Mondrian Inspired Floral Designs

Mondrian-inspired floral design from Courtenay Lambert Designs

I had the great opportunity to meet Courtenay Lambert of Courtenay Lambert Florals a few weeks ago at the Cincinnati Art Museum Unbridaled event. I knew she was going to be cool because she had this necklace made of huge beads and it looked fabulous on her. I love someone who can wear their jewelry with that kind of chutzpah, you know? She also had an amazing letterpressed business card and that's always impressive to this paper girl. I'm easy to please. ;o) Anyway, we had some great talks about all things blog and creative and I think she is such a great asset to the wedding/event planning world of Cincinnati.

She posted this sneak peek into a design for the Cincinnati Wedding Magazine Winter 2011 issue the other day on her blog and I had to share it with you since it not only showcases some gorgeous floral design, but it also goes into the creative process behind it. I am very interested in breaking down the process that some find very natural but others do not (namely me, in floral design and interior design though that's another therapy session). Here is how her designer Jen Shorten explains HOW to create this Mondrian color block style of floral design:

Mondrian inspired bouquet

1. Three is the magic number. Stick to two or three colors, anymore than that and you might end up losing the bold effect. Two’s fine but three makes for a more interesting and effective contrast. See how the color in the flower stems is also an integral part of the design?

2. Don’t be afraid to clash. The normal rules don’t apply here, don’t be afraid to combine colours you usually wouldn’t.

3. Keep it in the family. It’s also effective to contrast two tonal variations with a more contrasting jarring colour, for example pinks and purples against a vibrant lime green. I love that she integrated two tones of purple. It makes the design more relaxed in a way, less rigid.
4. Be loud and proud. This trend is all about bold bright colours and works best with the most vivid shades.

5. Keep it simple. The look works best with plain neutral accessories; break up the colour blocks with cream, black or grey accessories. I absolutely LOVE that she used the ribbon in a way that echoes the block design from the vase above. Those details make such a difference in the overall continuity.

Thanks Courtenay and Jen Shorten for putting great stuff out there! If you could have a painting be the source of inspiration for your event, what would it be? Romantic Monet? Linear Picasso?