Katherine Bish
It's a fact: For most of us, holiday food is something we look forward to all year long. Think of the images conjured by the phrase "holiday dining": juicy slices of turkey, drizzled gravy, crumbly mouthfuls of pie. What we forget, however, is just how important it is to set the scene on our would-be holiday feast. Even a simple centerpiece or small flower arrangement will add festivity to the occasion — and certainly won't break the bank. We talked to a few local florists about their vision for this holiday season's centerpieces.
Sleek and Succulent
For florist Jeana Reisinger of Living Art, the season's all about the silver and green. "For some reason, green is so fresh to me this year, a lot of the bright chartreuse green," she says. "I'm leaning toward that this holiday, and lots of mercury glass if you can find it anywhere." Her favorite holiday technique? Buying preserved hydrangeas or similar flora and giving them a spritz of fine, powdered glitter — just enough to invoke a slightly otherworldly, "realer than real" sheen. Also in this season: wired swags, with evergreen, eucalyptus and juniper berries, which add a touch of blue-green that goes great with silver. The effect isn't meant to be monochromatic, however — a bright rose, tulip or lily adds the necessary "pop."
In her arrangement for our table, Reisinger included luscious red roses, metallic berries and mercury glass to create a centerpiece with life and depth.
Jeana Reisinger, Living Art, 314-378-6221
Complimentary Texture
Fresh Art, LLC's Ardell Burchard's approach to holiday centerpieces is at once simple and detail-oriented. White, she notes, can be quite pretty and unexpected — but what really makes this season's holiday pieces stand out is the texture added by seasonal greens, bay leaves, berries and fruit. "There's a smell that comes with them, it's a wonderful texture and they are only available during the holidays," she says. "I tend to just keep things more natural — and I don't think you can overdo candlelight, either. It's amazing how you can direct the party flow through the lighting."
Her arrangement for us included multilayered, luscious roses and greens, bringing texture to the table.
Ardell Burchard, Fresh Art, LLC, 314-721-5080, freshartllc.com
Make It New
The owner of Fleurish: The Rebel Florist, Brian Blasingame, brings a cosmopolitan, international flair to his arrangements and centerpieces. This season, he says, a "Woodland Winter" palette, composed of seasonal whites, ivories, greens, chocolates and wood-toned browns, is in demand. "Each of these colors is naturally apparent outdoors in the middle of winter — the white of snow, the green of pine and the brown of bark and pine cone," he says. "And the neutrality works well within any setting. We've found that many of our clients appreciate how the palette complements the season without conveying a specific or traditional religious denomination." Also pleasing, he says, are pieces featuring a single variety of flower, which offer an elegant and slightly modern look.
Blasingame's arrangements for our table went in three very different directions. The first combined red lilies, orchids, roses, tulips and coxcombs, all of which exploded out of a little red box. His second arrangement used the Woodland Winter palette above, with winter's hidden flora — leaves, pine cones and more — sweeping to the fore in whimsical profusion. Finally, an arrangement with silver globes in a brushed silver cylinder vase gave sweet, snowy white roses and foliage an unexpectedly modern touch.
Brian Blasingame, Fleurish: The Rebel Florist, 314-962-3232, therebelflorist.com
All Boxed Up
Trisha Haislar of Elegant Celebrations created a centerpiece for our table that combined deep, vibrant lilies and a flurry of orchids climbing out of a golden box to give the holidays an Eastern feel.
Trisha Haislar, Elegant Celebrations, 314-993-1717, 618-344-1901, elegantcelebrationsstl.com
First in Class
Barb Wehking of Bloomin Buckets brought us a centerpiece in a pebbled silver vase bursting with tightly wound roses, creating an understated yet distinctive — and way classy — effect.
Barb Wehking, Bloomin Buckets, 314-961-4040, bloominbuckets.com
A Few Tips for Centerpiece Success
Before you hire it done, make sure you've hit our checklist:
- As soon as you know the date of your party, call the florist. A lead time of a month or more — or even a couple weeks — gives them time to order the right flowers for the job, rather than going with what's on hand.
- Tell the florist about any special item you'd like to include, whether it be an antique silver piece, a certain urn or vase or anything else that holds special meaning.
- If you want specific flowers — or, more important, know a prospective guest is sensitive or allergic to certain items — inform the florist ahead of time.
- Let the florist know what colors and fabrics will be used in the table setting and what foods will be served. Also important: the colors of the walls, curtains and carpet.
- If possible, invite the florist out for a visit to let them see the décor and get a sense of the space. Context is everything when it comes to creating the right centerpiece.
Additional florists:
Greg Swenson
flora
314-255-4531
Ken Meisner
Ken Meisner's Flowers
200 Plaza Frontenac
314-567-6650
Mary Tuttle's Flowers
17021 Baxter
866-888-8537
Thorn Studio LLC
7375 Sharp
314-808-0706
