Styling Notes from The Suffolk Nest

With the vast number of vases available, it can be difficult to know which to invest in when styling your home. Whether you’re at the beginning of your flower arranging journey or looking to refresh your interior décor, I recommend selecting a few key styles that offer versatility and texture. Here are five of my favourites. When it comes to creating a standout floral arrangement, the vase you choose can make a real difference. The right vase can elevate your display and create a statement piece, while the wrong choice can prevent your arrangement from looking its best. So, if you’re wondering “How can I style vases at home?” I’d love to share my top tips. Over the years, I’ve built a substantial collection of vases. There are some decorative vases in my home and studio that I absolutely love and others that, with hindsight, I regret purchasing. However, the vase alone doesn’t dictate the success of your display. I’ve come to learn that flowers and vases need to work together and complement one another. No matter whether you’re new to flower arranging journey or looking to transform your interior décor, the different types of vases available to choose from can be a little overwhelming. Bowls, jugs, pots, clear and opaque vases are just a few of the styles on offer. I recommend investing in key pieces that suit your home and allow for some flexibility when it comes to creating floral displays. 1. Classic Apothecary Vase I think that a clean, simple glass vase suits almost any space. When decorating with vases, the classic apothecary vase is one of the most versatile. I use them in spots throughout the home year-round as they can work well in any environment, from our kitchen island to our living room coffee table. They’re especially effective for displaying spiral hand tied bouquets as the stems can expand into the body of the vase and its tapered neck supports the flowers. It’s also surprisingly easy to arrange flowers within the vase by angling the stems. 2. Bud Vase Bud vases are available in all shapes and sizes, but my favourites tend to have a narrower neck than body to support the stems. You’ll rarely find our kitchen sink and bedside tables without a bud vase, whether they contain an elegant sprig of greenery or a big blousy garden rose. As these types of vases are smaller than most, you can use them throughout your home to add a floral accent to different rooms. You could also add even more personality by recycling empty diffuser and perfume bottles and styling them with soft, organic blooms. 3. Opaque Vase Opaque decorative vases can be crafted from a range of different materials including ceramic, cement, stone, and terracotta. I personally love these vases as they bring their own natural texture that can add warmth and interest to your home. While they provide a stunning backdrop for flowers, you don’t necessarily need to add florals to create an intriguing display. I find that pairing two opaque vases of different sizes on a sideboard can help to ground the furniture and bring colour and texture to the room. 4. Pedestal Bowl If you’re looking for a more unusual decorative vase, pedestal bowls are some of the most striking on offer. I think they’re inherently elegant, especially when styled with asymmetric floral designs, but they’re also stunning when filled with fruit, vegetables, moss, or some faux artichoke heads. If you would prefer to concentrate on floral arrangements, I recommend using a bowl with an opening that’s no bigger than 18cm. You’ll also need to provide additional support for your stems, such as chicken wire or a Kenzan flower frog. Be sure to keep a look out for pedestal bowls in charity and vintage shops – I love stumbling across a unique piece that I wouldn’t be able to find elsewhere! 5. Jugs One of my favourite types of vases to use in the kitchen and dining room is a jug. Jugs work well with flowers cut fresh straight from the garden but, as they’re typically not watertight, I prefer to use them to display dried flowers or my faux stems, especially faux Lilacs, Ranunculus, and Waxflowers. Depending on your interior aesthetic, you can opt for a distressed jug or a clean white version and, just like opaque vases, they can add interest to your kitchen décor even when displayed empty. Make sure you add jugs to your shopping list when touring antique fairs and charity shops too.

Faux stems are a fantastic alternative to fresh and can be used to create stunning displays. I’m a passionate advocate of faux florals and hope that sharing my faux stems styling tips will inspire you to create your own works of art Choose a complementary vase The secret to styling faux stems is to craft a display where the vase is just as impactful as the blooms. The most effective arrangements unite vase and stems to create one stunning piece that can become the focal point of any room. I recommend aiming for an arrangement that’s approximately one and a half times the height of the vase as this can help prevent the style from appearing too wide or sparse. Ideally, your flowers and foliage should start at the rim of the vase with no naked stems on show. Prepare your faux stems Taking time to prepare your faux stems before starting to style can make all the difference. I like to bend or cut my faux flowers to achieve the perfect height. It all depends on the type of vase that I’ve chosen; with an opaque vase, I prefer to bend the stems. One of the best things about opting for faux stems instead of fresh florals is that you can bend them back into shape whenever you want to move them or reuse them in a new display. However, if I’m styling a glass vase, I tend to cut the stems as this adds that extra touch of authenticity that can help your display stand out from the crowd. Before you reach for the wire cutters, double-check that you’ve purchased plastic-covered stems and not paper-wrapped. Once you’ve made your cuts, seal the end of each stem with a coat of clear nail varnish or super glue, and add water. You can make your arrangement appear even more realistic by opening and fluffing each stem to add volume and depth. Typically, there will be a wire that runs the entire length of the stem, and along each side shoot, that lets you move them in any direction. This means that you can play with each piece until it suits the overall look of your display and makes the most of the available space – don’t be afraid to experiment. Create faux stem arrangements Now, it’s time to start arranging. I don’t mind admitting that this is my favourite part of styling faux flowers as I can let my creativity fly free. To start, I like to build solid foundations. Use faux foliage (or the largest stems in your selection) to construct a base shape that the remaining flowers can follow. I then start adding more blooms, incorporating a range of different heights while also ensuring that they’re evenly distributed. Using a mix of different stem heights and angles in your display can help it come alive. Finally, add your smaller filler stems to create depth and interest.  Looking to amplify the drama? To style faux flowers in a truly unique way, select one or two stems that are slightly taller than the rest and a little wilder in appearance. Alternatively, you can play with convention by using stems that drape down over the rim of the vase. Assess all angles When you’re in the middle of an arrangement, it’s all too easy to lose sight of the final product. I like to take a step back and look over the full display from every angle. Taking stock of your faux flower arrangement at regular intervals allows you to make tweaks as you go. That’s one of the reasons why faux stems can be such an appealing alternative to fresh flowers; you can get creative and make changes until you’re completely satisfied without causing any damage to the flowers. Feeling inspired to try styling faux stems? View our selection of individual stems here