Understanding the Principles &

Elements of Floral Design

Floral design
Is the art of organizing the design elements inherent in
plant materials and accessories according to principles
of design art.
This is sometimes called floral arranging.
People who arrange flowers are called Florist
DIFFERENT MATERIALS USED IN
FLORAL ARRANGEMENT
1.SCISSOR 2. GARDEN CUTTER
3.FLORAL WIRE 4. FLORAL TAPE
5. RIBBONS 6. RICE PAPER
7. ANCHOR (FLORAL FOAM)
8. CONTAINER (VASES, BASKETS ETC.)
9. FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE
Formed flowers

• Are those flowers that have

distinctive shapes, like lilies and
tropical flowers.

STARGAZER ALSTROEMERIA

CALLA LILY
Mass flowers

• Are round, solid flowers, like

carnations and mums.

CARNATION

MALAYSIAN MUMS
Filler flowers

• Are light, airy flowers, like

baby’s breath and sea lavender,
that fill in the space between
other flowers.

BABY’S
BREATH
(ASTER)
Foliage

• Are the leaves that were used

in the floral arrangement.

FERNS

FISH TAIL
STYLES OF FLOWER ARRANGEMENT
Styles of Flower Arrangement
oTriangular Shape
oCircular Shape
oCrescent Shape
oFan Shape
oHogarth or ‘S’ Shape
oIkebana
Triangular Shape Arrangement
• Most common arrangement
made in the shape of a
triangle.
• Commonly found on
Reception counter, Buffet
table, Side stations and
GRE, Lobby Manager’s Desk.
 Circular Shape Arrangement
• Circular design adds a pleasing element.
& area satisfying to the viewer's eye. It
is loved by nature since majority of
flowers lies in this shape. In fact, its also
easier to arrange flowers in circular
fashion.
• This type of arrangement is laid on
conference tables or on buffet tables.
They can be presented to high class
executives or politicians on different
occasion.
Crescent Shape Arrangement
• It is asymmetrical and formal. It
requires lot of skill and
experience and are very eye
catching.
• It is kept in the lobby of the
hotel. It is used as a focal point
to catch the attention of the
guest.
Fan Shape Arrangement
• It is a low arrangement and
it does not interfere with
conversation across the
table.
• Generally placed in the
restaurant either in buffet
or on dining table. Hotel
rooms also have this kind of
arrangement
‘S’ Shape Arrangement
• This is very graceful style
of arrangement. It is easier
to make when curved
branches are used. Once 'S'
shape is made, flowers are
filled at the center.
Ikebana
Ikebana means 'making flowers
live' in Japanese. People in Japan
use flowers to symbolize season.
They represent ideal harmony
between earthy and eternal life. In
each arrangement there is an
imaginary triangle tallest line
represent heaven, towards the
heaven is man and the lowest line
looking up to both is earth.
Ikebana
This is been practiced for
past 100 years. The formal
type of flower arrangement
is called Seika style.
Floating type of
arrangement is called
Ukibana and basket type of
arrangement is called
Morimano.
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
Principles of design are rules and guidelines
used by the floral designer to create a
beautiful composition.
The principles of floral design
Major principles includes:

1. Proportion is the pleasing relationship between size

and shape among objects and parts of objects.
In floral design, three aspects determine proportion:
1. Location of the arrangement
2. Height of the arrangement
3. Materials used in the arrangement.
• The design must be in proportion to where it is going to
be displayed.
• The display area could involve a room, a table, or sometimes a
person wearing the design.
• Proportion requires that the design be suitable for and in
harmony with its location.
• The height of an arrangement should be at least 1½
times the height of its container’s greatest dimension.
• There are a few exceptions to this rule,
including the idea that height may be
increased to create proper
dimension with the room.
• Another increase might be because of
the materials with which the
designer is working.
The principles of floral design
Major principles includes:

2. Balance in a flower arrangement refers to the

arrangement’s equilibrium and equality in weight, both
physical and visual.
• Balance, meaning design equilibrium and equality in
weight, can be achieved through several different
methods.
1. Physical balance is the actual stability of
plant materials within a container.
• A properly designed arrangement that has
physical balance will not fall over and
can stand freely on its own.
2. Visual balance is the perception of an arrangement
being balanced—that is, being of equal weight on both
sides of the central axis.
• A design that is not visually balanced will bother the viewer
much like a crooked painting on a wall.
• Visual balance should be evident from three views: side to
side; top to bottom; and front to back.
• There are two types of visual balance.
1. Symmetrical balance is present when a design has
equal material placements and weight on both sides of
its central axis.
• Symmetrical balance is historically European in style and
often called formal balance.
• Typically, symmetrical arrangements are exhibited in formal
or symmetrical settings.
• Examples of symmetrical designs are oval, round, fan,
triangle, inverted-T, and vertical arrangements, as well as oval
and round centerpieces.
2. Asymmetrical balance is present when a design has
material placements and weight that are not equal on
both sides of its central axis.
• This is often called informal design and stems from Asian
influences.
• Asymmetrical balance is achieved through compensation
and counterbalancing.
• Examples of asymmetrical designs are crescent, Hogarth
curve, fan, diagonal, vertical, ikebana, scalene, and right
triangle.
• Asymmetrically balanced centerpieces are common.
Designers use three main techniques to
help achieve balance.
• 1. Visual weight is a flower’s
perceived lightness or heaviness based
on its color, shape, and pattern.
• Varying visual weight helps achieve
the compensation or counterbalancing
in asymmetrical designs.
• Lighter materials and color are used
toward the outside of an
arrangement, whereas heavier materials
are used toward the center.
• 2. Centering is the
technique of placing
dominant plant material
along a design’s central
vertical axis.
• This allows heavier plant
materials to be placed
higher in a design.
• 3. Counterbalancing is the
practice of balancing plant
materials on one side of a
design with visually equal
materials on the opposite side.
• This technique is essential in
asymmetrical design work, and
can be used to avoid strict mirror
imaging in symmetrical work.
The principles of floral design
Major principles includes:

3. Rhythm is the orderly organization of design elements

to create a visual pathway.
Creating a pathway for the eye to follow is the purpose
of rhythm.
• An arrangement with good rhythm will cause the viewer to look at
the entire arrangement.
• There are two types of rhythm.
• Regular, repeated rhythm is present when materials
are repeated at regular intervals from the top to
the bottom of an arrangement.
• Free, variable rhythm is an unstructured style with
subtle flowing movements created with unstructured
materials.
Five techniques that can be used to achieve both regular
and free rhythm are:
• 1. Radiation—Stems radiate naturally from the
container.
• A top view shows the stems appearing as spokes on a wheel.
• Crossing stems is avoided.
• 2. Repetition—Repeating design elements
throughout an arrangement to create unity in the
work.
• It may include color, shape, space, and lines.
• 3. Transition—Change from one material to another.
• It should be smooth and gradual.
• Lighter flowers near the container edge blend into the heavier
ones near the center.
• 4. Variety—A diverse assortment and different
components in a design.
• Variety focuses attention and stimulates interest and
imagination.
• 5. Contrast—Describes objects that have striking
differences beyond mere variety or diversity, taking
variety to a higher degree.
The principles of floral design
Major principles includes:

4. Dominance this means that one design element is

more prevalent or noticeable, thereby capturing the
viewer’s interest.
The use of dominance suggests to the viewer what is
important in a design.
• Interest and attention are captured when one feature
dominates and others are secondary.
• Dominance can be achieved by:
• 1. Using dominant plant material
• 2. Using an emphasized design element
• 3. Using a distinct style of design
• 4. Using a theme
• 5. Using a focal point
• A focal point is a center of interest.
• It can be created several different ways.
• Not all arrangements need a focal point or center of interest.
If, however, one is intended, there are several methods to
create one.
1. Use of large flowers
2. Use of special-form flowers, such as orchids
 3. Use of dark shades
4. Variation of concentration of plant material
5. Use of framing materials
6. Use of strong color contrast
7. Radiation of plant materials to a
particular area
• 8. Use of accessories
The principles of floral design
Minor principles of design includes:
1. Radiation is characterized by stems
that radiate naturally from the
container.
2. Repetition is accomplished by repeating
design elements throughout an
arrangement to create unity in the work.
The principles of floral design

• 3. Transition is the change from

one material to another.
• 4. Variety is created by using a
diverse assortment and different
components in a design.
The principles of floral design

• 5. Contrast describes objects

that have striking differences
beyond mere variety or
diversity.
• 6. A focal point is a center of
interest.
ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
What is the difference between principles of design and
design elements?
• While Principles of Design are abstract rules to follow,
Elements of Design are the physical characteristics of
the plant materials that the designer uses to create the
arrangements.
• Design elements include form, shape, and line; space;
texture and pattern; and color.
MAJOR FORMS USED IN FLORAL
ARRANGEMENT
What are the major forms used in floral design?
• Design elements that must be
understood first when creating floral
arrangements are form and shape.
• Form refers to the three-dimensional
outline of an arrangement, while shape
refers to the two-dimensional aspect of
form.
• Form and shape can exist naturally in floral
design elements, or they can be created by
the designer.
What are the major forms used in floral design?
What are the major forms used in floral design?
• The common forms used in floral design are geometric,
naturalistic, and free form.
• 1. The geometric forms and shapes used in floral design
are most often the circle and the triangle.
• Circular forms and shapes can be varied to create ovals, fans,
or crescent arrangements from the circles.
• Right triangles, scalene triangles, and isosceles triangles are
variations of the basic triangle.
What are the major forms used in floral design?
• 2. Naturalistic designs mirror the natural growth of
plant material.
• They often include groupings of plant material.
• Sometimes branches are used to symbolize trees, and shorter
flowers to symbolize undergrowth.
What are the major forms used in floral design?
• 3. A free-form arrangement
has a contemporary look.
• Free form allows the designer to
take any liberty with color, form
and shape, or placement.
• Freeform arrangements are very
creative and do not have to
follow any particular design rule.
What are the major forms used in floral design?
• All forms of arrangement are
created through the use of lines.
• Line is the visual movement
between two points in an
arrangement.
• The placement of lines can help
create a form or shape or express an
emotional response.
• Lines can be created through the use
of line materials.
What are the major forms used in floral design?
• Line materials, like
snapdragon, liatris, and
scotch brooms, can
produce very definite
vertical, horizontal,
diagonal, or curvilinear
lines.
What are the major forms used in floral design?
• By combining any number
of line flowers, mass
flowers, form flowers, and
filler flowers, a designer has
infinite ways of creating
attractive, eye-catching,
visually pleasing
arrangements.
How do space and depth enhance floral design?
• Almost as important as the areas
where individual flowers are placed
in a design are the areas where
there are no flowers.
• An area devoid of flowers is called
space.
• It is important for floral designers to
leave space in their arrangements.
• A designer can also increase the
apparent size of a design by adding
space and depth to it.
How do space and depth enhance floral design?
• Creating space by placing flowers away from
each other makes an arrangement
appear larger, even though no additional
materials have been used.
• When this technique is employed, the designer can
save money by creating the illusion of a larger,
more expensive design.
• Space between individual flowers showcases the visual
attributes of each flower.
• This results in added interest in the design.
How do space and depth enhance floral design?
• Depth in a design gives the arrangement more of a
three-dimensional form than just a shape.
• Tucking flowers in farther so they are
partially hidden by others and radiating
flowers upward or dangling
them to the side are ways a designer can
create depth and add interest and
character to an arrangement.
How is texture important in floral design?
• Floral designers can create visually attractive
arrangements by combining plant materials of different
textures.
• Texture is the surface quality of plant material.
• Plant material can be rough, smooth, leathery, velvety,
satiny, or hairy.
• Plant material also has visual texture.
• It may look fine and airy, lacy, delicate, or bold and coarse.
• When the textures are varied, the arrangement can attract
attention and hold the viewer’s interest for a longer period of
time.
How is texture important in floral design?
• Textures provide visual
energy.
• Coarse textures carry more
visual weight than fine
textures.
• Glossy textures draw the
viewer’s attention.
• Combining different textures in
an arrangement adds interest
through contrast.
How is texture important in floral design?
• Pattern is the coloration of plant materials and the
arrangement of plant parts.
• Pattern is closely related to texture.
• A plant material that has a color pattern
appears to be textured even when the plant
surface is smooth.
• Color patterns of foliage and flowers add interest
to an arrangement.
How does color influence floral work?
• Color is probably the most obvious element in design.
• An arrangement in which all other elements have been
masterfully considered may lack appeal if the color
combination is not striking.
• Physiological studies have shown that
colors actually help contribute to people’s feelings.
• Colors have also come to symbolize certain
occasions or events.
How does color influence floral work?
• Red has become the symbol for love, while yellow often
means friendship or happiness.
• Green is very restful and symbolizes life, while blue is
very cooling.
• Other color associations are white for purity and
innocence, purple for royalty, and orange for warmth.
• An understanding of the color wheel is
important when designing floral work.
How does color influence floral work?
• The color wheel is made up of primary colors, secondary colors,
and tertiary colors.
• 1. Primary colors are the basic colors of red, yellow, and blue.
• All other colors come from combining these primary colors.
• 2. Secondary colors are green, orange, and violet.
• They are created by combining two primary colors.
• For example, yellow and red create orange.
• 3. Tertiary colors are third-rank colors.
• By combining one primary color with one secondary color, a tertiary color is
created.
• The names of tertiary colors are often hyphenated, such as blue-green and
yellow-orange.
How does color influence floral work?
How does color influence floral work?
• Floral designers often use basic color schemes to create
eye-catching arrangements.
• Color schemes are created through the combination
of colors chosen.
• 1. A monochromatic color scheme would be made from
one color and all its light and dark variations.
• For example, if red was the chosen color, the arrangement
might include deep red, maroon, pale pink, and hot pink.
• All these colors originate from the primary color red.
How does color influence floral work?
• 2. An analogous color scheme uses colors that are next
to each other on the color wheel.
• An arrangement made of yellow, yellow-orange, and orange
would be analogous.
• 3. By choosing two colors that are opposite each other
on the color wheel, a complementary color scheme is
created.
• Red/green, violet/yellow, and blue/orange are all
complementary color schemes.
• 4. A polychromatic color scheme includes a wide range
of colors.
How does color influence floral work?
• No matter what color scheme is chosen, the designer
must remember that colors are viewed differently
depending on the colors with which they are combined.
• When yellow and violet are placed together,
yellow tends to be a more advancing color,
moving toward the viewer.
How does color influence floral work?
• Violet, on the other hand, tends to be a receding color,
disappearing into the background.
• This is important to remember when creating
arrangements for a stage or altar.
• Violet tends to disappear when viewed from a distance.