| Flower Centerpieces |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-209 |
|
|
|
advertisement
|
Q: I like to use flowers as centerpieces, but that doesn't seem very unique. Do you have any creative ideas? A: (Jeanne Benedict, Ask DIY Entertaining Expert) You can use things around your house to create different flower arrangements for different types of tables. Here are four ideas: - Start with a large houseplant, one that looks like a miniature tree. Decorate the branches at the base with sprigs of greenery (figure A) and some flowers. Water the plant first so you can insert the greens and stems right into the damp soil. Orchids are a great idea in this type of arrangement, or yellow flowers and chili peppers if you're having a Mexican theme party.
- Use color on color to create a monochromatic look. For example, wrap a ginger jar in a piece of red velvet, and stick it in a larger bubble bowl (figure B). Use the bright "vase within a vase" to display short-stemmed red roses, with the water inside the ginger jar. Along the same lines, try yellow silk with yellow roses or white, shimmery cloth with white lilies. If the bubble bowl is small enough, stagger three identical arrangements down the length of the table.
- For a fun, funky look, try a larger bubble bowl. Put a layer of palm-size rocks in the bottom and fill about a third of the bowl with water. Float lemon slices and a whole lemon or two in the water (figure C) and then use the bowl as a vase for yellow roses. Strip the leaves from the roses so the visible stems and the rocks will create a rustic look. Plus, there are fewer leaves to make the water murky. To keep the roses alive as long as possible, cut the stems under water on the bias and change the water every few days.
- For a glamorous, formal look fill a shallow silver pan with water and wrap a piece of metallic fabric around the base. Float some fragrant flowers, such as gardenias, in the water. But don't touch the gardenia petals or they'll turn brown!
More Questions for Jeanne:Q: I'm not great at crafts. Is there a foolproof centerpiece I can make? A: Simple is best. Float some flowers in a bowl or put some roses in a vase.
Q: Do you recommend using flowers and candles together in a centerpiece?
A: Only use a few candles with flowers in any kind of bowl. You don't want the flowers to burn or the glass to heat up.
Q: Are there things I should keep in my house that can be used in a lot of centerpieces?
A: Sure. Jewelry and fabric are great for dressing up vases, bowls and arrangements. Books: Sophisticated Entertaining: Spirited Food for Grown-Up Parties
By Jeanne Benedict
ISBN: 1557883459
Penguin-Putnam Inc.
Hardcover, 320 pages (October, 2000) Tabletops: Easy, Practical, Beautiful Ways to Decorate The Table
by Barbara Milo Ohrbach
ISBN: 0517703327
Clarkson Potter
The Crown Publishing Group
Random House, Inc.
299 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10171
Phone: 212-751-2600
| 
)
)
)
)
