STYLING WITH DRIED FLOWERS - ways to bring nature indoors
Welcome to the BLOG
Hi, I’m Sandra.
If you're in awe of stunning interiors and crazy about home decor, you’re in the right place. As an interior writer with a background in styling and photography for leading magazines around the globe (see below) as well as an avid home renovator, I am here to help you style and decorate your home with ease and confidence, like a pro.
On this blog, I’ll be sharing insightful articles packed with advice, tips, and ideas for home styling and decoration, along with inspiring tours of beautifully styled spaces. Having styled countless homes with very different interiors, I know it’s the final touches and thoughtful curating that make a space magazine-worthy, regardless of whether it’s an architectural masterpiece or filled with high-end furniture. And, rather than focus on one particular interior look or style, I aim to open your eyes to a wide variety so you feel inspired, not limited. Ultimately, I’ll show you how a little bit of styling can be transformational and take your home to a whole new level. In today’s blog post, I take a look at dried flowers and different ways to bring them into your home, as well as how to dry, preserve or colour them.
Dried and preserved flowers have become one of the most stylish and sustainable ways to bring nature indoors. Autumn has arrived, and over the last few weeks, I have spotted dried flower arrangements everywhere, and from the selection I have hand-picked for this article, it’s easy to see why. I love the sculptural beauty of dried flowers and have many displayed around my own home, but this wasn’t always the case. My mum was a florist and we always had bunches around the house often hanging upside down to dry, but I never really took to them as I always preferred the freshness of flowers and the green of foliage. What I now find so appealing, is that they capture nature’s beauty in a way that lasts. I have managed to dry alliums, achillea, hydrangeas and other flowers myself, and have also bought dried flowers online and from shops, that are inexpensive and long-lasting. Beyond their stylish appeal, they’re also super practical as you have no water to change, no drooping flowers or wilting petals, and they are far less likely to cause allergies. Whether the flowers come from your garden, a flower shop, an online store, or picked from the countryside, many stems can be dried beautifully, and it is easier than you might think. In this article, I give tips on drying your own, dyeing them a different colour, and a list of the best varieties to dry, as well as a few places online where you can purchase them. I will also show you how to preserve flowers, which is a different technique to drying. I photographed the flowers pictured above and below, at Chewton Glen Hotel, arranged stylishly by Emma Newton-Smith, owner and the creative behind Arcade Flowers. I asked Emma which flowers she used for the displays. Together with dried miscanthus grass, preserved copper beech leaves, teasels and preserved eucalyptus, Emma added hydrangea heads and marigolds. Emma explained that dried flowers have become more popular due to people wanting flowers to last and be sustainable. ‘There are lots of local flower farms who dry surplus flowers so often there is far less mileage in the supply chain,’ Emma pointed out. ‘There are dried and preserved flowers available, giving even more options in vibrant ranges of colours. Although they may be a little more expensive initially, their durability makes them far cheaper in the long run.’ So now we’ve seen how the professionals decorate with dried flowers, read on to find out more.
Photo credit: Sandra van Aalst photographed at Chewton Glen Hotel. Flowers from and arranged by Arcade flowers
CREATING A DRIED FLOWER ARRANGEMENT
Dried flowers look equally as good in both luxury settings and everyday styling. This beautiful display in Chewton Glen Hotel, demonstrates the versatility of dried arrangements, and also proves that nature’s beauty doesn’t have to be fleeting, like with fresh flowers that the hotel usually have to renew every week. To create this display, florist Emma Newton-Smith from Arcade flowers has included dried grasses, preserved copper beech leaves, ferns, teasels and preserved eucalyptus, as well as five handmade peonies that she hand crafted from wood chip, which create a striking contrast to the autumnal colours of the grasses and leaves. You can also add faux flowers to your arrangement at home, like the peonies shown here.
Photo: Sandra van Aalst photographed at Chewton Glen Hotel. Flowers from and arranged by Arcade flowers
PRESERVED HYDRANGEA HEADS WITH TIPS ON PRESERVING YOUR OWN
This deep saffron preserved hydrangea head would give a burst of colour to any interior. You could almost call it a statement piece that would lift any corner of a room and work in a vignette, as well as stand alone. This particular stem is from Dowsing & Reynolds and has been preserved with colourant added to achieve this wonderful mustard colour. Preserved flowers have the sap removed and replaced with a glycerine-based dye which keeps the petals fresh for up to three years. This is not quite as easy as drying flowers, but you can still try this at home by standing stems in a solution of one part glycerine and two parts water. Cut off the end of the stem beforehand. Along with hydrangeas, other flowers and leaves that work well when preserved include eucalyptus and ruscus leaves, as well as magnolia, roses, carnations and statice.
Photo: Dowsing and Reynolds
DRIED HYDRANGEA HEADS
Dried hydrangea heads are an effortlessly stylish way to bring florals into your home, especially in a chic neutral-toned metal vase, like the one shown here. I find hydrangea heads are the easiest flower to dry. You can just leave them in a pot without water and you don’t even need to hang them upside down. I have dried mainly the pink, purple and red-toned full-head hydrangeas. Hydrangea Annabelle and the lace cap varieties are harder to dry, but if you do manage to dry them, they look very effective, like in the image here.
Photo: Sandra van Aalst
TINTING DRIED AND PRESERVED FLOWERS WITH DYE
You can tint your own dried and preserved flowers with striking results, like the terracotta-toned amaranths and blush-pink gypsophila shown here. The easiest and less messy, is spray tint, or alternatively dye the flowers with food colouring, fabric dye or a water-based floral dye. Look for a dye in your chosen colour and pour it into a container. Wear protective gloves before immersing the flower in the dye. The longer you leave the flower in the dye, the more intense the colour. Once you have the desired shade, rinse off excess dye and leave to dry. If you are using a spray, hold it 20-30 centimetres away from the flower and spray. Leave for a few minutes, and if you need to, spray again for a deeper shade.
Photo: Sandra van Aalst photographed in the Frato showroom at The Design Centre Chelsea Harbour
MIXING VARIETIES
It feels more natural if you mix varieties of dried and preserved flowers with dried grasses and leaves to make an interesting bunch. This bouquet features a maple leaf, autumn leaf, foxtail, and three large proteas, boasting a range of textures and giving a handmade touch, and looks great displayed in a rustic stoneware pot, adding interest to the wooden dining table. The large protea flowers, also called sugar bushes, dry well and, due to their size and shape, look striking either as three single stems or mixed with other grasses or leaves like the ones here from Ruma.
Photo: Ruma
THE BEST FLOWER VARIETIES TO DRY
I popped by Abbey Farm Flowers, a dried flower shop set in an old piggery, when visiting a friend in the Dorset countryside. This proved very useful as they added to my list of flowers to dry. They grow their own and also dry them, and I soon spotted my favourite, which were dahlias. I bought a few small red ones as they looked really effective, but the shop owner pointed out that they are more tricky to dry, especially the larger varieties, due to the size of the petals. So if you are a fan like I am, opt for smaller dahlias. I love to experiment with different flowers to see what dries well, holds colour, and what can add interest to a display. Here is a list of flowers you can dry at home.
Alliums
Cowslip
Hydrangeas
Statice
Poppy seed heads
Lotus flowers
Elderberry flowers
Fennel flowers
Strawflowers
Nigella
Larkspur
Gypsophila
Scabiosa
Honesty
Achillea
Eryngium
Dahlias
Clematis vitalba
Clematis tangutica
Linum
Photo: Sandra van Aalst at Abbey Farm Flowers, Dorset
ON-TREND WITH TONE AND NATURAL TEXTURE
The great thing about this arrangement and brown pot is the colour palette - those rich, earthy tones feel so current. I photographed this arrangement in one of the showrooms at the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour and aside from the colours, I love the combined textures, as the display looks grounded yet stylish. This kind of bouquet proves just how dried flowers can work well contemporary interiors as well as rustic and traditional settings. As you can see here, dried flowers are an excellent alternative to fresh flowers for showrooms, shops, hotels and offices, too.
Photo: Sandra van Aalst photographed in the Romo showroom at The Design Centre Chelsea Harbour
DISPLAYED ON STANDS
I have just returned from a trip to the Netherlands and was reminded of how many items are displayed on small black boxes or stands, like the ones pictured here. They usually have a spike, so are ideal to display a couple of impressive single flowers, like the alliums I photographed here a few years back in a classic house in The Netherlands. Styled in front of a mirror, they really made an impression in the entryway.
Photo: Sandra van Aalst
IDEAL FOR THE BEDROOM
In this image, a rich-toned amber vase filled with dried florals and eucalyptus leaves looks gorgeous, especially at this time of year. Displayed on a bedside table, what these flowers also demonstrate is that they are far less likely to trigger allergies, making them a stylish and comfortable choice for a bedroom. Echoing the earthy tones of the flowers, this arrangement and vase from Furniture And Choice are perfect for the season.
Photo: Furniture and Choice
STYLISH LUXURY
I came across this arrangement of alliums while visiting the WOW!House at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour this summer, a show house that showcases some of the most stunning interiors. What I was particularly drawn to was how the bunch of dried alliums were incorporated into such a sophisticated setting. proving that even in the most high-end of homes, the sculptural beauty of dried arrangements look elegant.
Photo: Sandra van Aalst photographed at WOW!House DCCH
STYLING IN A COLLECTIONS
I have always been a fan of collections, especially of small vases and other vessels. As a grouping, these five vases placed together really create an impact. It’s such a versatile styling trick, and you don’t need to fill every one, as it’s the mix of different shapes which creates a curated display. Adding just a few dried flowers and grasses, like in these retro-style stoneware vases from Heavenly Homes and Gardens shown here, demonstrates that even the smallest of arrangements can bring interest to a space.
Photo: Heavenly Homes and Gardens
STYLE YOUR IN BEAUTIFUL VESSELS AND VASES
Have you ever bought a gorgeous vessel only to find it leaks when you want to fill it with water to display your favourite flowers? Dried flowers make it easy to enjoy vases like the one pictured here, so there’s no need to worry about whether a vase or vessel is fully waterproof. This terracotta piece, with its earthy finish from Chic Antique at The Wisteria Tree, makes the case that a vase with dried flowers can be both practical and elegant.
Photo: The Wisteria Tree
SMALL BUT STYLISH
I spotted this display at the Design Centre, a perfect example of how understated styling with dried flowers can still have impact. Even the tiniest bunch of dried blooms placed in a small bud vase, like the blush-toned ones shown here, instantly introduces nature to a contemporary interior. These florals have been styled on a small tray next to ceramic vases of various heights in a similar neutral palette, which altogether creates a stylish vignette. To bring in extra colour, the medium-sized vase is filled with gorgeous rust-red plumes and dusky-toned preserved eucalyptus leaves.
Photo: Sandra van Aalst photographed in the Frato showroom at The Design Centre Chelsea Harbour
DRYING FLOWERS
With their natural texture and form, these woven palm-leaf vases pair wonderfully with dried bunches of lavender, pampas, or wildflowers. What I especially like is how these three vessels can be used to dry flowers directly, which is more practical and attractive than the traditional method of hanging them upside down. Below are some tips on drying flowers.
Pick flowers that are mature.
Cut on a dry day, as if damp, they might go mouldy.
Remove all the lower leaves, leaving only a few at the top of the stem. If these don’t dry well, you can take them off.
Place in bunches of no more than 5 stems and hang upside down in a dry room, and leave for at least 2 weeks.
To help prevent shedding and keep flowers in shape, spray with a artists fixative or simply hair spray.
Photo: Bohemia Design Ltd
WHERE TO BUY DRIED FLOWERS, LEAVES AND GRASSES
ETSY www.etsy.com
DRIED FLOWERS DECOR www.driedflowersdecor.co.uk
DESIGN BY NATURE www.designbynature.co
DUNELM www.dunelm.com/category/home-decor/flowers-and-plants/dried-flowers
H & M www2.hm.com/en_gb/home/shop-by-product/flowers-plants.htm
ROXANNE’S DRIED FLOWERS www.roxannesdriedflowers.comference
ANA HANA FLOWER. www.row.anahanaflower.com
AMAZON www.amazon.com
