fresh flower styling ideas

Caitlin Melling is a prop and floral stylist. Here, she shares tips and tricks for new season blooms

+ Don’t underestimate a

branch for adding a bold element to your arrangement. I love all the blossoms and magnolia branches in spring, and I look out for cyclamens, hellebores, pink waratahs and double tulips. + Collect varying vase shapes and sizes, as different flower types require different amounts of support. For branches or long stems, try tall and heavy glass or stoneware vases. + To get the most from your flowers, use cold water and refresh every day or two. They’ll last longer in a cool spot than somewhere bright and warm. Follow Caitlin on Instagram: @caitlinmelling

OPENER

‘Fleurology Cleo’ rose bowl, $3499, Waterford, waterfordcrystal.com.au. Tara Burke ‘Black Trophy’ vase, $140, High Swan Dive, 0410 270 040. Horse sculpture, $795, Contents International Design, contentsid. com.au. Tom Dixon ‘Cog’ container, $220, Dedece+, dedeceplus.com. Night Sky Light And Dark artwork by Antonia Mrljak, $750 (framed), antoniamrljak.com. French Louis XVI chair, $3450, and Anglo-Indian dumb waiter, $2650, Elements I Love, elements.net.au. Vessels, stylist’s own.

THE TABLEAU

‘Manganese Amphora’ vessel, $960, Alana Wilson, alanawilson. com. Glass vase, stylist’s own. Porcelain rose in pot ornament, $345, Elements I Love, elements. net.au. Malachite box, $1175, Becker Minty, beckerminty.com. Copper vase in Verdigris Finish, $245, Garden Life, gardenlife.com.au. ‘Petrol’ vases, from $60 each. Contents International Design, contentsid.com.au. Book, stylist’s own. ‘Ritual’ vessel, $580, and ‘Sunset (Burnout)’ vessel, $1200, Alana Wilson, as before. Background in Élitis ‘Artemis’

fabric, $525/m, Seneca Textiles, senecatextiles.com.au.

THE VIGNETTE

‘Smokey’ quartz points, $345 each, Becker Minty, beckerminty. com. ‘Ikebana’ vase, $326, Cult, cultdesign.com.au. Bougie Fumiste ‘Classic Spirituelle’ candle, $131, Conley & Co, (02) 8065 9411. Custom bust sculpture, POA, Justin Bobyn, justinbobyn.com. ‘Koonam’ vase in Amethyst, $335, Conley & Co, as before. Passage #1

artwork by Todd Hunter, Scott Livesey Galleries, scottlivesey galleries.com. Background in ‘ Still Life With Flowers’ wallpaper, Kerrie Brown, $89/sqm, kerriebrown.com.

THE TABLESCAPE

Footed lavender bowl with bronze rim, Alana Wilson, $520, Alana Wilson, alanawilson.com. Batch dinner plate, $60, Crave Wares, cravewares.com.au. ‘Rutile’ teabowl, $100, Alana Wilson, as before. Batch ‘Globe’ dish, $35, Crave Wares, as before.

Cutlery, stylist’s own.

THE NEW ARRANGEMENT

The Lacquer Company ‘Pyramid’

box (lid shown), $903, Cavit & Co., cavitandco.com. ‘Shungite Merkaba’

sculpture, $445, Becker Minty, beckerminty.com. L’Objet ‘Bibliotheque’ vase, $425, Becker Minty, as before. ‘Dandelion’

sculpture, $250, Contents International Design, contentsid. com.au. Tom Dixon ‘Bash’ vessel, from $465, Dedece+, dedeceplus. com. Black crystal single-stem

vases, from $375 each, Becker Minty, as before. The Lacquer Company ‘Oval’ box, (base shown), $903, Cavit & Co., as before. ‘Dandelion’ sculpture, $320, Contents International Design, as before. Intaglio of classical

bust, $195, and black glass urn, $175, The Country Trader, thecountrytrader.com.au. ‘ Vaughan’ console, from $1650, MCM House, mcmhouse.com.