Make the most of flower power by adding florals to your life, your wardrobe and to create some beautiful, delicious feminine fun! Don't let the season pass you by without playing around with the joy and color of flowers.
“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”
– Henri Matisse
Flowers beautify, inspire, and engage the artist in us all. They are reminders that nature, left to it’s own devices is absolutely stunning and so are we!
So, in the spirit of that, let this list entice you to make room for more beauty, style & fun playing with flowers.
1. Add flowers to unexpected places.
How about adding fresh flowers to an unusual corner of your home? Somewhere that you don’t normally think to put them, the counter where you do your make-up?
A bright cheery bouquet on your desk, whether you work from home or the office?
A kitchen is counter is one of my favorite spots to put an unexpected display of seasonal flowers to greet me each morning before I've had my first cup of coffee.
Don't have the time or energy for a bouquet? Get a plant that flowers.
Frilly pink cyclamens are one of my favorites.
But orchids, despite their fussy reputation are ridiculously easy to keep alive.
A chenille plant is easy, hardy, and a definite conversation starter.
Why not try for a flowering plant that scents the room?
Gardenia or jasmine are obvious choices.
But I can’t get enough of my Meyer lemon “tree.” At only a foot tall it blooms twice a year and keeps my kitchen awash in a heavenly scent.
2. Find your perfect floral Scent.
Floral scents come in a wider range of tastes & perfume families than what you may imagine. And in the age of small batch and boutique perfumeries, there is no better time to find your own signature floral scent!
And unlike real flowers, which inevitably fade, these ones can be recalled back any time you want with just a little spray & nothing is as feminine as a floral scent.
From wanton tuberose, to ladylike Lilly of the valley. Then again you could go wild with something more exotic — maybe the essence of plumeria, or the green almost peppery scent of narcissus?
To get you started here are a few of my personal favorites:
"Spring Flower" by Creed: Rumored to be inspired by Audrey Hepburn, it's a fresh & feminine take on Jasmine, Rose, & a musk base
"Moon Bloom" by Hiram Green Perfumes: An elegant and sexy Tuberose and Jasmine
"Sunset Hour" by Goldfield and Banks: A modern frothy and lush take on Jasmine
"Golden Nectar" by Nest: An alluring and warm fragrance with orchid inspired by Cleopatra
"Hedonist" by Viktoria Minya: An intoxicating and sweet take on Orange Blossom
"Sweet Morphine" by Ex Nihilo: An interplay between the sensually sumptuous & innocently naive of Lilac & Iris.
3. Accessorize with some well-executed floral accents.
Play up something unexpected in your wardrobe with a little flower power. Play up your boss girl suit or power jacket with some delicate or bold flower earrings. Add feminine je-ne-sais-quoi to jeans and a tee with a pretty floral necklace.
Or pair a crisp menswear inspired striped shirtdress with a flowery tote. I happen to adore adding a set of stacked enamel bracelets with flowers to my favorite silk slip dress.
And when all else fails, a pair of sunglasses covered in a floral pattern always makes me (and everyone else) smile.
4. Make your House Bloom (from the outside).
Too many of us come home to a bare front door, or worse to an even less grand side door. Make coming home (and leaving) a pleasure. Add a planter or two of flowers to the door you use on the regular.
You deserve a little curb appeal as much as any passing stranger. Grab a pot in a style you like, whether that’s a sleek modern number, a classical urn, or a boho worn in terracotta number, and fill it with flowers. Some geraniums, a few snapdragons, maybe a trailing vine to add interest and voila, instant interest and joy added.
If you really take a fancy to it, you can add another pot in a different size for even more dramatic effect. Warning here, flowers and gardening can be addictive.
5. Rethink your living room decor & make way for a little pretty.
Flowers in decor have a reputation as being a bit passe these last few years, But I'm here to tell you they're making a comeback, and flower patterns can be joyful, modern, whimsical and even sophisticated if done in the right way.
Flower patterns and florals can pair with everything sleek minimalist Nordic designs to all glass & gold metal Art Deco. From Country to Traditional. It's all about getting the right print, in the right place.
Think about where you could accent what you have. A a stylized black and white graphic floral throw on that post-modern couch? An embroidered floral pillow on a velvet wingback? Or my favorite, how about a stunning bold floral rug?
But if you're still nervous, don't overlook the small touches, like grabbing a couple of coffee table books featuring flowers. Two of my favorites are shown below!
6. The Walls are Alive (with florals).
Every home has one: a boring place of bland walls that just lacks... something. Maybe it's a hallway or a dead end. Maybe yours in a room that lacks a focus wall. Or maybe just a place that needs some pizzazz.
Why not consider a little floral wall art? Photos and paintings of florals are an easy way to give oomph and focus to an area, and art, even floral art, comes in many different styles, from close up photos, to art deco stylizations, so there is a lot to choose from.
But wallpaper also has some excellent floral motifs & just as much variety. Better yet, there is a wealth of fantastic looking removable varieties! That means you can play without paying the price for a mistake. Or being stuck with it.
7. Go big or go home with Floral Prints.
I know we talked accessories, but how about upping some of your style game by adding in something floral that speaks to your soul & your current wardrobe? Much like wallpaper, floral prints have come along way and encompass a wide array of styles from romantic to modern.
You could add in a romantic boho floral dress, or an abstract silk floral shirt for under a sharp suit, a summery camisole in a delicate girly print. But if you’re not ready to take the full plunge, you could also branch into a beautiful floral scarf, or a floral print belt or purse.
Hands down my favorite way to wear florals (when it’s not in a piece of clothing) is with patterned shoes. From flowers embroidered on silk slipper-style shoes, to heels in a bright abstract floral pattern, to a pair of unexpected floral designed keds, shoes are with florals are fun and forgiving.
Now it’s your turn! What’s your favorite way to incorporate the fun of florals in your life?
I hope this article gave you some fun inspiration and ideas to get you started. I know I had fun writing it!
If you’d like more tips and inspiration for how to have fun and beautify/style your life, along with some great articles on how to be happier and more decisive, you should sign up for the newsletter so you never miss another great post!
And remember:
“Flowers always make people better, happier & more helpful; they are sunshine, food & medicine for the soul.”
– Luther Burbank
Can’t get enough? Need more? I like your style! Here are some other articles you might enjoy:
Much Love,
Desirée Sommer
Links to my fave stores in each category, including the above items:
Flower Arrangements / Indoor Plants
Flower Perfumes
Flower Accessories
Outdoor Flowers
Living Room Flowers
Flower Wall Art
Urban Decay- lots of removable wallpaper and other florals
Anthropologie - great resource for wall art and regular wallpaper
Flower Power Outfits
Kate Spade - great for shoes, dresses, and scarves
Anthropologie - lots of unique styles and floral prints
Desirée Sommer is a former Interior Designer, and a current Writer/Speaker who helps people just like you Style, Beautify and make their lives Fun again!
She happily resides in the rural beauty of Idaho with her pet pooch Bree, where she gets to take epic hikes, and plot her next big adventure/road trip/travel destination.
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Can’t get enough? Need more? I like your style! Here are some other articles you might enjoy:
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