IT’S BLOOM TIME, BABY

FLORAL ART CAN LIFT YOUR DECOR, YOUR SENSES AND YOUR MOOD. THIS SEASON THE POWER OF FLOWERS HAS BEEN REDESIGNED FROM THE GROUND UP.

Floral arrangements have long been a source of inspiration for fashion and furnishing designers, but this spring has seen furniture makers take floral art to the next level.

This season flowers are coming out of the vase, with bedheads and cabinets among other pieces earmarked for a floral overhaul.

Paint guru Annie Sloan and designer Trudy Rice have teamed up to create unique botanical flourishes on everything from a chest of drawers to drink coasters, table linen and napery.

Trudy says floral designs work on a number of emotional levels.

“Studies have shown that giving and receiving flowers makes the giver and the receiver feel happy,” she says. “Floral art well done can even smell like being in a garden.

“I have many favourite flowers, but right now I’m enjoying our lovely Australian natives, particularly the banksia and waratah.”

Even traditional florals such as roses, peonies and poppies have gone bolder and bigger this season in loose, non-linear patterns and contrasting colours.

Fleuressence artist Renee Tsironis has freeze dried and photographed flowers as a different take on floral decorating. The resulting artworks are almost abstract.

Annie says we’ve been taking decorating inspiration from the garden since the ancient Greeks, so you can always find something to suit your personality.

Designers Guild has come to the spring party with a peony and rose bedhead in linen, the Valentine (inset), available through Heatherly Design. It evokes the opulent beauty of 16th century Venetian frescoes and is the perfect mix of contemporary and classicism in soft neutral colours.