On a recent trip to Golden Door Resort + Spa in California, I was impressed by the simple flower arrangements displayed throughout the property, namely, a stately brass bowl of flower tops floating in water, set on a coffee table in the main entry. I thought about my recent purchase of a long black resin Tina Frey trough that sits atop my dining table. A few weeks ago it was filled with citrus, currently it is empty, and I thought, what a perfect vessel for floating some flower tops of my own. Then I spoke to Grayson Handy, flower expert, author, and co-owner of Prudence Designs and Events in New York City, who reminded me that floating flowers in bowls is perfect for "when there is breakage from the market". Handy "cannot bear to throw out a perfect bloom". We've all been there. Why toss otherwise perfect flowers? Handy will pull out a beautiful ceramic piece from his collection to compliment the bloom, fill it with water, and float the blooms. Below, shop a variety of vessels including a Moroccan-style bowl inspired by one of Grayson's favorites. "Mexican and Moroccan vessels are my 'go-to' pieces for creating a travel-inspired floral moment", Handy tells us, and in the evening he'll add floating candles to illuminate the centerpiece. The photo in this story is from his book, Flowers for the Home: Inspirations From the World Over, an example of one of his creations. Below you can shop candles for floating, Grayson Handy's book for inspiration, and a variety of vessels and blooms. The best flowers for floating are flowers with flat bottoms, Handy says, and include gardenias, carnations, dahlias, peonies, orchid heads, and lotus flowers. To help you achieve just the right look, we've included more of his tips for putting together a simple creation of your own. -Tamara Rappa
TIPS FOR FLOATING FLORALS
-Flat bottom blooms float best
-Don't fill the bowl with too many blooms. The negative space is also important to create the "floating" effect
-Change the water daily
-Remove any compromised petals underneath that have turned brown in the water
