Floral designer Jess Franks believes that more than any other time of year, the harvest and holiday seasons bring out the best in our creativity – and hospitality – as we welcome friends and loved ones into our homes. The dining table is the gathering place for most get-togethers, so a beautiful tablescape is often the focal point for the season’s décor. For the next demonstration in our DIY series, Holiday Tablescapes, Jess is excited to share her best techniques for creating beautiful centerpiece displays for the table. Her engaging designs will give you plenty of new ideas for combining nature’s inspirations with the unique style of your own home.
For her seasonal tablescape designs, Jess loves to let Mother Nature lead the design process. During the harvest season, the outdoor world explodes with an abundance of sights and scents that overload the senses and give designers like Jess an endless variety of materials to work with. Most days, she can be found combing the nursery yard and greenhouse, searching among our plants for unique colors and textures to incorporate into her projects. Pumpkins, gourds, cut twigs, grasses, and colorful perennial foliage are just a few of the natural elements available now, as well as preserved and lifelike botanicals from our Floral department. Preserved oak leaves and eucalyptus are two of her favorites – they’re natural, fragrant, and long-lasting. For tablescapes, Jess also visits the grocery store for fresh produce, like oranges and peaches. Edible fruits in clear glass bowls provide interesting color and texture along with an invitation to reach in and touch the display. Glass hurricanes with pillar candles create warmth with their flickering light and fragrance too. Even treasures from around the home – like foraged pine cones or her own vintage glass vases – find their way into Jess’s table arrangements. Inspiration is everywhere. Tablescapes with a cornucopia style are not only beautiful, they’re also practical. In a gathered, natural display, nothing needs to be permanent. Arrangements can be easily enhanced or simplified as needed. You can repurpose elements for different uses in the home or simply replace them in the case of fresh material. And themes can be re-thought from year to year, or even week to week, as new events or inspirations come up.
To find out more and to see Jess’s talent in action, join us on Saturday, October 21st, at 10am and 2pm. Just give us a quick call at 402-496-0700 to let us know you’ll be coming. And look for more information on other upcoming DIY demonstrations – including Mantel-Decorating and Custom Holiday Planters – coming soon.
