Styling with Spring Flowers - vase arrangements that look effortlessly chic
Interior Styling Blog for Real Homes: Ideas, Advice & Inspiration
Hi, I’m Sandra, this blog is about interior styling for real homes. If you love interiors and want your home to feel stylish, pulled together, yet still personal, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll be sharing practical styling advice to help you edit, layer, and finish your home with confidence, alongside articles on what’s happening in the interiors world — from design events to colour stories - so you get the full picture.
I also take you on tours of beautifully styled homes from around the world, offering inspiration and styling ideas to steal for your own space. Ultimately, I’ll show you how a little bit of styling can be transformational and take your home to a whole new level.
Today’s post brings a touch of spring into your interiors with a range of spring flowers - both faux and real - styled and arranged in very different ways across a gorgeous mix of vases and vessels.
For many of us, it’s been a long winter, so the first signs of spring that nature brings - in the shape of colourful blooms - are an instant mood booster and a reminder that brighter days are on their way. The sight of spring flowers along the roadside, blossom in tree-lined streets and flowering shrubs popping up in the hedgerows is so uplifting and makes me want to fill my home with gorgeous blooms. Maybe this is why spring is my favourite time of year!
I asked Lucy Hook, Floral Lead at Bloom & Wild, what spring blooms mean to a florist and which flowers they prefer to use. "Spring is all about celebrating new life and vibrant colour," explains Lucy. "We find that seasonal favourites like tulips and irises work beautifully, but we also love leaning into the wilder side with plenty of textured foliage to make arrangements feel fresh and airy."
I also wanted to find out how Bloom & Wild arrange their displays and achieve that effortless, 'just picked' look. "The secret is to build a strong foundation," Lucy points out. "I always like to start my arrangement by placing the foliage in first. This acts as a natural backbone, providing a sturdy structure for your more delicate stems to sit within. Once your greenery is in place, criss-cross your stems to fill any gaps. The key to a truly relaxed feel is to avoid perfect symmetry. Play around with different heights and let some of those wispy pieces of foliage cascade over the edge of the vase to bring a sense of movement and drama to the finished piece."
I have had a lifelong relationship with flowers. My mum, having worked her way up from flower girl, became head of flowers at the top London hotels - The Savoy and Claridge's. When she later branched out on her own, I became her flower girl, earning pocket money for helping her create bouquets for weddings and other events. My love of flowers carried on into growing flowers and plants in my own garden, becoming a member of the RHS, and visiting flower shows like The Chelsea Flower Show. I’ve also been inspired by trips to overseas shows and gardens including Keukenhof in the Netherlands, where there are displays and fields of every variety of tulip. Other favourites I have visited are Villa San Michele, Axel Munthe’s garden in Capri, and Jardin Majorelle, once owned by Yves Saint Laurent in Marrakech.
In the group of flowers pictured here that I photographed outside the Design Centre at Chelsea Harbour, there is a whole host of spring favourites including tulips, grape hyacinths, hellebores, ranunculi, and daffodils, all mixed with different types of fresh green foliage. What makes them look so striking is that they are arranged in contemporary white pots of varying sizes, which gives the whole display a stylish, modern, and cohesive look.
Together with fresh blooms, in this article I shall also show you faux flowers that you can bring out each spring and display for longer. They’re a versatile, long-lasting choice and require very little maintenance. I have several artificial flowers and people often assume they are fresh; with today’s improved textures, they are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. My favourite trick is to style them next to other plants and add real greenery in the vase to make them look even more convincing. Before we look at the various faux and fresh flowers, here is a list of some of the blooms that flower from early to late spring.
SPRING FLOWERS
Spring Bulbs
Daffodils
Tulips
Grape hyacinths
Fritillaria
Hyacinths
Crocuses
Bluebells
Snowdrops
Spring flowers
Stocks
Anemones
Ranunculus
Irises
Hellebores
Winter Aconite
Primrose and Primulas
Scabious
Peonies
Spring flowering shrubs and trees
Viburnum
Camellia
Lilac
Forsythia
Various fruit blossoms - crab apple, plum, cherry and apple
Magnolia
Azalea
Quince
Rhododendron
Blackthorn
Goats Willow
STYLING WITH FAUX SPRING BOTANICALS
Faux spring flowers and blossom are ideal if you want a fuss-free solution, have allergies, or simply don’t want the hassle or cost of a fresh bunch every week. I have faux cherry blossom and the more unusual Leucospermum flowers from Abigail Ahern - an interior designer also known for her a signature collection of handcrafted faux botanicals which offer a stylish alternative to fresh florals. I also love that her range spans from the more foraged and wild stems to spring favourites including hellebores, ranunculus, cherry blossom, lilac and peonies.
Abigail is pictured here styling blossoms in one of her sculptural terracotta vases. She prefers a more rustic, artisanal vibe with her vessels - lots of texture in muted tones and shapes that let the flowers do the talking. This is the Romy terracotta vase and, with its classic shape and earthy hues, it is the perfect example. It’s also tall enough to support the longer branches of blossoms.
If you keep your artificial flowers away from direct sunlight and dust them regularly, your blooms should stay looking good for years. To find out more about styling and caring for faux botanicals, check out Abigail's Ultimate Faux Flower Guide. And, if you’d like more general styling guidance with Abigail's tips, check out my article: What is Interior Styling?
Photo credit: Abigail Ahern
STYLING A MIXED VARIETY OF DAFFODILS IN A CONCRETE POT
Along with the classic trumpet variety, there are so many different types of daffodils - from smaller paperwhites and Tête-à-tête to the double varieties that are so exquisite they could be mistaken for peonies or roses. One autumn I planted bulbs from ten different varieties, and the display in the pot pictured here was the result. A few of the names and types in the mix include large-cupped daffodils, double daffodils, ‘Crewenna’ and ‘Bridal Crown’. I used a rustic concrete plant pot which I loved for its rough, uneven patina. The soft, delicate daffodils looked beautiful against it - that contrast of rustic with refined is one of my favourite styling concepts.
Styling Takeaway
You can use all sorts of vases, pots and vessels to display flowers. And if, like mine, it’s actually an outdoor plant pot with a drainage hole in the bottom, you can place a simple glass or jar inside first to display the flowers.
Photo credit: Sandra van Aalst
STYLING SPRING FLOWERS ON A TRAY
I styled this spring flower vignette in a converted barn for a shoot that ended up appearing in several magazines. I bought a pot of white grape hyacinths and placed them in a dark grey pot next to a similar-toned vessel holding a single tulip. To create that cascading look, I used a bunch of white tulips with a green tinge and left them to open for a few days. I displayed all three vessels on a rustic wooden tray for a simple tonal look.
Grape hyacinths are one of my favourite spring flowering bulbs. I prefer to buy them potted and display them in a stone, terracotta or concrete pot. The flowers on potted spring bulbs last much longer than cut flowers, and you can plant the bulbs outside once they have finished flowering and enjoy them the following year.
Styling Takeaway
Think outside the box for different vessels with texture and in interesting materials; whether cut or potted, the right vessel can make even one single stem look stylish.
Photo credit: Sandra van Aalst
STYLING A SMALL BUNCH OF SELECTED FLOWERS IN A JUG
I love the look of this mixed bunch displayed in a spring-like ceramic floral jug from Oliver Bonas. With a mix of just a couple of stems of each flower, it feels curated yet still natural - and paired with the jug’s braided handle and beautifully textured surface, it’s the perfect vessel for that relaxed country-style look. Now back to the flowers. This is such a small but gorgeous bunch made up of one white and yellow-centred peony as the focal point, and also white blossom, orange ranunculus and a few sprigs of heather. Proof you don’t need a full bouquet to make an impact.
Styling Takeaway
For that relaxed, country-style display, arrange in a jug by using just a few well-chosen stems; then pick one larger bloom to act as the star piece, like the peony pictured here, to give the arrangement that styled look.
Photo credit: Oliver Bonas
STYLISH A COFFEE TABLE VIGNETTE WITH PIN CUSHION FLOWERS
I took this photograph of these gorgeous green pincushion flowers in the Netherlands. I love the combination of the fresh, zingy green flowers and foliage with the stylish dark grey ribbed pot, arranged on a coffee table alongside tea-light holders and three sculptural pieces on black stands. It’s a look I really associate with Dutch styling - tonal, minimal yet still making a statement.
Styling Takeaway
Styling your vase on a coffee table with other items in a similar palette gives the vignette an intentional feel and makes the flowers look even more striking.
BLOSSOMS DISPLAYED ON A PLINTH
When styling a house for a magazine shoot, there’s nothing more impactful than a striking vase with generous branches of blossom. Interior designer Katie Fischer recently redesigned rooms in her home, and this stunning office is the result. Her desk is exquisite, but what really finishes off the look is the vase with blossom standing proud on a crisp white plinth. The two antique pots pictured here add instant character to the contemporary space; they are from her antique pot collection, with some over 100 years old. You can view these on Katie’s website.
There are a few different types of blossom you can display indoors. Quince is the earliest and I particularly like it for its striking flowers and more unusual form. Then you have the classic fruit blossoms, including apple, cherry, and crab apple. If you want to bring blossom into your own home, bear in mind it does tend to drop fairly quickly, so enjoy it in all its glory while you can.
Styling Takeaway
In Holland, Belgium, and other parts of Europe, a plinth (also known as a pedestal) is a key piece in interiors. You can see why from the image here, as it gives any vessel height and presence and turns the flowers or branches into a true focal point.
Photo credit: Katie Fischer
STYLISH FLOWERS FOR SMALL SURFACES
You don’t need a whole bunch of flowers to bring a touch of spring into your interior. These three orange ranunculus look effortlessly stylish in a small pot the perfect size to display on a side table or nightstand. In the image here, they have been styled on a compact upholstered side table by Arlo & Jacob - simple yet very effective.
Styling Takeaway
Three, five or even one will do. Odd numbers work especially well with flowers; they create a natural sense of balance and harmony.
Photo credit: Arlo& Jacob
STYLING WITH SPRING FLOWERS IN SMALL VASES IN THE BATHROOM
The bathroom is often a room that gets forgotten when we are styling our homes, yet a couple of flowers alongside attractive product bottles can soften the space and look effective contrasted against the clean, sometimes stark backdrop of tiles. I styled this bathroom for a magazine shoot and a small branch of viburnum placed beside the bottle was the detail that pulled the whole look together.
Styling Takeaway
Keep one small vase that you pop a couple of fresh blooms in each week. They can be flowers or shrubs. Right now I’m using camellia flowers from my garden. I snip one stem and pop it in the vase and it makes the simplest yet most effective little display.
Photo credit: Sandra van Aalst
ARRANGING A SPRING FLOWER BOUQUET
A luxurious-looking spring bouquet should feel relaxed, a little structured and put together without looking too rigid. The bunch pictured here from Bloom & Wild is the perfect example. Their flowers arrive loose in a box, so the recipient can arrange them in their own way. This particular bunch is called The Bea and includes tulips, sweet william, stocks, solidago, dianthus and alstroemeria.
Styling Takeaway
The Bea is a beautiful example of how varied textures can create a show-stopping display so I asked Lucy Hook, Floral Lead at Bloom & Wild, how she arranged the flowers. “Because this bouquet has such a lovely natural variety, I would recommend using a vase with a narrow neck and a wider base. This supports the stems while giving the focal blooms enough space to truly open up and breathe. Start with the structural foliage to create your shape, then nestle in the flowers at varying heights. If you want a more modern look, keep the arrangement slightly asymmetrical to highlight the unique, stems that make The Bea so special."
Photo credit: Bloom & Wild
STYLING WITH FLOWERING SHRUBS
Camellias are some of the first flowering shrubs and they’re my absolute favourites - I actually have them dotted around the house at this very moment. I love how versatile they are - whether you style a single bloom or two in a small bud vase, or clip a few branches and display them in something larger, their flowers always look impressive.
There are plenty of other shrubs that flower in early and late spring and are brilliant for bringing greenery and colour indoors - like the early-flowering Azalea pictured here. I displayed these branches for a shoot using one of my larger vintage-style vases, which gives that ‘just gathered’ effect.
Flowering shrubs are such a simple option, yet they look effortlessly stylish in almost any vase. Another spring-flowering shrub is the Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’ (snowball bush) – a staple in many spring arrangements and favoured for its lime-green foliage and beautiful clusters of flowers.
Styling Takeaway
Vintage-style glass often has a subtle green tint and somehow looks more stylish than plain clear glass. It’s usually heavier and thicker, too, which elevates the arrangement of flowers further. If you don’t have time to scour the thrift shops for true vintage, there are some great new vintage-style alternatives, like my one pictured here, that give a very similar look.
Photo credit: Sandra van Aalst
PAIRING FLOWER COLOURS WITH DÉCOR
This is a simple yet stylish way to display blooms, and these flowers - upright stalks topped with yellow globes - are called Billy Buttons. They look gorgeous here styled on a side table in a ceramic bottle and paired with a few books. The yellow ties in perfectly with a lamp’s fabric shade in similar tones by British designer Abigail Borg, which gives the whole area a cohesive feel. Billy Buttons (officially Craspedia globosa) start flowering in spring, and once you’ve enjoyed them fresh, they’re one of the easiest flowers to dry. I often just tip the water out and leave them in the vase to dry naturally, but you can also hang them upside down in a dry room to be extra sure they hold their shape and don’t rot. If you want to find out more about displaying, drying and preserving flowers, take a look at my article Styling with Dried Flowers.
Styling Takeaway
Choose flowers that tie in with your colour scheme - like the yellow here - because it instantly creates a cohesive look in a room.
Photo credit: Abigail Borg
SPRING BLOOMS STYLED WITH POTTED HERBS
I styled the blooms on this table in a red rustic tray to tie in with the red cable of the pendant light. It’s often small details like this that can make a scheme feel more pulled together. I used a vintage-style vase with a mix of purple camassia spikes (wild hyacinth) and ‘Bridal Crown’ daffodils. But what really adds to the display is the greenery. The herbs in rustic terracotta pots are two different types of thyme and add that essential hit of green to balance the industrial backdrop of this converted barn.
Styling Takeaway
For real impact, style your blooms in a vignette alongside plants. For that layered look, herbs, small trailing plants or succulents work particularly well.
Photo credit: Sandra van Aalst
STYLING SPRING FLOWERS IN SOFT-TONED GLASS VASES
So far, the flowers have been styled in stone pots or vintage glass vases, so I thought I’d also show you a selection of coloured glass. These beauties are by Cox & Cox and include a hand-painted petal vase, a multicoloured glass vase and a confetti vase - each one special in its own right, but even more impactful styled as a vibrant group. Alongside the glass vases, the green striped vase is made from terracotta, which has rustic charm yet, with its glossy finish, adds just the touch of refinement to sit comfortably next to the glass vases without feeling out of place. The flowers displayed here are artificial - including poppy stems, hellebores and daisy sprays - and together create that spring feeling for as long as you want it.
Styling takeaway
For real impact on a console or dining table, display more than one vase. And to make your faux flowers look even more convincing, mix artificial blooms with a couple of sprigs of real foliage - that small touch can make all the difference.
Photo: Cox & Cox
STYLING SINGLE STEMS IN BUD VASES GROUPED TOGETHER
I have always been a fan of styling a bunch of flowers as single stems in a collection of small vases (often called bud vases) instead of displaying them together as one large arrangement. These little ornate vases are usually inexpensive, and because they come in varying heights and shapes, they look so effective grouped together. They work beautifully on a console table in an entryway, or as the centrepiece of a tablescape, or dotted on a tray (like in the image) where tulips have been paired with white gypsophila.
Styling Takeaway
If you invest in a few mini vases, as well as displaying them grouped together, you can split them up around your home. For those little floral moments that can lift a whole room, try one on a side table, console, windowsill, bathroom basin, or tucked onto a shelf.
Photo credit: Sandra van Aalst
STYLING THE TABLE WITH SPRING FLOWERS FOR A MOTHER’S DAY OR EASTER BREAKFAST
Yellow and purple are two colours that define spring to me. Think of all the creamy-yellow daffodils and tulips, alongside hyacinths and grape hyacinths in those inky purples. There is also an early purple iris that flowers in spring, like the one pictured here, and it’s brilliant when you want a taller stem for arrangements or bouquets as it adds height yet still feels delicate. This spring flower arrangement looks particularly inviting styled on the gorgeous wooden table from Furniture and Choice with a delicious-looking breakfast spread – perfect inspiration for Mother’s Day or Easter.
Styling Takeaway
Tall-stemmed spring flowers like tulips, daffodils and iris work beautifully as they add structure. Whether you display them alone or mixed with other flowers, they give the arrangement or bouquet height and shape.
Photo credit: Furniture and Choice
STYLING WITH POTTED SPRING BULBS
This gorgeous pot of miniature bulbs - including Tête-à-tête and Bridal Crown daffodils - is an eco-friendly way to bring spring flowers into your home. I do the same with hyacinths and grape hyacinths, then plant them in the garden once they have finished flowering. Because the flowers open up at slightly different times, the display can easily last about a month or longer. Just remove any blooms that are over, and when the last have finished flowering you can plant them in the garden straight away or leave the bulbs, with the soil removed, in a dry place like a shed or garage, ready to replant the following year.
Styling takeaway
You can buy potted bulbs like these in regular plastic pots and then repot them in a pot of your choice. Alternatively, once you’ve found your pot, you can add soil and plant your own bulbs. For that natural look, add a little moss on top of the soil.
Photo credit: Sandra van Aalst
STYLING WITH BRANCHES FROM FLOWERING TREES
As well as shrubs, you can use branches from flowering trees such as lilac, which is one of those full, blousy spring florals that is also fragrant. Lilac is a favourite of mine, so I was delighted to find a few different colours growing in the garden of this home I styled and photographed - the feature later appeared in 25 Beautiful Homes and Wohnen. When I’m styling for a shoot, I’ll often place flowers - or even just a branch of greenery or a single bloom - in almost every corner, which instantly elevates the space. This Moroccan trunk in a corner of the living room is the perfect example of how a simple vase with a few branches turned what could have photographed as a rather neutral corner into a gorgeous vignette.
Styling Takeaway
As well as the obvious places like dining tables and coffee tables, think about corners where you wouldn’t normally place flowers. A little greenery from a branch or even a single flower can really make a space feel more considered.
Photo credit: Sandra van Aalst
SPRING BLOSSOMS STYLED NEXT TO A BLOSSOM TREE MURAL
In a future article, I’ll share my favourite finds of floral-inspired interiors - wallpaper, fabric, and other pieces that bring botanicals indoors, so I thought I’d give you a sneak preview here. The bedroom pictured here features a beautiful spring blossom tree chinoiserie mural design by Feathr, which adds a delicate, artistic touch to the space. It transforms the bed into a focal point, with the mural acting almost like an oversized headboard. To take the look further, tall cherry blossom branches have been styled on the nightstands/bedside tables to echo the blossoms in the mural, making a real statement.
Styling Takeaway
You can bring flowers into your home in a more permanent way, like this mural. If you prefer something more interchangeable, you could dress the bed with floral bed linen or simply add a floral throw or cushion as a nod to botanical style.
Photo: Feathr
MEADOW-STYLED OUTDOOR TABLE WITH SPRING FLOWERS
As we are getting close to Easter, which makes me think of sunshine, longer days, and of course spring flowers, I thought I’d end this article with an image of a beautifully decorated outdoor table. Along with the delicious cakes, the table has been styled with meadow flower plates, napkins, and raffia mats from Talking Tables. The flowers are simply gorgeous, displayed in jugs to add height with a mix literally picked from the garden and chosen to match the tableware. The flowers include fresh green viburnum, matricaria chamomile, and foxgloves. There are also recycled glass bud vases dotted around the table with sprigs of daisies.
Styling Takeaway
To create a spring table like this one, start with the tablecloth. Washed linen looks stylish but still relaxed. Then choose a tall jug or vase and fill it with natural-looking flowers from your garden. If you don’t have any actual flowers growing, you can use branches of blossom or shrubs like the viburnum pictured here to give that gathered feel.
Photo credit: Talking Tables
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I make spring flowers and branches last longer?
I asked Lucy Hook - Bloom & Wild’s Floral Lead - this question. “To keep your spring display looking its best for as long as possible, always trim your stems by 3 to 5 cm at a 45-degree angle before they go into the water,” explains Lucy. “This creates a larger surface area for the flowers to drink. Don't forget to keep them away from direct sunlight, radiators, and even your fruit bowl, as fruit releases gases that can cause your beautiful blooms to fade much quicker than they should."
Should you water flowering potted bulbs?
Water around once a week, keeping the soil moist but not too wet. Once the bloom has finished flowering, stop watering to prevent rot. If you want to dry the bulbs and replant them the following year, remove all the soil and leave in a paper bag in a dry place.
How long does blossom last indoors?
Most blossom branches can last up to seven days or longer, although Magnolias may only last five days. Once you have picked your branches, cut the stems at 45-degrees and place in water straight away. To begin with, leave in a cool place as this allows them to hydrate before you display them in your chosen spot.
LET’S SUM UP
From the first pots of hyacinths to the blossoms appearing on the trees, spring flowers are all around us. I hope this article encouraged you to display some of these gorgeous blooms - either real or artificial - in your home. If you enjoyed this article, you may want to check out my post on styling with dried and preserved flowers. They are the perfect blend of beauty and practicality, and a way to enjoy nature’s shapes and colours in a long-lasting way.
