We love Thanksgiving for so many reasons—the time spent with family and friends, the food, the wine (obviously), and, of course, the focal point of any holiday table: the flowers. We asked our friend Punika from Puni Petals to share some tips on how to create a gorgeous Thanksgiving floral arrangement.

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Floral Selection + Textures

In my first foray into florals, I quickly learned the hard way that half the battle starts at the market. Picking out the right combination of flowers is key to creating the perfect arrangement. Look for textures that balance and compliment each other: Love that fluffy, dense, cloud of hydrangeas? Try balancing it with a structural anthurium or orchid. Getting a good variety of petal sizes and density is a good rule of thumb.

Color Theory

Have a general idea of what the color palette for your arrangement is. Will it be monochromatic? Neutral? Downright whimsical? My secret is once you put a palette together, add a sneaky dark color to add dimension and really make everything pop!

Composition

When arranging, loosely identify three levels: High, Mid, Low. I always start by placing these three anchors and use it as the skeleton of my arrangement. As you journey through, these points can change and shapeshift depending on how you end up placing your flowers and that’s ok! You might end up placing one even higher than your high point, and that becomes the new anchor. Let the florals speak to you and pay attention to the shapes and curvatures of each, they will tell you where they want to be.

Whenever I start designing, I never know what I am going to end up with. My biggest tip is to always look at the florals and see what kind of story they want to tell you, the bends and curves will tell you how they want to be handled and where they want to be placed in your arrangement. And, of course, have fun! Experiment, backtrack, add, remove, it’s all a part of it and a humbling practice to embrace the impermanent yet ethereal beauty of the world in floral art.

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About Puni Petals:

Puni Petals is a floral design practice and homage to the little things in life. A small hobby that started with foraging foliage and florals for the home bloomed into a design studio that is shared through the love for flowers—inspired by colors, shapes, textures and fragrance, Puni is constantly evolving her style with the ever changing nature of the seasons.

Follow along on Instagram: @puni.petals