Bring In Spring

Throughout May, there is an abundance of natural beauty right at our doorsteps, prompting us to grab the shears and head outside to forage for fresh flowers to liven up our interiors. To help us incorporate garden items into our decor in creative and innovative ways, we turned to Pat Nolen, ASID, of Charlottesville, Virginia-based Stedman House, for advice; here are her recommendations:

Get creative when selecting your vessels. A white cachepot, baskets, and terra cotta urns all look great indoors. In terms of more unexpected vessels, I love to put orchids in a large, bright Asian bowl, and teacups and teapots are also lovely options and a great way to incorporate items in the home that you have already.

Pick plants that you enjoy—and that you’ll be able to maintain. My favorite houseplant is the delicate Maiden Hair Fern, but they need watering every day so you need to think of them as one of your children! For cut flowers (I like freshly cut tulips), don’t fill the vase with water completely—just a little at the bottom will do— and add a drop of bleach to keep them standing up.

Greet guests with herbs. I love to mix herbs in with my flower arrangements. If I’m doing a bouquet for a guest room, I always add some fresh herbs beside the bed to add a lovely fragrance to their space. It makes it feel so fresh and inviting.

Stick to a simple color palette. Try to commit to one color in your floral arrangements. This will keep your spaces feeling harmonious and clean.

Expert tip from Pat Nolen of Stedman House in Charlottesville, VA.