FRESHLY PICKED :: A HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENT

The cornerstone to any great tabletop is a fabulous floral arrangement. And, while I like to dabble in designing my own centerpieces, I’m nowhere close to the talent that we have guesting here today! I’m so thrilled to have the fabulous Kiana Underwood of the boutique floral design studio Tulipina here to show us, in six easy steps, how to put together a stunner of a holiday arrangement. Take notes… (or pin it for later!)

What you will need:

1. One 8” silver pedestal vase/urn (or similar)
2. Three bunches Mistletoe
3. One Poinsettia plant
4. One dozen David Austin Garden Roses – Ivory
5. 6-8 stems Pink/Red Amaryllis
6. One bunch Christmas Bush
7. Several Kousa Dogwood fruit branches
8. One set of floral shears/clippers/scissors

Step 1: Despite common expectations, a centerpiece doesn’t need to be symmetrical. We begin by placing the Mistletoe branches slightly off-center inside the vase.

Step 2: To secure the placement of the initial Mistletoe, we add a couple of additional Mistletoe branches as well as the Christmas Bush. Care should be taken to allow the flowers to sit naturally within the vase.

Step 3:  On the opposite side of the Christmas Bush and Mistletoe, trim and place the Kousa Dogwood fruit branches to achieve a balanced asymmetry within the vase.

Step 4: We continue by adding 2-3 stems of Poinsettia to create texture and complementary colors in the center of the arrangement.

Step 5: Opposite the Kousa Dogwood fruit, begin to add the Amaryllis until a reasonable fill and balance has been achieved.

Step 6: Finally, for texture, aroma, and complexity, add the David Austin Garden Roses to complete the design. Ensure that you examine your completed arrangement from all sides, adding remaining flowers (if desired) to ensure beauty and balance from each viewing point!

And voila! A beautiful centerpiece to your dinner, party, or just because! I love that Kiana included Amaryllis and Poinsetta – my favorite holiday florals, in such an unexpected and sophisticated way! Not to mention a little mistletoe for good measure. I’ve never been great at creating these more organic style arrangements, but after seeing this, you better believe I’ll be putting my floral arranging stills to the test! Will you?

Kiana is the owner of Tulipina, a boutique floral design studio in San Francisco, California specializing in chic events, including weddings. Her unique approach blends a natural and organic garden style with creative and eclectic design. When not designing, Kiana enjoys reading, playing the piano, and being a busy mother of three.

photography by angie cao // floral design by tulipina