It’s been a while since Joanna and I collaborated on a floral tutorial here on the blog, mostly because of how hectic her life has been this year! So when she shared with me the concept of sharing a hanging floral installation, I was 100% on board and so excited to execute it. Usually my day-to-day floral work involves artisanal bouquets for a subscription service (more on that here!), so stepping outside of the box is a treat.
Our goal was to create a pillowy poof of botanical materials in a less-than-natural color palette. With summer drawing to an end and early frosts happening in the PNW this year, I wasn’t totally sure what we’d have to work with and was so pleasantly surprised when I happened upon these airy dried bunches of foliage. The funniest part is that for the life of me, I cannot find the name of them. I wish I knew what they were called so I could share with you!
The key to achieving a wild, overgrown-looking hanging floral installation is to find interesting dried materials that will hold their shape. Choosing foliage with stiffness to it is a very important element for creating this sort of ethereal design because it provides structure. Once I knew these pieces would work for our base, I wanted some denser textures to fill in the space. I also shopped for a few bunches of baby’s breath and some different fern varieties.
In terms of color palette, we moved away from traditional, expected colors. We didn’t want the vibe to be too Halloween-y, but still very much fall and harvest inspired. To achieve the colors we wanted, we used a metallic gold spray paint on the dried stems, an acid green on the ferns, and a dusting of blush pink on the baby’s breath.
Create a Hanging Floral Installation with Dried Botanicals & WOW Your Next Dinner Guests
Materials:
- Dried botanicals (3 bunches)
- Tree Fern (1 bunch)
- Plumosa Fern (1 bunch)
- Baby’s Breath (3 bunches)
Tools:
- Spray paint — we used metallic gold, blush pink, and acid green
- Clear fishing line
- 18 inch wire wreath frame
- Floral shears
- Floral chicken wire
- Zip ties
Directions:
To start, decide on if you want to spray color on any of your botanical elements. Be sure to do this in a well-ventilated area and allow to dry completely before proceeding. To begin making the floral installation, secure the wire wreath frame to a hook or light fixture with fishing line. Discreetly use tape if necessary to hold line in place. Next, form a double layer of floral chicken wire across wire frame and zip tie it to the frame to secure it. Trim the ends of the zip ties so they are less visible. Then, form the base structure for the design by placing pieces of the dried, rigid foliage material into the chicken wire.
Once you’ve created your shape with the dried material, fill in the gaps with the ferns and baby’s breath. Take care to add material to the base of the arrangement, as well as the sides, in order to hide the chicken wire and wire frame. I suggest doing this because people will be viewing this flower installation from both the sides and underneath if they are sitting below it.
We suspended the floral installation from this ceiling light in Joanna’s dining room so that it floated over her tablescape (more on that tomorrow!). If you choose a similar location, please be take caution in turning the light on because you don’t want to create a fire hazard. Instead, opt for other sources of ambient light and/or candlelight for a moody vibe.
This installation can vary a lot depending on the materials you use, especially if you forage. Plus, you could use so many different botanicals to create something similar! The key is to create a solid base with the wire frame and floral chicken wire in which you can secure your material. After that, it’s really up to you!
Looking for even more flower arranging DIY ideas and tips? Try these:
- Luxe Holiday Centerpiece with Pomegranates
- Modern Door Swag Tutorial
- A Golden-Hued Thanksgiving Floral Centerpiece
- A Dark & Moody Halloween Centerpiece
- DIY Hanging Eucalyptus Wreath
- Luxe Halloween Centerpiece (without a single pumpkin)!
This is stunning! I am inspired to do this for my home but had a question about lighting. My lighting is similar to yours as it is in the middle of the table, was it to dark for your guests or was there a shadow cast onto the table?
We had other living in the space that helped to offset any shadows cast. Hope that helps!