Rooms and Flowers. The types of furnishings in a room should similarly influence the selection of flowers. A primitive type of room requires flowers of a sturdy character, whereas fine neo-classical furnishings demand refinement in flowers and receptacles. A room's colors also limit flower selection. Rooms with positive colors and patterns may not need any flowers but merely bold foliage plants. A dainty room with a pale pink, silver or pale blue color scheme may have a flower arrangement echoing these very same colors, plus a pale orchid to complete the adjacent color scheme. On the other hand, a living room with rich, heavy colors, such as dark violet with its triad of dull orange and dull green, would make a suitable background for tulips, zinnias or composite bouquets of many rich colors. In a silver, white or black dining room, the flowers, linen, candles, dishes, food and gowns provide color, thus permitting an entire change in color schemes as desired.

  Flower containers

A large collection of receptacles and stem holders for flowers is necessary for flowers to look their best. An adequate collection of vases should include oriental, modern and conservative containers in metal, glass, pottery and porcelain. Plain receptacles are preferable to many others since the receptacle should never compete with the flowers for attention. A collection of containers should include various textures, such as glass for delicate subjects, pottery for marigolds and pewter for pussy willows. There should be large, heavy jars and pitchers in place on the floor to hold generous arrangements of budding tree branches, pine boughs, autumn leaves, sunflowers, or seed pods. Baskets often make attractive receptacles for flowers; if the basket has a tall handle, usually, the flowers should not reach the handle. Bargain shops offer a variety of simple, unadorned glass and earthenware containers, with the round fish bowl being one of the best. Any well-shaped glass bottles or tin cans can be painted with ordinary paint and used as flower receptacles.

Medium and tall vases should flare out at the top because the stems need space and the flaring tops follow the lines of growth of radiating flowers. A pinched-in mouth on a vase looks stingy. Low containers are necessary for platter bouquets and for arrangements using the iris, which has a sturdy stem that is interesting enough to exhibit. When stem holders are used they should be concealed when possible by foliage or flowers.

Some of the most useful colors for containers are foliage green, putty color, dull blue, black, brown, dull red, yellow and clear glass. The most stimulating effects occur, however, when pure red-violet, turquoise blue, jade green, or similarly colored vases are used to hold flowers of adjacent colors.

As stated previously, the color expert considers also the receding and advancing qualities of color. Orange-colored flowers should not be placed in a blue vase because the vase will appear to recede and the flowers will advance, producing a disturbing effect. It is also good to refrain from cool-colored flowers in warm-colored bowls. Artificial or acid colors, such as orchid, blue-green, and turquoise blue, should not be combined with earth colors, such as brick red, clay yellow and brown. These restrictions are somewhat arbitrary, but should be studied by those wanting optimal effects.

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