We tasked event designer, florist and consummate creative Holly Carlisle of ROSEGOLDEN for her take on a seasonal tablescape--and came away inspired. With five varieties of dahlias from Blue Rooster Farms, tablewares from Decor to Adore and cuttings from her own garden, Holly has us in the mood to savor the season.
"I found the leaves used on the plates blowing around an abandoned parking lot in Woodlawn," Holly laughs. She wanted to create a "seasonal and spur of the moment arrangement where foliage gives a sense of time and place and mid-tone neutral grasses tie the arrangement together."
If you’d rather leave the foraging and fine-tuning to Holly, she will be offering tablescape kits this holiday season. These gorgeous turnkey solutions to your dinner party will cost $350 and include the following:
- One big or two small arrangements
- Votives and tapers with votive holders and candlesticks
- Botanical styling elements
- Lighter
- Cake flowers
- Bud vase arrangements to pepper around the table
Stay up-to-date on Holly’s events, classes, and seasonal offerings by following her on Instagram, @hollymcarlisle, and on her website rosegolden.com. See how her seasonal practice of creating an arrangement solely from her current environment and season has inspired others by following #ourseasonalsketches
You may also read more about Holly's inspired work within Rizzoli's In Full Flower: Inspired Designs by Floral's New Creatives.
Holly’s Tips
- Pick a color palette
- Prioritize one color
- Find something you like and take that item shopping around to see how it marries with other design and floral elements
- Think seasonally and appreciate what the season offers
- Try not to rank flowers--they are all special and have a unique character
Holly’s Local Sources
- Blue Rooster Farms "They have a flower subscription service and have an excellent selection of hard-to-find dried flowers. They can also help you source flowers." blueroosterfarms.com
- Decor to Adore decoretoadore.com
- Davis Wholesale "One stop shop and they are good at helping people select flowers."
- Oak Street Garden Shop
- Leaf N Petal
Pro Tips: Your local hardware store is a good source for flowers in a pinch. Buy a plant, cut the flowers and plant the plant for a gift that keeps on giving. Also, your local train tracks receive direct sunlight and are a great place to find local grasses and wildflowers.