I have been gravitating toward a new style of paper flower arrangements lately and I am so excited to share it. It is like a modern ikebana style which is simpler, more intentional, and I’m loving the change.
As a paper florist, we have to make every single paper flower in an arrangement. At least that is what I try to do, every leaf and every little filler flower. A classic dome shape of flowers needs a lot of flowers and a lot of time. A simple bud vase with a single stem is nice and easy but it can feel too simple and not very full. So the modern arrangement I started trying out here is right in the middle. These arrangements look full without needing a lot of flowers which is key for paper florists. Even with just a few flowers, they elevate the look and feel like a true showstopper/centerpiece.
I recently hosted a private paper flower workshop and it was in Hollywood and felt like I wanted to make an updated centerpiece for my samples. It was the perfect time to try this style and loved how they turned out. I loved not needing a full amount of flowers to get that statement look. It was so much fun to experiment and think beyond a traditional flower centerpiece which I’ve been seeing everywhere with real florists.
Below are some of the pictures from my workshop. They were definitely having a moment under those moody lights. Also if you are interested, I do offer private paper flower workshops for corporate team building activities, special occasions, baby showers, birthdays and more! Email me at hello@handmadebysarakim.com
I made sure to think about textures and mixing different shapes to fill the space in a way that creates that elevated look. Also played with the height, varying the heights gave the arrangement movement and makes it feel full from every angle and kept that natural curve. Think about how a real flower curves and bends. Make sure your paper flowers are not just sticking straight up. Those soft curves are what made the arrangement feel more natural.
We made paper anemones for the private paper flower workshop so most of these arrangements were built around them so they could see as samples but I would love to redo these with some of my other favorite paper flowers. I also just launched the flax leaves template and tutorial and they did a lot of the work, added so much texture and height and they almost look like ribbon or bows embellishing the flowers. They are such an easy way to fill the arrangement. The flax leaves template is available now and the dianthus flower is coming soon. I also made paper calla lilies and paper eucalyptus to mix in.
I also found the perfect vase for these arrangements LINKED HERE. It is simple enough to let the flowers shine and it holds these tall, curved stems beautifully.
You could find my tutorial here that also walks through creating the full arrangement. Start with just a few flowers. Add a looped flax leaf on one side and a taller branch in the center. Curve every stem. Get the flax leaves template plus the anemone and calla lily.
