For centuries, we've used bouquets and botanical arrangements to brighten our spaces and homes or as a statement to our loved ones. We can convey important messages, create spectacular beauty, express ourselves, or arrange something that makes us smile—there are many marvelous aspects to florals.
What do those who love artificial, natural, or dried flowers have in common? We all wish for our gorgeous blooms to last and never fade. That's where artificial, dried, and preserved flowers take center stage. Especially if you adore the exquisite, realistic details of artificial florals but also want to have the beauty of the real thing—then preserved and dried florals will be your ultimate favorite!
Why Choose Dried and Preserved?
Because artificial florals are now on-trend, so too-are dried florals and preserved blooms. Both options allow homeowners with or without green thumbs the splendor and grace of natural-looking plants displayed in their homes without the hassle of watering schedules, worrying about direct sunlight, and other issues that crop up with some demanding plants.
When cared for, dried flowers are almost as permanent floral art as artificial.
Have you always wanted to decorate and arrange preserved and dried flowers but are unsure where and how to start? Afloral is here to get you started with simple yet unquestionably charming arrangements anyone can try.
Reasons why to use dried flowers:
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Low maintenance: Unlike fresh flowers, dried flowers do not require watering or constant maintenance. They retain their beauty and shape for a longer period of time, making them a practical choice for those who want to enjoy floral arrangements without the hassle of upkeep.
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Eco-friendly: Drying flowers is a sustainable way to prolong a flower's beauty and reduce waste. Instead of discarding fresh flowers after a few days, drying them allows the blooms to be enjoyed for a longer period.
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Versatile: Dried flowers come in various shapes and sizes, making them versatile for interior design. They can be arranged in a vase or used to create wreaths, garlands, or other decorative pieces.
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Texture: Dried flowers offer an interesting textural element to a room's design. They can be used to add dimension and depth to a space.
Overall, dried flowers are a beautiful and practical choice for interior design. They offer long-lasting beauty with minimal upkeep and can be arranged in a variety of ways to suit any style.
Big Vases and Big Statements
Go big when you need an accent piece or a statement piece that really wows guests or family. Our Smokey Slate Large Glay Table Vase is an excellent addition to any family dining room table, living room table, or any place you want to display a large bouquet of dried flowers.
Large vases like the Smokey Slate, Large Brass Floor Vase, Tall Glossy in blue-washed white, and Clear Glass Bottle vases are made to be showstoppers. One of our personal favorites that you can easily create at home? Natural Dried Nigella Flower Bundle in our Smokey Slate clay table vase. Here's how to recreate this look:
Supplies:
• Our bundle of Natural Dried Nigella Flower Bundle – 14-20""
• Floral tape or a floral hairpin frog and filler if needed
• Floral shears for stem trimming if needed
Dried Nigella flowers come in many lengths, and we encourage you to explore and create your own arrangements. You may find that using a filler for the vase bottom and some structural additions makes it easier to recreate a natural look to your design and keep the dried blooms in place.
There are several ways in which you can create a structure to help with the creation of your bouquet. You can choose to fill the vase with Agra-wool, angel vine, or you can nest. The nesting technique simply uses a smaller container to hold your stems in place and insert them into your larger display vase. Additionally, you can create a grid using floral tape across the mouth of the vase to help separate stems.
Cozy Fireplace Aesthetics
If you love your home's fireplace mantle and a wild, organic look, we think an arrangement with dried and preserved Hanging Amaranthus might be the ideal step in perfecting that area. Your fireplace is a focal point within your home and a place worthy of items that tell a story, whether that story says something about you, your family, or the room's mood. Stylish greens are always an excellent means to take a fireplace further.
If you're looking to recreate our designer's arrangement in the photo above, you can do so effortlessly! Here's what we used:
• Distressed Rustic Concrete Vase
• Green preserved Hanging Amaranthus – 32 – 40"", 4-6 preserved stems per bundle
Would you rather freestyle or have your ideas for adding dried flowers and preserved grasses, but unsure where to start? Our designers have some great tips for beginning!
• Make a note of the size of your fireplace as you ponder decorating it. This will help you decide if you would rather have daintier vases and dried florals or more prominent, more dramatic blooms and leaves. If your mantel is an average shelf depth of about 10 inches, then a pot diameter of 9.5 or smaller is ideal.
• Picture how many vases or pots can be placed on the mantle and any other décor, such as candles, before it looks cluttered. Feel free to sketch your ideas quickly; no need to worry about being artistic. Short concepts will help you figure out precisely what you want.
• Too small of a mantel? Don't forget the floor!
• Not sure our preserved Hanging Amaranthus is ideal? Please take a look at our Yellow Dried Sanfordii Flowers. These precious blooms are tiny but pack a big, vivid splash of joyful color for a cheerful, stately mantle piece.
Delicate Buds and Bud Vases
Some of us subscribe to and adore the minimalistic approach of less is more. A delicate bloom, paired with an equally delicate bud vase, can be just as breathtaking as a complete centerpiece.
In the above photo, our florist has paired our deep earthy, Dark Brown Mango Wood Vase with our Dried Craspedia Billy Buttons in a spectacular bright sunset orange. To arrange these Dried Craspedia Billy Buttons like our florist, we recommend using natural materials like Agra-wool or Angel vine so that the delicate stems are held apart for a lovely, minimalistic spray of orange.
For a simplistic yet always elegant arrangement, a single Craspedia in one of our Matte White Ceramic or Black Ceramic bud vases is a striking structure perfect for any room of your home.
Lush and Full Compote
With proper steps and care, preserved flowers can be as lush and full-looking as their live counterparts. The compote bowl is one of the best vessels for a full-looking arrangement. The critical element to having your dried florals look fantastic in any compote bowl is using a round flower hairpin frog secured to the bowl with a bit of floral tac or floral chicken wire netting for a solid base.
When arranging with dried florals, you can use the guidelines in our article: Exquisite Artificial Flower Arrangement in a Compote Bowl. Which are our favorites to style in a compote bowl currently?
We love:
• Pink Preserved Gypsophilia Flower Bundle. With the softest blush of color and tiny, delicate, yet plentiful blooms, this bundle is so versatile it will look lovely anywhere you wish to place it.
• Blue Dried Echinops Globe Thistles can be a single stem, bud-vase arrangement, or whole bundle for a whimsical and down-home country atmosphere that captures late summer and wild breezy fields.
At Afloral, the sky and your imagination are the limits of floral design! There are countless ways to brighten, uplift and change the ambiance of any space with the right florals, and we believe everyone deserves to enjoy long-lasting nature in their homes. Would you love to know more about our dried florals or learn new tips and tricks for floral arrangements? Please follow us on our social media accounts for inspiration and ideas!
