Basic Floral Design Principles

Many of these flowers had pleasing aroma as well as visual beauty and could be used to freshen the air in a stale room. Some people also learned that by using various combinations of flowers and plants, they could create arrangements to enhance the beauty of the flowers.

Western floral design began through the influence of Japanese Ikebana and European mass designs. Designers combined the Japanese line with mass and created a new geometric style, which gave birth to the symmetrical triangle, the horizontal centerpiece, and the crescent arrangements.

Design Guidelines:

As a professional florist, you must be competent in the various principles of floral design. First of all, make sure that your arrangement is mechanically stable. You don't want the arrangement to fall apart apart as soon as your client gets it home. Then you want to create something that is beautiful and will sell. The ability to blend physical balance, secure mechanics, rhythm, color, and texture will greatly enhance your reputation as a florist. Your ability to use these design principles is directly related to the bottom line. The more beautiful your arrangements, the more customers you will serve, and the more profit your shop will make.

1. Radiation:

    This creates the illusion that all the stems in your arrangement originate from a central point. You begin with a single stem in the center of the arrangement and work outward. An example would be a daisy blossom with a large center and petals all around.

2. Repetition:

    To add strength and unity to your arrangement, repeat the use of a certain flower or color. You should use at least three different types of flower or plant materials.

3. Balance:

   It is vital that your design be balanced, either symmetrically (equal number of flowers and greenery on each side) or asymmetrically (unequal number of flowers). Proper size and color are important. Usually large flowers should be at the base with smaller flowers as you go higher. Also, dark flowers should be lower with lighter colors as you work upward.

4. Depth:

   Once you have established the height and width of your arrangement, you can add depth by placing some flowers several inches over the side of the container. Also add them in various levels throughout the design.

5. Rhythm:

   This can be achieved by placing flowers at regular intervals, or by using light to dark colors, smooth to rough textures, or small to large. Whichever method you choose, try to create a single visual movement in your design.

6. Point of Interest:

    The point of interest is usually located at the base in the center of the design. It has the largest flowers in the darkest colors and the greatest concentration of flowers. Most Western style designs have a focal point created by an interesting accessory, an exotic form flower, or a striking color accent.

7. Transition:

   This refers to the movement in your design. Filler flowers or other plant materials are used to achieve transitions from large flowers to smaller ones or from dark flowers to lighter ones.

8. Proportion:

   This refers to the size of the flowers in relationship to each other, to the container, and to the location of the arrangement. The main line of the arrangement should be 1 ½ times the height or width of the container, but it should never be more than 2 or 2 ½ times the height. Before beginning the arrangement, consider where it will be placed. The size of the space will help determine the container and the arrangement size. You want the design to be large enough to be visible not overwhelming.

9. Harmony:

   Harmony is a process of selecting pleasing combinations of materials that work well together and will be suitable for the purpose of the design

10. Unity:

    A unified arrangement is well-balanced and proportioned. It is the look and feeling that the design is one singular unit.

Line

A line represents the visual movement between two points and gives the arrangement structure, shape, height, width, and depth. The vertical line is the strongest line in floral design, and it is created by a single flower with additional flowers placed around it. Horizontal lines are relaxed and are usually near the edge of the container. The curvilinear line is the transitional line between the vertical and horizontal lines. The zigzag line is formed by placing flowers at different levels on each side of the central vertical line. Diagonal lines are used between the vertical and horizontal lines and are placed at 45 degree angles.

Form

The three basic forms used in Western designs are the circle, square, and triangle. A symmetrical triangle is well suited for churches and other large areas. An asymmetrical style is good for special occasions. The curved line of the crescent is beautiful, but it has little commercial value. It works better when it is added to other forms. The vertical arrangement is usually designed in a tall container. The horizontal form is low and has a rounded shape over the top. This design is ideal for a centerpiece. The oval has lots of flowers and can be used in almost any location.