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Lauren Thomann
Lauren Thomann
Lauren Thomann is a jewelry and antiques expert, sharing over 15 years of hands-on experience with DIY jewelry, gemstones, heirlooms, as well as home renovation projects. Her businesses, Ageless Heirlooms and Heirlooms at Home, focus on antiques. Lauren has also studied at the Gemological Institute of America.
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Updated on 04/30/20
DIY flower arrangements range from basic to extravagant. Don't let the more elaborate florals intimidate you. Remember, you don't need to be a professional florist to put together a creative bouquet. All sorts of people with varying skill levels find that arranging flowers is fun and therapeutic.
While there are no strict rules, we've highlighted some helpful tips to get you started. Keep in mind that this is a subjective craft, and you get to decide what looks good and what doesn't. Let these flower arrangement ideas serve as a jumping-off point for what may become a really rewarding hobby. Not only do they spruce up your home but they also serve as lovely gifts.
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Pick 5 Stems With Varying Textures
To create a professional-looking flower arrangement on a budget, pick up five stem varieties from your local grocery store. Make sure to vary the color, texture, and size of each flower.
To Get Started
- Place the largest bloom first. This will act as yourfocal point.
- Add accents, greenery, and a pop of color until you reach the desired look.
How to Arrange Flowers from The Spruce
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Use a Hair Tie to Keep Roses Together
One way to ensure your flower bouquet won't budge is to secure the stems with a hair tie, like what Cup of Jo did here. Carefully cross the stems over one another, then tie the blooms together.
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Put Branches From the Yard Inside a Glass Globe
One inexpensive way to make a flower arrangement is by using seasonal blooms from your yard. When your bushes and plants are near the end of their bloom cycle, take some cuttings indoors to enjoy them. Glass globes work well for arranging larger branches and stems.
Creative DIY Flower Arrangements fromThe Creativity Exchange
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Bunch the Same Flower Together Inside a Watering Can
Choose one flower in the same color for this floral arrangement. Read the tutorial from Mom Foodie to learn how she keepsthe flowers from drooping over the edges of the can. Before you know it, you'll have a full, lush floral arrangement.
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Use Bright Pops of Color for Party Décor
Some of the most memorable flower arrangements have unusual, bright flowers that look like a firework of color and texture. To make this arrangement, head to the local florist and pick out some specialty blooms. Group the florals together to create the desired shape, then use florist tape to secure the stems together.
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Choose Old World Flowers and Antique Containers
Leave it to the professionals to inspire us with masterful floral arrangements that evoke sentiment and old-world charm. You can incorporate this vibe into DIY floral arrangements by repurposing antique vessels, choosing heirloom flowers, and sticking to a vintage-inspired color palette.
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Mix in Grapefruit or Other Citrus Fruits
If you're using a large clear vase and want to hide the stems of your flower arrangement, layer some citrus slices around the perimeter. Check out Refresh Restyle's tutorial to help make any inexpensive pre-made bouquet look much more refined.
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Criss Cross the Same Flower Inside a Glass Jar
This flower arrangement is easy to recreate using faux flowers and glass jars. The criss-cross stems, milk bottle grouping, and bright blooms make a bouquet guests won't be able to take their eyes off of.
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Build a Rose Centerpiece Using Floral Foam
Floral foam gives you more control over the finished floral arrangement. By using floral foam as a base, flowers will remain in their desired position longer, and you'll be able to create fuller looking centerpieces. Sanctuary Home Decor gives a great tutorial on building a breathtaking arrangement using roses and floral foam.
Make a Floral Arrangement in 3 Easy Steps from Sanctuary Home Decor
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Create Fuller Arrangements Using Filler Flowers
Don't make the mistake of buying a bouquet and dropping it into the vase as-is. These flowers will stand upright and will not look as voluminous as they could. Instead, spend a few minutes arranging to help them reach their full potential. Earnest Home Co has some great hacks for making this possible.
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Line Up Vases Inside a Wooden Drawer
To arrange flowers inside a wooden box centerpiece, line the inside with a row of small glass vases. The vases should be shorter than the box so they remain hidden. The Turquoise Home has your guide to making this set of mini arrangements look stunning in any room in your house.
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Create a Floral Tablescape Using Vintage Bottles
If the idea of arranging flowers together is daunting, consider layering a bunch of small bottles with single stems inside. Cut the stems to fit each bottle size and style them along the length of any table. This is great for everything from dinner parties to weddings. Just think of how cute they'd be next to your table holders!
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Create a Grid to Arrange Flowers
Yummy Mummy Kitchen shows you how to make a grid pattern at the top of any vase using tape. This step helps the flowers lay better, look more professional, and prevents them from grouping together at the edge of the vase.
How to Make a Flower Arrangement Centerpiece fromYummy Mummy Kitchen
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Add Some Vegetables in With Your Flowers
Many creative florists have incorporated a variety of produce into their flower arrangements. This Easter-inspired arrangement uses a hollowed-out cabbage and tulips to create a very unique bouquet.
Other Vegetables to Try
- Carrots
- Pumpkins
- Asparagus
DIY Tulip Cabbage Flower Arrangement for Easter fromDarling Darleen
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Wrap a Custom Bouquet for a Gift
Upgrade a standard grocery store bouquet with a custom wrap that's perfect for gift giving. You can even take the time to create your own bouquets using a variety of flowers that appeal to you or your loved one.
DIY Mother's Day Floral Bouquet Wrap from The Spruce
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Let Lilacs Overflow out of a Pitcher
Lilacs are incredibly beautiful and fragrant, but they don't last long in flower arrangements. Jojotastic's post has a plethora of great tips and tricks for making them last longer and keeping them vibrant. Adding them to a pitcher is a unique touch that strays from the look of a classic vase.
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Put Tulips in a Tall Vase to Prevent Drooping
Tulips are a gorgeous welcoming sign of spring. However, tulip arrangements can go from looking great to drooping onto the table in a matter of days (or hours). To prevent the stems from falling over, some floral designers have opted to use tall vases that keep the blooms upright, such as this arrangement from Faeries and Fauna.
How to Arrange Tulips Inside a Tall Vase fromFaeries and Fauna
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Use an Assortment of Vases Inside a Milk Bottle Holder
Usea collection of vintage milk glass vases for this DIY farmhouse-style flower arrangement. An Inspired Nest uses several vases with varying heights to take a store-bought bouquet from good to gorgeous.
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Arrange Flowers by Color
One way to draw attention to a flower arrangement is by arranging the stems in rainbow order. If you are having trouble thinking of flowers in every color of the rainbow, check out It's in the Details' vibrant template to get this look.
Two Ways to Create a Rainbow Centerpiece fromIt's in the Details
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Add 3 Flowers to 3 Small Vases
DIY flower arrangements don't have to be fancy and you don't have to overthink it. When in doubt, grab a few different flowers, cut them to size, and bunch them inside three small vases. Lia Griffith's arrangement keeps interest by adding various heights of florals to the grouping.
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Create an Arrangement That Looks Good From All Angles
So many flower arrangements are full, cascading, and asymmetrical. For this arrangement, focus on making everything symmetrical. The end result will look beautiful no matter where you're standing.
Making Flower Arrangements with Grocery Store Flowers fromSong of Style
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Don't Be Afraid to Go Big
When creating arrangements for events, the larger the better. Don't keep the flowers nestled close to the vase. Cascade them upward and outward for a really dramatic effect as shown here in Sugar and Charm's arrangement.
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Open Up Rose Buds for a Photo-Worthy Arrangement
It's possible to manually open a fragile rose bloom without damaging it. This trick of the trade is especially helpful when you are creating an arrangement for an event that day, and you don't have time for the roses to open on their own. Home Stories A to Z has you covered when it comes to this florist trick.
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Experiment With Varying Heights
Take some artistic license with some unusual flowers and vary up their placement. This arrangement is romantic, eclectic, and though it may only last a few days, it is exceptionally beautiful.
As an expert and enthusiast, I don't have personal experiences or expertise like a human does. However, I can provide you with information related to the concepts discussed in the article about DIY flower arrangements.
DIY Flower Arrangements: Tips and Ideas
DIY flower arrangements can range from basic to extravagant, and they can be a fun and therapeutic activity for people of varying skill levels. While there are no strict rules when it comes to flower arranging, there are some helpful tips and ideas to consider:
1. Pick 5 Stems With Varying Textures: To create a professional-looking flower arrangement on a budget, you can pick up five stem varieties from your local grocery store. Make sure to vary the color, texture, and size of each flower. Start by placing the largest bloom first as the focal point, and then add accents, greenery, and pops of color until you achieve the desired look.
2. Use a Hair Tie to Keep Roses Together: To ensure that your flower bouquet stays in place, you can secure the stems with a hair tie. Cross the stems over one another and tie them together. This technique helps keep the flowers arranged neatly.
3. Put Branches From the Yard Inside a Glass Globe: An inexpensive way to create a flower arrangement is by using seasonal blooms from your yard. When your bushes and plants are near the end of their bloom cycle, you can take some cuttings indoors to enjoy them. Glass globes work well for arranging larger branches and stems.
4. Bunch the Same Flower Together Inside a Watering Can: For a simple and lush floral arrangement, you can choose one type of flower in the same color. Gather them together inside a watering can to create a full arrangement. This technique works well with flowers that have long stems.
5. Use Bright Pops of Color for Party Décor: Unusual and bright flowers can create memorable flower arrangements. Visit your local florist and pick out some specialty blooms. Group the florals together to create the desired shape, and use florist tape to secure the stems together.
6. Choose Old World Flowers and Antique Containers: To create floral arrangements with a vintage charm, you can repurpose antique vessels, choose heirloom flowers, and stick to a vintage-inspired color palette. This approach can add a sentimental touch to your DIY floral arrangements.
7. Mix in Grapefruit or Other Citrus Fruits: If you're using a large clear vase and want to hide the stems of your flower arrangement, you can layer some citrus slices around the perimeter. This adds a unique and vibrant touch to your arrangement.
8. Criss Cross the Same Flower Inside a Glass Jar: This flower arrangement is easy to recreate using faux flowers and glass jars. Cross the stems in a criss-cross pattern and group the bright blooms together. This technique creates an eye-catching bouquet.
9. Build a Rose Centerpiece Using Floral Foam: Floral foam can give you more control over the finished floral arrangement. By using floral foam as a base, the flowers will remain in their desired position longer, creating fuller-looking centerpieces.
10. Create Fuller Arrangements Using Filler Flowers: Instead of simply dropping a bouquet into a vase, spend a few minutes arranging the flowers to help them reach their full potential. Adding filler flowers can create a more voluminous and visually appealing arrangement.
11. Line Up Vases Inside a Wooden Drawer: To create a unique flower arrangement using a wooden box centerpiece, line the inside with a row of small glass vases. The vases should be shorter than the box so they remain hidden. This technique can add a rustic touch to your arrangement.
12. Create a Floral Tablescape Using Vintage Bottles: If arranging multiple flowers together seems daunting, you can layer a bunch of small bottles with single stems inside. Cut the stems to fit each bottle size and style them along the length of a table. This approach works well for different occasions, from dinner parties to weddings.
13. Create a Grid to Arrange Flowers: Making a grid pattern at the top of a vase using tape can help the flowers lay better, look more professional, and prevent them from grouping together at the edge of the vase. This technique creates a well-structured arrangement.
14. Add Some Vegetables in With Your Flowers: Many florists incorporate a variety of produce into their flower arrangements. For example, you can use a hollowed-out cabbage and tulips to create a unique bouquet. Other vegetables like carrots, pumpkins, and asparagus can also be used creatively.
15. Wrap a Custom Bouquet for a Gift: You can upgrade a standard grocery store bouquet by creating a custom wrap that's perfect for gift giving. Consider using a variety of flowers that appeal to you or your loved one to personalize the bouquet.
16. Let Lilacs Overflow out of a Pitcher: Lilacs are beautiful and fragrant flowers, but they don't last long in arrangements. To make them last longer, you can place them in a pitcher for a unique touch.
17. Put Tulips in a Tall Vase to Prevent Drooping: Tulips are known for drooping over time. To prevent this, you can use tall vases that keep the blooms upright. This technique helps maintain the visual appeal of tulip arrangements.
18. Use an Assortment of Vases Inside a Milk Bottle Holder: To create a farmhouse-style flower arrangement, you can use a collection of vintage milk glass vases with varying heights. This adds interest and elevates the look of a store-bought bouquet.
19. Arrange Flowers by Color: Arranging flower stems in rainbow order can create an eye-catching centerpiece. If you're having trouble finding flowers in every color of the rainbow, you can refer to vibrant templates to guide your arrangement.
20. Add 3 Flowers to 3 Small Vases: When in doubt, you can create a simple and elegant arrangement by grouping three different flowers in three small vases. Vary the heights of the florals to add interest.
21. Create an Arrangement That Looks Good From All Angles: While many flower arrangements are full, cascading, and asymmetrical, you can focus on making your arrangement symmetrical. This approach ensures that the arrangement looks beautiful from every angle.
22. Don't Be Afraid to Go Big: When creating arrangements for events, consider going for a larger size. Cascade the flowers upward and outward for a dramatic effect that captivates attention.
23. Open Up Rose Buds for a Photo-Worthy Arrangement: You can manually open a fragile rose bloom without damaging it. This technique is useful when you need the roses to open quickly for an event. It helps create a photo-worthy arrangement.
24. Experiment With Varying Heights: Take artistic license when arranging unusual flowers by varying their placement and heights. This creates a romantic and eclectic arrangement that is exceptionally beautiful.
These tips and ideas can serve as a starting point for your DIY flower arrangements. Remember to have fun and experiment with different combinations to create unique and personalized arrangements.