Heavy Petal

The Christmas tree needn’t always be dressed in baubles and tinsel. Find out how to recreate this abundantly floral centrepiece at your place

- Sally Conor

Our glorious floral Christmas photoshoot was originally inspired by the luxe brass countertop in Blush, Kelly Karam’s Auckland floristry shop, but on the day, some very special blooms muscled their way into the spotlight.

“There was some wisteria available on the morning of the shoot so I felt we had to add it in!” says Kelly. “I love colour and am inspired by unexpected combinations. The dark berry, lilac, blush and white we used here is a dream.”

With the addition of pale marble, warm, luxurious brass and, you guessed it, blush pink into the palette, our bold yet feminine Christmas setting was ready for its close-up.

Although it may seem complicated, this look is actually easy to achieve at your place. It’s all about having fun with colour, planning your arrangement, buying flowers that are in season and making it work for you on the day.

Tie the knot

Knotted-fabric wrapping is an attractive and eco-friendly way to present your gifts. This method works best with boxed items and you won’t need any sticky tape or ribbons.

STEP ONE Place a large piece of fabric patternside down on a flat surface. Make sure you have enough fabric to go around the gift and leave long enough ends to tie together. Place your boxed gift in the centre of the fabric on the diagonal.

STEP TWO Fold the fabric over the sides of the box just as you would with gift paper, and fold or roll the corner pieces over a few times in the middle. Flip over the box so the folded fabric is now on the bottom.