So where do you start? You know you need color, but do you paint a wall, move the furniture, add a rug? Well, having been in the design business for quite some time, I’ll happily tell you my thoughts about it in the hopes that it helps you do your next room. I think you look at doing all of those things, and then you add what makes the most difference. I call it the “Green ~ Flower” effect. You need green in the corner and flowers on the table. Let’s have a look at what you might want to do and where you need to start.

First, at least one wall needs color to add drama. Don’t worry about using a dark color. Match it to your rug and you are on your way.

Now that you have that done, it’s time to pick out a silk tree for at least one corner. It guides the eye up and helps your brain take in the room all at once and sense warmth. Without at least some greenery, your room will look cold and stark. It complements your furniture and brings subliminal comfort to the feel of the room. I don’t think you need a rain forest, but a couple of silk green plants or trees in some really awesome pots will make a room rock!

Once you’ve nailed down the greenery part of the “Green ~ Flower” effect, it’s time to work on my favorite part, the flowers! This is when the fun starts! You start by writing down all of the colors you want to highlight or bring out. Be sure to start with your wall color. Pull others from your rug and your furniture if it is made of fabric or leather. With list in hand, go to your room and stand there. Imagine that you have a flower arrangement on the table that is in a non-descript pot and all the flowers are a solid color. Start at the top of your list, close your eyes and imagine each color on your flowers. See how they look with the wall and the rug. Rule out any that don’t sit well with you. Trust me, you’ll know as soon as you “see” it. You should now have a nice list of colors that you want in your silk flowers.

The next step is to determine what design category you are in. My categories are:

the “Minimalist” the “Traditionalist” the “More is Better” the “Eclectic” the “I have no idea & I need help”

The Minimalist

If you tend to favor a very simple, scaled down look with very few decorative items sitting around, you are what I call a “Minimalist”. This simply means that you don’t like clutter, and if you put out a decorative piece, you are proud of it and like it very much. Minimalists should begin their search for flowers with types like orchids that are simple,serene, elegant and yet electric with their beauty at the same time. There are so many varieties and vibrant colors that there is surely one that will fit perfectly.

The Tradionalist

I fall into the Traditionalist category. I like silk flower arrangements with lots of different flowers. I like them to have all of the colors that I want to bring out with different hues of those colors to make it interesting. I like a vase or container that is complementary, but is “discussion worthy”. It should make someone say, “That arrangement is beautiful in that vase!”. It could be the color, texture, or size, but it should spark a comment or a conversation. I also like different kinds of ivy and greenery that complement the piece. I guess that I just like “traditional” flower arrangements instead of funky or wild ones. It all depends on the room and the contents.

The More is Better

These folks tend to like stuff everywhere. They feel much more comfortable with all of their stuff around them. They tend to attach sentimental value to decorative items and like to set them out and enjoy them. I’ve been known to poke gentle fun at my “More is Better” customers by telling them that they will develop the “hoarder condition” if they don’t watch out, but I have to admit that at one time as a youngster I could very well have fallen into this category. They enjoy many different colors and textures, but will probably lean toward their “favorite” flower. They will say something to me like, “Oh, I want something with a “whatever it is” flower. They are my absolute favorite!”.

The Eclectic

These customers are so fun to work with! Their rooms have all kinds of neat stuff in them, and making an arrangement for them gets my imagination running wild. There is one on my website that I did a few years ago that my customer absolutely loved. It has willow branches going everywhere and looks kind of like a thunderstorm with lightening to me. It’s really cool and funky, and I get comment emails from the website about it all the time. It still makes me chuckle. When I interview these customers, I write pages about what they like, and then go off and sleep on it. Usually I wake up the next morning itching to get into my flower room to make the design I have in mind.

The “I have no idea & I need Help”

These customers are also very fun to work with. I write volumes with them as well. I really like to do these locally so that I can go see their home and start to figure out their style. I’ve used pictures for long distance customers, but it’s much more fun for me if I can get “into their house and into their mind”! They usually ask a thousand questions which I love. They usually end up falling into one of my other categories, and usually when I see their home I know right away what category they fall into.

So now you know all of my trade secrets, and how I do design work. It’s really fun and I meet the neatest people. My hope is that you will figure out what category you are in and find just the perfect wall color, rug, silk tree and arrangement for your room!
Julie Eby, Dallas TX
Julie Eby is the owner of http://www.CrossesAndChristmas.com/, a retail website that sells religious home decor and jewelry in the catholic, Christian theme.
Julie is also the owner of http://www.LuxuryInBloom.com/, a retail website that sells silk floral arrangements, silk orchids, silk trees and plants, and greenery. Julie also creates custom arrangements for customers. Proudly serving the Dallas, TX area, and the USA since 2005.