Moody Blooms by ACC Art Books

In Moody Blooms: Designing with Nature, celebrated designer Tricia Guild shares her passion for flowers, leaves and stems, exploring how nature can be as important as the furnishings we choose for enhancing a room’s mood and atmosphere.

Tricia Guild . James Merrell

ISBN: 978-1-78884-163-4

9 781788 841634

54500 £35.00/$45.00

www.accartbooks.com

Tricia Guild James Merrell

designing with nature

plants is only nearly complete. Only nearly perfect.

moody blooms

A beautifully decorated room without flowers or

have always been inspired by nature in all its forms. The energy that flowers, buds,

plants and leaves can bring to us is profound and vital, and also deeply rewarding. Their beauty truly fascinates me and infuses so much of my work. From the tiniest speck of a seed or an unassuming gnarled tuber, comes forth such magical loveliness and soul – it never fails to touch my heart. A great deal of care and consideration goes into making a space beautiful. The patterns, colour and textures, furniture and furnishings are all chosen to create a particular atmosphere – a feeling that evokes an energy and sets a tone. Yet, however important those decisions, that is only part of the story. The structure. The beginning. Just as the perfect outfit never feels complete without a spritz of scent or jewellery – a room without flowers, leaves or plants is only nearly complete. Only nearly perfect. Flowers, leaves, buds and plants make all the difference to any space – breathing life into the walls and the interiors and affecting the way we live within them. The process of choosing the right flowers or leaves for a particular room can be meditative and enhancing. I’m not referring to those extravagant arrangements of exotic blooms, forced into different shapes and tightly packed in vases to create an excessive show – or ordering a monthly subscription of the same flowers to tick a box. No, I refer to an altogether more considered exercise. One that has a soul and feeling and promotes the energy of the spaces we live in. A choice that reflects the seasons and your own feelings. A careful and contemplative selection of stems and leaves that add to a room’s existing beauty, breathing life into the room – a choice that is no less extravagant in its gifts as a result. Choosing flowers that work in a particular room is a joyful exercise – really looking at the colour, shape and form of each stem and how it will inhabit the space and complement the decoration therein is step one. But flowers are so much more than mere accessories – they are living, breathing symbols of beauty. Each bloom embodies

jardin botanique

Often, the decoration of a room dictates the personality and style within, and this room is no exception. Contemporary in its outlook, one wall is covered in a large-scale, almost botanical rendering of painterly peonies, dahlias and roses. Its overt romance strikes a surprising note amidst the more modern furnishings. Two large vases of differing colours and shapes add another layer of vitality and modernity. In one vase, a no less wilful sheaf of vibrant green grasses, with their slender stems and vivid colour, brings a modern balance to the romance of the painted blooms. There are no flowers, yet these verdant stems have movement and texture that underline the joy and vitality of the space. 15

It can be easy to overlook certain spaces at home when it comes to styling and decorating with flowers. It is all too easy to create something eye-catching and wonderful in a main sitting room or dining room, but the idea is to bring one’s whole home to life rather than just a few rooms. Here, in this small hallway/study in a contemporary loft, the use of a characterful flowered wallpaper sets an unexpected tone. It has drama and cosiness in equal measure and also possesses a vintage quality that marries perfectly with the Mid-Century furniture. Even so, one could pass through this space without noticing. A small arrangement adds a magical and surprising touch – nothing elaborate here – with a contrasting pair of simple vintage green glass containers containing fresh green scented geranium leaves and a pair of country zinnias in colours that echo those found in the wallpaper and Cyperus glaber grasses. This simple statement makes the hallway feel part of the home and adds life to a small space.

achara

A mix of containers and vessels that can be

moved around your space or grouped together to create your own still life is a useful tool when

accessorising with flowers. In fact, I am not sure one can ever have enough. A mix of clear

and coloured glass, contemporary and vintage, various shapes and sizes, sets a tone before you have even filled them with flowers and leaves. That mix is evident in this space, filled with pale apricot digitalis, lilac scabious, Persica ‘Alba’ and hornbeam – the mix of flowers is as varied as the shapes that contain them. They offer a note of lively spontaneity and contrast that feels joyful and spirited. 86

cassandra

In a faded, yet still grand palazzo, the walls bear testament to the ages with distressed plaster of celestial blue. A decorative print of hydrangea blooms in sapphire, aquamarine and amethyst is hung at the tall window and the space has a captivating air of noble gentility. Breathing glamour and freshness into the space is a simple arrangement of deepest blue hydrangeas, their frilly blooms mirroring those hung at the window, while full-blown bright pink peonies, almost at the end of their fleeting beauty, echo the faded grandeur of the space. Gently bending stems of snake’s head fritillaries curve out of the same bright blue glass container, along with grassy asparagus ferns that add a simple structure and a note of contrast to the space. The elegant simplicity of the flowers and leaves are all that is needed in this space to match the mood. 141

160

Here, we have the slow, magical unfurling pop of Icelandic poppies’ saffron-coloured petals as they emerge from their protective casing. It’s as though the translucent, vibrant colour of each giant petal has been painted by hand. Its fleeting presence is a reminder to stop and absorb its extraordinary beauty. 161

saraille

The stinging, acid yellow of the fennel flower is something of a marvel – tiny, bright and delicate flower heads on vivid green stalks seem to explode like extravagant fireworks. Each little burst of colour is complex, as if revelling in its own tiny planet of awe and beauty. It is only on closer inspection that this wonder is revealed. Otherwise, it might easily be overlooked.

I like to use these elegant and rather magical blooms simply, with one or two stems in slender vessels that accentuate their vibrancy. Keep them tall and winsomely romantic or cut them short so they become almost living sculptures. 199

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