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Designing Centerpieces
THE FLORAL CENTERPIECE is an established
part of our society. Holidays, birthdays,
dinner parties, and other special events call
for the use of centerpieces to contribute to
a festive atmosphere. Floral designers can
exercise their creativity by designing
centerpieces with specific themes.
Objective:
� Demonstrate how to design cen-terpieces.
Key Terms:
� accessories
candleholder
centerpiece
Floral Centerpieces
Centerpieces have been the center attraction on tables since the eighteenth century. A cen-
terpiece is a floral arrangement designed to be placed on a table or a buffet. It should be
attractive and colorful. Traditional centerpieces are low so as not to interfere with conversation
at a table. However, contemporary arrangements, such as topiaries, add a splash of color and
design above eye level. A centerpiece on a dining table is viewed from all sides. A centerpiece
on a buffet table at a banquet might be one-sided and coordinated with centerpieces on the
Floral designers are also referred to as florists. They select live, dried, or silk flowers and
foliage to create bouquets, corsages, table centerpieces, and wreaths. They are also hired to
make floral pieces for weddings, funerals, holidays, and other special occasions. Floral designs
include containers, ribbons, and accessories, such as balloons, candles, toys, candy, and gift
baskets.
Floral designers must be creative and be able to communicate their ideas visually and ver-
bally. Problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently and under pressure also are
important traits. Individuals in this field need self-discipline to budget their time and meet dead-
lines.
Most floral designers work in small independent floral shops. The shops may specialize in
custom orders and handle large orders for weddings, caterers, or interior designers. A floral
designer may meet with the customer to discuss the arrangement or work from a written order.
He or she notes the occasion, the customer’s preferences, the price of the order, the time the
floral display or plant is to be ready, and the place to which it is to be delivered. For special
occasions, floral designers usually help set up floral decorations.
Floral designers are not required to obtain formal postsecondary training. Most floral design-
ers learn their skills on the job. However, many designers do seek an associate’s degree from a
community college or a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university.
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Summary:
� A centerpiece is a floral arrangement designed to be placed on a table or a buffet.Traditional centerpieces are low so as not to interfere with conversation at a table.
Types of centerpieces include bud vases, small vase arrangements, round center-pieces, oval or diamond-shaped centerpieces, and conical centerpieces. A roundcenterpiece looks the same from any view. The contour of the arrangement may beround or triangular. An oval or diamond-shaped centerpiece is similar to a roundcenterpiece but is more suitable for an oval or rectangular table. The contour of thisdesign may be triangular or rounded. A conical centerpiece is a three-dimensionalisosceles triangle.
Accessories are items that can be added to centerpieces to create interest. Candles,ribbon, fruit, cones, seasonal items, and other objects are used as accessories.
To make decisions about the design of a centerpiece for a particular event, gatheringnecessary information is important. A series of questions must be answered, includ-ing what, when, where, how, and why.
Checking Your Knowledge:
� 1. What is a centerpiece?
2. What are the types of centerpieces?
3. What are the steps taken in designing round and oval or diamond-shaped cen-terpieces?
4. What are accessories?
5. What information must be learned to complete an order for a centerpiece?
Expanding Your Knowledge:
� Design a variety of centerpieces as a project at home or in class. The program atschool can take orders for events and fill them as a class project. Follow the steps tomaking centerpieces outlined in this unit.