Styling Notes from The Suffolk Nest

This Valentine’s Day, I’ve created a selection of faux flower arrangements featuring irresistibly romantic powder pink blooms. Read on to find out more about this very special seasonal collection No matter whether you’ve found a partner or happily single, Valentine’s Day is a fantastic excuse to treat yourself to an extra-special floral arrangement. Everyone celebrates the day differently, but Chris and I tend to have a quiet celebration, setting aside time for a date night and decorating our space with seasonal flowers. This year, I’ve absolutely loved creating our Valentine’s Day collection; each of our faux flower arrangements will feature blush-tipped eucalyptus stems alongside real-touch roses, ranunculus, and dahlias in the most incredible shade of soft power pink. While we all have our own favourite flowers, I personally don’t gravitate towards traditional red roses at this time of year. Instead, I prefer to choose florals that are in keeping with our home décor and think there’s something inherently romantic about these everlasting faux flowers. Small but perfectly formed If you’re looking to bring a little love into your home this February, I’d recommend our smaller Valentine’s Day arrangement. We have two designs available, and both look amazing displayed on a bedside or dressing table. I think they look particularly good in our Henley vase; the soft grey ribbed design of this piece does a fantastic job of grounding the soft pink blooms without dimming their impact. Place an order online and your Valentine’s arrangement will arrive at your door beautifully present and hand-wrapped by me. Then, it’s time to get creative. When using clusters of the same flowers, I think they look best – and more natural – if you take time to vary each stem’s height. This technique also allows you to show off the intricate rose head from multiple angles. Make sure you regularly take a step back to assess the full arrangement and ensure you’re happy with the result. To help you get started, I’ve prepared a video with all my top tips for creating the perfect arrangement. A grand gesture Whether you’re planning a Valentine’s Day proposal or just keen to go all out, you’ll probably be looking for a show-stopping arrangement. I’ve created two hand tied bouquets designed to make an impression. Each is a 360-degree arrangement featuring an abundance of roses, ranunculus, and dahlias. Not only will these bouquets delight their recipient, but they also make fantastic centrepieces for your dining or coffee table.  None of the faux flowers in this collection are pre-cut, meaning that experimentation is encouraged. When transferring your bouquet into a vase, don’t be afraid to bend the stems. You may even find you want to bend them back on themselves to make sure that they sit in the vase correctly. Spend some time fluffing out each stem; this helps them to look more natural and gives the arrangement a unique personality. Long-lasting love Valentine’s Day is celebrated on 14th February, but your floral arrangements can last much longer with a little attention. Like any good relationship, faux flowers need some tender love and care to look their very best. The good news is that maintaining these blooms couldn’t be easier. Our Valentine’s arrangements feature real-touch flowers that look and feel incredibly realistic. The best way to keep them clean is to invest in a pack of baby wipes. As a Mum of two girls under four, I always have a pack handy, and every so often, I’ll use a wipe to dab each stem and individual petal to remove any dust. I find that each wipe holds just the right amount of moisture and won’t damage the petals, even if you need to apply some pressure to remove stubborn marks. I hope you’d agree that these faux flowers are so stunning that they can be displayed in your home year-round, but if you’d prefer to store them away until next year, simply keep hold of the packaging that they arrive in. This box is the perfect size for storage and will help each flower look fresh until you’re ready to bring them out again. Finally, I’d like to wish you all a very Happy Valentine’s Day from Chris and I.   

As we enter the final few months of the year, it’s time to settle into a new season and embrace autumnal styling. Find inspiration in our faux autumn floral arrangements The nights are drawing in, there’s a chill in the air, and our winter blankets have found their way back onto the bed. But despite mourning the end of long summer days, autumn is one of my favourite seasons. There’s something special about this time of year, whether it’s the sense of renewal that comes from September and the new school term or being able to spend more time at home with the family. I used to look forward to taking the dog out on crisp, dewy mornings, getting cosy in warm woollen jumpers, and lighting the fire for the first time. My top tip? Dried pinecones make a fantastic, sustainable alternative to fire lighters. I often look to nature for my floral inspiration and like to mark the transition of the seasons with displays throughout my home. Faux autumn floral arrangements encourage experimentation, it’s a time to get creative with materials and look beyond florals to embrace branches and berries that add depth and texture. Fall floral trends come and go but for me, focusing on colour and texture never goes out of style. All about colour The shift in colour that we see in autumn is one of the most noticeable of nature’s changes. It’s also one of the biggest influences in the faux floral arrangements I choose to create at home. I find that the most effective arrangements echo the tones that we see out of our windows: the golden rust of crisp fallen leaves, the rich mahogany of chestnuts, and the deep plum of blackberries ready for harvest. I love using all these shades in my autumn floral arrangements, alongside maroon, red, yellow, and muted greens. These are all colours that reflect the season and complement one another while also acting to ground each arrangement and bring a sense of warmth on cooler days. Getting creative with texture Fall flowers never fail to bring the drama. I love the rich burgundy that comes from Hellebores, autumn Chrysanthemums, and Dahlias, especially when paired with our blush-tipped Eucalyptus. Add texture and interest by using a range of different stem lengths and don’t be afraid to be bold and incorporate several stems of the same variety in one display. This is the perfect time of year to get creative with the types of materials you choose to include in your autumn floral arrangements. Faux branches, twigs, and berries can all add a fresh dimension to seasonal displays. Our curated autumn arrangements If you’re short on time but would still love to bring the feel of the outdoors into your home, consider choosing one of our curated faux autumn floral arrangements. There’s a design to suit every taste and décor, from the rich tones of our Mulberry Hydrangea display with its wild Catkin branch to the soft shades of our Brambles arrangement with sprigs of green and copper blackberries. If you’d rather transition away from florals as we enter the final few months of the year, our autumn berry arrangement is sure to capture your attention. Taking inspiration from the leaves shed by the trees, each faux leaf branch contains shades of green and rose, enhanced by the vibrant red and yellow berry stems set alongside.