Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Carry the comfort of winter textures with you into spring
- 6 March 2013
- click to send Christine a smile
My article and bridal bouquet designs featured in the in the spring issue of
DIY Weddings Magazine
Designing for the transition seasons, spring and autumn, can be challenging. It is early spring, not quite warming up yet, but you are optimistic and don't want to fall back into winter designs. Combining design elements, such as colour and texture, from different seasons can provide just the right amount of contrast to your floral arrangements.
A bridal bouquet for example, that will be touched and carried, can include a comforting and warm feel with unexpected winter textures, and hint at the beauty of spring through colour.
In winter, you typically use colours such as red, orange and yellow to radiate a warm glow. In Summer the cooler colours, blue, green and white, adds a refreshing cooling effect to designs. Cool colours in a design also create depth as they appear to recede from the viewer, and warmer colours draw you closer.
Spring colours are usually tints (colours mixed with white,) and autumn colours are usually shades (colours mixed with black.)
Pink, pastel blue and mint green are examples of spring colours and burgundy, dark green and midnight blue and brown are autumn colours.
Texture is as important as colour, because you can see the texture of a design without ever touching it.
Think of the wonderful and comforting warm-and-soft texture that wool, cloth, and even wood can add to a spring design.
Reserve the smooth and cold textures of steel, glass and pebbles for designs that need a cooler feel.
A successful design exists in the right time and place.
Combining colours and textures from opposing seasons will balance your design for the transitions seasons.
Thank you DIY Weddings Magazine for inviting me to be part of your beautiful spring issue
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Tutorials
Use wool and twigs to create a bridal bouquet
Favourite Flowers
Rosary vine, Chain of Hearts, Collar of hearts and String of hearts
Pineapple flowers or pineapple lilies, the Afrikaans names for the flowers are Wildepynappel or Krulkoppie and the Zulu name is Umathunga