10 Tips and Tricks for Thanksgiving Floral Designs

by Ardith Beveridge, Tastemaker in Residence

Elevate your fresh floral design on the coffee or dining room table by placing drinking glasses upside down. You can also use a matching napkin or decorative fabric to cover the tray. Place the tray on top, set the centerpiece, or as seen in the image below, your favorite collections, on the elevated tray.

BURN your candles, that is why you bought them! Always have additional candles on hand to add as they burn down.
Use the burnt down candles in a small cylinder vase with marbles or stones in the base to hold it in place. Great for the bathroom, bedroom or creative your own design!
Use Mini Deco holders for fresh floral designs, attached to the napkins and/or the chairs
Tuck some bittersweet berries and colorful leaves in the napkin holder and/or on the chair
Use Permanent Botanical fruit in your table designs, no upkeep and it keeps the fruit flies away.
Combine fresh flowers with dried flowers and grains with your permanent botanicals (artificial). Look through your seasonal decorations and reuse some of your favorite items. (For more tips on creating permanent botanicals go to Cinnamon Brooms) Completed arrangement by Cindi Sutter featured below.

Glossy Wood Tone, Cherry Wood Tone and Walnut Wood Tone floral spray works wonders to freshen grapevine wreaths. It acts as a varnish, they look like new.
Herbs are delightful in your table designs or in a small vase in the bathroom
Succulents—good everywhere. Display well as a table setting or as favors.
Cymbidium Orchids are long lasting, and found in a large variety of colors. They come in rust and peach for fall colors and the lime green ones make a great addition to your Christmas designs. Buy them by the stem, and place them anywhere around the house in foam, water tubes or in a taller glass cylinder, as seen below in Cindi Sutter's Wedding reception designs.

Whether your buying flowers to create your own floral designs or ordering an arrangement from your local flower market; do something different, step out of your comfort zone, have some fun.