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Let’s be honest: The winter blues are very real. Whether it’s the face-numbing ice blast that is a five-month constant upon opening each door (sayonara, hair-primping efforts), or the Mordor-like darkness that prematurely hits just hours after lunch (not to mention the sad, defoliated Charlie Brown–esque trees that are leafless and, seemingly, lifeless)—any festive bloom is a welcome uplift to the midwinter funk. And few things can add a touch of warmth and color to a space like a resplendent floral arrangement. From amaryllis-scapes to poinsettia shrubs to the oh-so-lovable Christmas cactus, hibernal blooms can bring a vibrancy and festivity that might even rival the ever popular spring tulips we’ll be seeing one day soon. In the meantime, keep calm and winter on! With festive floral flair, of course.
1
Utopian Briars
Add a touch of sophistication to your seasonal decor with an urn of billowing baubles, as did Lucy Hunter, author of The Flower Hunter, in her painterly Christmas arrangement that contrasts the heavier evergreen across the room. “We have a number of large trees at the bottom of our garden and at this time of year the wind hurtles through the valley where I live in North Wales and leaves me with some great pickings left discarded on the lawn,” Hunter says. “I love to use these, popping them into an old urn with water. Sometimes this and the evocative Christmas smell from the pine is enough but in this case I had a few old roses that were just hanging onto their petals but looked quite romantic and a few seedheads which I threaded through the greenery. So simple and quick.” And, might we add, exquisite.
2
Botanical Delights
For this year’s seasonal masterpiece, look no further than that abandoned nearby end-street. Just ask North Yorkshire–based floral photographer Janne Ford, who holds that treasures can be found in the unlikeliest of places. “I love seeking out inspiration in the winter hedgerow and foraging ingredients that can often be overlooked in floral design,” she says. This billowing chandelier-turned-flora fest features berried ivy, rosehips, crab apples, clematis vitalba, larch sprigs, and dried limonium.
3
Soft Grandeur
In this blushing Moniomi banquet, a floral arrangement adds a soft yet moody palette of rusts, blushes, lilacs, and peaches with more-saturated hues. “An interesting tablescape needs a sculptural moment that is still warm, unique, and inviting,” say Moniomi’s Monica Santayana and Ronald Alvarez. “We love to use a varied selection of dried and fresh flowers, from traditional to unfamiliar stems.” Here, Santayana used dried magnolia leaves, classic garden roses, an unexpected peach shampoo ginger stem, and tropical anthuriums. Bonus tip: Dried flowers add texture and have amazing longevity.
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4
Feathery Flora
Substitute the traditional evergreen garland for wild feathered plumes that are as dainty as they are robust. Just see the voluminous greenery in the London home of House of Hackney cofounders Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle. Here, a fireplace mantel bouquet made up of way-out sprigs and untamed greens is sure to wow every holiday guest.
5
Luxe Stems
Go for a classic Christmas color scheme with evergreen foliage and privet berries that add color and texture. “This holiday centerpiece is a spin on traditional luxe vibes, but still with a modern twist,” says Jojotastic’s Joanna Hawley-McBride. Our favorite unexpected addition? “Pomegranates provide a gorgeous traditional pop of red but in a new and fun way.... Finally, roses always bring a classic feel, and in the case of this arrangement, it just felt perfect,” she adds.
6
Pear Compote
Swap the classic color palette this season for a feminine, French-inspired look. Afloral’s Meg Callahan created this lush compote design entirely of artificial flowers that require absolutely no upkeep (beyond the occasional dusting). “For a dramatic draping moment, we left the pears long and accented their vibrant yellow tone with subdued mauve dutchess roses and complementing Helleborus blooms,” says Callahan.
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7
A Nod to Norfolk
Another simple yet sophisticated faux moment, compliments to Afloral’s Meg Callahan, who combined artificial Norfolk branches and a few sprigs of faux juniper in a creamy white ceramic vase. “We blended the two winter greens for a textured, dimensional look,” Callahan says. “We also kept the Norfolk branches long, so they felt more architectural, which helped to draw the eye up in the space.”
8
Horticultural Grandeur
These ample blooms offer seasonally neutral drama that we would justify for any time of the year. Complemented by a classical amphoralike vase, these billowing blooms are the archetype for floral pageantry, if there could be just one. “The request: something natural and all one type of flower,” says Viburnum Designs’s Ashling O’Brien. “Our answer: lush armfuls of local spirea, tucked into a dramatic vessel.”
9
Pepperberry Panache
Designer Shawna Underwood has an eye for reimagining classic motifs without completely doing away with tradition—especially in her latest floral assemblage, which features holiday elegance with a tropical twist. “I knew I wanted to make a big statement with the table centerpiece,” Underwood says. “I also wanted a centerpiece that was unique and not your typical go-to floral arrangement. Pepperberry foliage was the perfect solution. It provides vibrant shades of green, red, and pink and loads of texture. It takes only a few branches to achieve a full cascading look, ideal for winter.”
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10
Sculptural Chrysanthemums
This California entryway statement floral moment in a Ken Fulk–designed Sonoma Estate is the ultimate holiday merriment for this sunny room. A few tastefully placed tree branches add dramatic height, while the vibrant chrysanthemum create an artistic silhouette to the spacious room. It’s the belle of the ball!
11
Festive Succulents
These lush, tropical bathroom plants don’t add to the moment; they are the moment. So for a holiday changeover in their London home, House of Hackney cofounders Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle needn’t do more than add a hanging succulent (on the right) and (on the left) the appropriately named mistletoe cactus. It’s channeling all our Christmas in the Bahamas vibes, Anglo-style. How smashing!
12
Perky Offshoots
For this look, we took to the stacks in our own archives because these effortlessly arranged strawberry branches—in art curator Susan Harris and interior designer Glenn Gissler’s prewar apartment off lower Fifth Avenue—are giving us major green-thumb love. In their dining room, simple greenery adds a festive punch to the darker, brooding scheme. It’s proof that if you’ve gone evergreen happy in the rest of your space, a gentle summery vibe can bring welcome sunshine to your breakfast routine.
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13
Snow White Florets
Celebrate the joyous season with a simple vase of peonies. This dramatic arrangement of heirloom stems in Ken Fulk’s Montana guest house is a testament to the timelessness of white buds. Our favorite detail? The farmhouse-style vase that ties into the home’s statement Thermador range and hood.
14
The True Forever Fleur
Whoever deemed roses the forever flower had certainly overlooked the resplendent peony, perched atop Atlanta-based interior designer Suzanne Kasler’s holiday-bedecked living room. While a rose by any other name would smell as sweet (thank you, Shakespeare), it’s possible that the peony might smell even sweeter. A soft combination of jasmine, rose, and gillyflower, peonies smell a bit less peppery and a little sweeter than a rose. But fragrance isn’t these prized floret’s only strong suit: These beauties are extremely cold tolerant, withstanding subzero temperatures.
15
Seasonal Appeal
Pomegranates, pepper berries, and winter kale? Who knew the colder months could offer such lush (not to mention tasty) fodder for garniture. “We love to use seasonal items for our floral arrangements, and the fall and winter are just full of unusual options,” says third-generation floral designer Anna Le Pley Taylor. “Each item here lends an unexpected texture and color that makes the arrangement feel layered and seasonally appropriate.”
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16
Perky Buds
This happy-hued basket of warm-toned blooms in IDCO Studio founder Anastasia Casey’s dining room offers all the drama with appropriate restraint for the scale of the table. “I started with a watertight bowl inside the basket and put a globe of chicken wire in the bowl to maintain the centerpiece’s shape,” Casey says. “I started with a half dozen faux chocolate cosmos, then added the largest branches and thick-stemmed dahlias next. This adds more structure to the arrangement and distributes the weight.” Pro tip: Don’t forget to remove leaves from the floral stems for a more curated look.
17
Quiet Verdure
When it comes to decking the halls of your petite domicile, understated elegance can be severely underestimated. “The holidays can feel overwhelming with their glitz and glam, so sometimes it’s nice to tone things down,” says Jojotastic’s Joanna Hawley-McBride, who gathered noble fir, blue ice cypress, ponderosa pine, and tallow berries—arranging it all in this faceted geometric vase. “It’s like creating a small forest for your table. Here in the Pacific Northwest, that isn’t hard to achieve. In fact, all of the greenery we used was foraged, except for the juniper elements of the centerpiece.”
18
A Cardinal Classic
We’re swooning over this loud-and-proud crimson holiday bundle, arranged by Viburnum Designs. The bold berry sprigs are exalted by copious amounts of warm-hued magnolia leaves, all complemented by earthy red cedar branches. Talk about merry and bright! “Halls? Decked. Vases? Filled. Let’s get merry!” says Viburnum Designs’s Ashling O’Brien.
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19
Draped Spray
These sultry trimmings, also in Ken Fulk’s Montana ski house, bring a pop of color to an otherwise wildwood look. Still, with up to seven rescue dogs there at a time (not to mention people), the ambience in this getaway is decidedly laid-back, which is why we’re loving the intentionally slightly wilted florals that create an effortless feel.
20
Unexpected Flourishes
Give your floral arrangement the royal treatment. Here, designer and Prince’s Trust patron India Hicks’s latest holiday centerpiece (which is so beautiful it almost looks edible) is proof that more is always more when done right. “There is not an occasion for less, in my opinion,” she says with a laugh. For Hicks, it’s all about layering in abundance, from traditional Christmas crackers (which she lugs all the way to her home in the Caribbean) to candles, glassware, and napkins. Her go-to source for greenery? “OKA’s foliage is very convincing, which is hard to find,” she says. “Mixing in some pheasant feathers from the garden makes it feel a little wild, and certainly not predictable—I hate predictable.”
Rachel Silva
Assistant Digital Editor
Rachel Silva, the Assistant Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, covers design, architecture, trends, and anything to do with haute couture. She has previously written for Time, The Wall Street Journal, and Citywire.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Floral Arrangements for Winter Decor
Winter can often bring a sense of gloom and darkness, but one way to uplift your space is through the use of floral arrangements. A well-designed floral display can add warmth, color, and vibrancy to any room, even during the colder months. In this article, ELLE Decor showcases various floral arrangements that can bring a touch of festivity and beauty to your winter decor. Let's explore some of the concepts mentioned in the article.
1. Utopian Briars
Lucy Hunter, author of The Flower Hunter, creates a sophisticated Christmas arrangement by using discarded evergreen branches and adding old roses and seedheads for a romantic touch [[1]].
2. Botanical Delights
Floral photographer Janne Ford finds inspiration in the winter hedgerow and creates a chandelier-like floral arrangement using berried ivy, rosehips, crab apples, clematis vitalba, larch sprigs, and dried limonium [[2]].
3. Soft Grandeur
Moniomi's Monica Santayana and Ronald Alvarez create a soft and moody palette of rusts, blushes, lilacs, and peaches using dried magnolia leaves, classic garden roses, peach shampoo ginger stem, and tropical anthuriums [[3]].
4. Feathery Flora
House of Hackney cofounders Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle opt for wild feathered plumes instead of traditional evergreen garlands, creating a voluminous and untamed greenery bouquet for their fireplace mantel [[4]].
5. Luxe Stems
Jojotastic's Joanna Hawley-McBride combines evergreen foliage, privet berries, pomegranates, and roses to create a classic Christmas color scheme with a modern twist [[5]].
6. Pear Compote
Afloral's Meg Callahan creates a feminine, French-inspired compote design using artificial flowers, including mauve dutchess roses, Helleborus blooms, and cascading pears [[6]].
7. A Nod to Norfolk
Meg Callahan from Afloral combines artificial Norfolk branches and faux juniper sprigs in a creamy white ceramic vase to create a simple yet sophisticated winter arrangement [[7]].
8. Horticultural Grandeur
Viburnum Designs uses lush armfuls of local spirea tucked into a classical amphoralike vase to create a seasonally neutral and dramatic floral arrangement [[8]].
9. Pepperberry Panache
Designer Shawna Underwood creates a unique centerpiece using vibrant pepperberry foliage, which provides shades of green, red, and pink and adds loads of texture to the arrangement [[9]].
10. Sculptural Chrysanthemums
In a Ken Fulk-designed Sonoma Estate, vibrant chrysanthemums and tastefully placed tree branches create an artistic silhouette in the sunny entryway, adding a touch of holiday merriment [[10]].
11. Festive Succulents
House of Hackney cofounders Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle enhance the holiday atmosphere in their London home by adding a hanging succulent and a mistletoe cactus to their bathroom, channeling a tropical Christmas vibe [[11]].
12. Perky Offshoots
Art curator Susan Harris and interior designer Glenn Gissler use effortlessly arranged strawberry branches in their dining room to add a festive punch to the darker, brooding scheme [[12]].
13. Snow White Florets
Ken Fulk's Montana guest house features a simple vase of peonies, showcasing the timelessness and beauty of white buds [[13]].
14. The True Forever Fleur
Atlanta-based interior designer Suzanne Kasler highlights the resplendent peony in her holiday-bedecked living room, emphasizing its fragrance, cold tolerance, and beauty [[14]].
15. Seasonal Appeal
Anna Le Pley Taylor, a third-generation floral designer, uses seasonal items like pomegranates, pepper berries, and winter kale to create a textured and layered floral arrangement that is perfect for fall and winter [[15]].
16. Perky Buds
IDCO Studio founder Anastasia Casey creates a dramatic arrangement of warm-toned blooms in her dining room by using faux chocolate cosmos, large branches, and thick-stemmed dahlias, adding structure and weight to the centerpiece [[16]].
17. Quiet Verdure
Jojotastic's Joanna Hawley-McBride opts for understated elegance by using noble fir, blue ice cypress, ponderosa pine, and foraged greenery to create a small forest-like arrangement for the table [[17]].
18. A Cardinal Classic
Viburnum Designs creates a bold and vibrant centerpiece using berry sprigs, magnolia leaves, and red cedar branches, exuding a merry and bright atmosphere [[18]].
19. Draped Spray
Ken Fulk's Montana ski house features sultry trimmings that add a pop of color and create an effortless feel, perfect for a laid-back ambiance [[19]].
20. Unexpected Flourishes
Designer India Hicks creates an abundant holiday centerpiece by layering traditional Christmas elements, candles, glassware, napkins, and foliage from OKA, along with pheasant feathers for a touch of wildness and unpredictability [[20]].
These floral arrangements demonstrate the creativity and beauty that can be achieved with winter decor. Whether you prefer a classic or modern approach, there are endless possibilities to add warmth and festivity to your space during the winter months.