The garden has become our favorite room in the house these days, offering us natural beauty, a therapeutic hobby, and, if anything, much-needed time away from screens. As we continue to host small gatherings and celebrate life's biggest moments at home, setting the table or filling the house with floral arrangements adds a special, personal touch to your event. Thankfully, renowned floral designer Flavia Bruni is here to help make it simple.
Bruni is partnering with Sofitel, a Paris-based luxury resort chain, to establish a new experience at its Rome Villa Borghese property. Starting this fall, she will be hosting in-person flower arranging classes at the hotel's rooftop restaurant, Settimo, set against a spectacular backdrop of dreamy panoramic views of Rome. Guests will learn in-depth how to craft beautiful arrangements while enjoying Prosecco and light refreshments, with the option of venturing to the local flower market with Bruni or taking a private class on their suite's terrace.
The Italian floral designer has shared a sneak preview of what her class entails, with a video on Sofitel Rome's Instagram page (@sofitelrome) that offers a crash course in floral arranging.
For those unable to visit The Eternal City anytime soon, there is still a lot to glean from Bruni's mini-lesson that we can bring to our own arrangements at home:
Start and End Your Arrangement With the Largest Blooms
Bruni advises taking your largest blooms (she used peonies) to help establish focal points on either side of the container, followed by smaller blooms, greenery, and fillers. Her final addition is one of the peony blooms, which she places just off-center for a more eye-catching arrangement.
Employ The Golden Ratio
According to Bruni, the "golden ratio" for floral arranging is creating a visual where the arrangement is two-and-a-half sizes bigger than its container.
Add Dimension and Interest With Woody Materials
Bruni keeps her arrangements looking perfectly wild by using branches to define the shape and to create dimension. No branch is the same, adding originality to an arrangement, even if it's being recreated several times over for an event. From there, you can pepper in greenery, following along with your wooden blueprint.
Lauren Wicks is a freelance writer and editor based in Birmingham, Alabama. Before going on her own, Lauren worked for brands such as VERANDA, EatingWell, and Cooking Light, and she covers all things lifestyle from interior design and luxury travel to wine and wellness.
FAQs
Employ The Golden Ratio
According to Bruni, the "golden ratio" for floral arranging is creating a visual where the arrangement is two-and-a-half sizes bigger than its container.
What are the three most used floral shapes of floral arrangements? ›
There are several commonly used flower arrangement shapes, or forms: Circular. Triangular. Square.
What is the 3:5-8 rule in floristry? ›
One of the European designs that we create in floristry is called the Form Linear, in which we apply flowers by using the 3:5:8 rule, with 3 main focal groups: 3 = Sub-dominate Group/Placement. 5 = Contrasting Group/Placement. 8 = Dominate Group/Placement.
What is the basic rule of floral arrangement? ›
The perfect arrangement of flowers is the one with the right balance. This means that the height of the arrangement should be at least one and a half times more than the height of the container. Although the height of the arrangement can be higher than this, it is never lower.
What is the rule of three flower arrangement? ›
Rule of 3
Remembering this helpful number will guide you when you are creating a base for your flowers. Having 3 different types of greens will give your arrangement a depth of color and a variety of texture. In Floral Design, even numbers do not create a balanced look.
What are the 6 minor principles of floral design? ›
The primary principles are Proportion, Balance, Dominance, Rhythm, Contrast and Unity. The secondary principles of Design are: Scale, Focal Area/Focal Point, Repetition, Accent, Depth, Transition, Variation, Opposition, and Tension.
What flower has 13 petals? ›
13 Petals: ragwort, corn marigold, cineraria. 21 Petals: aster, black-eyed susan, chicory.
What is the rule of thirds in floral design? ›
Use the Rule of Thirds to Layer Your Flowers
The middle third will be the focal point of the arrangement—this is where you should place your statement flowers.
What is a flower arranger called? ›
Floral designers, also called florists, arrange live, dried, and silk flowers and greenery to make decorative displays.
Should bouquets be symmetrical? ›
Most people strive to create symmetry in a floral arrangement, but balance can be just as pleasing to the eye and visually impactful. "You may have all your lilies on one side, but you have large-headed roses on the other. It's not symmetrical, but it's balanced," says Graham.
Key Mathematical Concepts in Floral Design
Here are some of the important mathematical elements that are often considered: Percentages: To calculate profit margins. Multiplication, Division, and Addition: To work out quantities and costs of flowers. Scale Drawings: To measure areas for arranging flowers.
What is the general floral formula? ›
floral formula A conventional method for recording the structure of a flower. It uses a series of capital letters to identify parts: K = calyx; C = corolla; A = androecium; G = gynoecium. The number of components in each is indicated by a number; if the number exceeds 12, the symbol ∝ (infinity) is used.
What is the golden ratio of flower pattern? ›
Flower petals
Phi appears in petals on account of the ideal packing arrangement as selected by Darwinian processes; each petal is placed at 0.618034 per turn (out of a 360° circle) allowing for the best possible exposure to sunlight and other factors.
How long do you soak flowers before arranging? ›
Place prepared stems in a bucket of clean water and leave in a cool place for at least two to three hours or, ideally, overnight. This will allow the flowers to drink before being brought into a warmer environment. Some plants with soft stems and heavy flower head, such as tulips and gerberas, are prone to bending.
