IN BLOOM Fiona Leahy’s style tips
Event designer and expert on all things floral Fiona Leahy shares how she’ll be creating her tablescapes this spring…
IN SEASON
For a spring table, I have so many favourite flowers, such as sweetpeas, chamomile and poppies. Usually, I buy them from a florist – I particularly like Wild at Heart, for its variety, and the pretty, almost vintage style at Scarlet & Violet – but when I’m hosting at home, I’ll pick flowers from my garden. I use a tablecloth to introduce pattern and texture, and at Easter, I put blossom alongside seasonal touches, like marbled eggs, to give a sense of occasion.
MY SOURCE BOOK
What I end up using for a display really depends on the occasion; I love green glass vases but I’ll also use old condiment jars or beautiful bud vases from Summerill & Bishop. I enjoy collecting glassware from flea markets and I’ve also had some vases made in brass. I always co-ordinate my flowers to my tableware – my favourite place to buy china is Liberty (L’objet plates are a must!), I go to Soho Home for candelabras and I love cutlery from Capdeco. H&M Home is great, too.
COMBINE COLOURS
I love putting different shades of green together, and the classic combination of pink and green looks great. I am into saffron at the moment, too – I pair it with tones of blue. I’m also noticing less obvious combinations: terracotta paired with more neutral tones is a thing right now. Dried flowers are on-trend (perfect for re-using time and time again!) and I think they work particularly well with pared-back pastel-coloured table linen. I buy mine on Etsy or order them from florists, and Anthropologie is soon to start stocking dried bouquets, too.
PICK OF THE BUNCH
Flowers add colour and texture to a space. Blousy peonies are perfect for pretty place settings, while structured orchids and delphiniums work for more formal occasions. When layering flowers, consider shape as well as colour: combine tall and short, and mix in different shades to create contrast and volume. I like low arrangements on a dining table, no higher than 30cm, as eye contact is key at dinner. For a convivial arrangement, cluster bud vases in odd numbers along the table, and then have one larger centrepiece.