IN SEASON, IN STYLE
Fresh !owers and timeless antiques make a beautiful match. Selina Lake shows us four inspiring looks that are easy to recreate, whether you are green-"ngered or not…
Selina Lake shows us four easy ways to arrange summer "owers at home
A beautiful antique rug doesn’t have to be reserved for underfoot – use one as a wall hanging and in turn create an interesting se!ing for a collection of containers "lled with seasonal blooms. You will need a secure way to hang the rug, especially if it is heavy – try wood and Velcro, a wall-mounting kit or carpet clamps. Foxgloves always look lovely as cut #owers. If you have them in abundance in your garden, and can spare a few stems, they will instantly add height and drama to an arrangement. The bell #owers will bloom longer in the vase if you condition them straight a$er picking, so soak them in a container of water for a few hours. Before you start to make your arrangement, strip o% the leaves from the bo!om third of the stem, then trim two inches from the base of each with a sharp knife – cut at an angle and submerge the stems in a vase "lled with cool water.
Source antique rugs like this one from rugsoflondon.com
Bring together colourful pieces such as a vibrant hand-painted metal bucket, enamel jug, embossed ceramic cake stand and a vintage enamel co!ee pot with hand-painted pansy designs to make a jolly display atop an antique folk art cupboard. If your vases and vessels are similar heights, add interest by placing one or more on a stack of books. Pop "owering plants in shallow vessels, such as cake stands with deep platforms, bowls and dishes – succulents and kalanchoe are both good choices for indoor displays. Weave other decorated folk-style elements into the naïve theme; place colourful painted tiles and beautiful printed postcards between the decorative containers to complete the look. Source folk art vases and vessels from johncornallantiques.com and etsy.com
VINTAGE FLORALS
If you can’t resist a pre!y vintage teacup at a charity shop or a brocante, then this is the perfect look to make the most of your hoard. Assemble a mix of teacups with "oral transfer pa!erns or hand-painted designs and plain glazed cups in a selection of pastel tones. You can even include cups with small chips – as long as they hold water, they can still be successful vessels for this charming display. Arrange your collection on a shelf – choose "owers with bigger blooms and sturdy stems that will sit in the shallow vessel, such as roses and peonies. If the display area needs an extra hit of vintage "orals, pin up pre!y printed vintage fabric and place taller "oral decorated vases towards the back of the shelf. Leave a few cups un#lled and dot between the "owers to add interest.
Source vintage teacups from charity shops and also thecountrybrocante.co.uk
BOHEMIAN ELEGANCE
Bohemia (now a region of Czech Republic) has long been associated with high-quality decorative glass wares. These antique examples include a collection of vases with hand-cut, blown and handpainted designs. Their tall, elegant stature suits spires of owers that you could cut from your garden, such as foxgloves, geraniums, salvias, linaria and lavatera. Display your collection on an elegant console table in a hallway or living space. Here, the owers and vessels look striking against a blue painterly backdrop, which is easy to create: simply brush some watered-down blue paint onto a large canvas.
Source Bohemia vases from guinevere.co.uk and theantiqueswarehouse.com