamen, kalanchoe, pothos or ivy) casually grouped in a basket, or flowers (such as sunflowers, daisies, hydrangea, delphinium or tulips) placed in a clear glass vase, pitcher or piece of pottery.

American Country

Recognized as a style all it's own, American country has become a phenomenon. Motifs include artifacts from the past - such as quilts, galvanized metal bowls and wooden crates. The result is comfort that is easy and inviting. Woven baskets or simple vases of mixed spring flowers (yarrow, wild roses, scabiosa, heather) fit perfectly on a coffee table or kitchen counter. Cut flowers, blooming plants, herbs, wreaths and swags with that farm-fresh look are a natural extension of this homespun decor.

For more advice on incorporating floral elements into your home, talk with your local florist. He or she will be able to capture just the style you're looking for - with flowers.