Principles of Design for Florals and More!

By Sarah Whiton

Whether you're arranging fresh cut flowers or creating a new garden bed, following some basic principles can help you level up your designs! As florists, we lean into these guidelines to help us create unique floral arrangements that bring out the best in every bloom, but they can be applied to almost any aesthetic project.

LINE directs the visual path as you take in the arrangement, and it's the most basic design element. Line is created between two or multiple points, and can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal and/or curved. In contemporary style floral arrangements, lines may be very dramatic, where in other styles they may be less perceptible. In any style, lines create a foundation for design.

COLOR is important because it is often what viewers notice first, and often relate to the most. Designers consider and incorporate both complementing and contrasting colors to create visual interest and make colors pop.

FORM includes size, shape and depth. Flowers can be arranged to be tall and airy or low and compact and can be arranged in a shape that is triangular, round, squared or arching. Some flowers may be placed deeper in the arrangement while others, placed forward not only stand out but create depth and interest.

SPACE too much space between blooms will make your arrangement look sparse, but smooshing them together doesn't allow blooms to stand out - finding proper spacing is all about balance!

TEXTURE incorporating a variety of textures creates contrast and once again, allows flowers to stand out! We love using multiple textures from lush greenery and a variety of accent flowers.

Floral designers also take into consideration things such as specific flower requests, container size and shape, mechanics (especially important in our wedding work), movement, and fragrance.