Holiday designs can be warm, traditional, modern and bold. Olga Sahraoui, professionally trained in Holland and the owner of SaholaFlowers.com, draws inspiration from the world of fashion, art, design, architecture, photography and beyond. Here, she’s designed three, one-of-a-kind holiday floral designs for a traditional Tudor home. Thank you, Robert Northfield, KELLERWILLIAMS Broker & Realtor, and the Peterson family for sharing your home to make this holiday design makeover possible!
MODERN SCANDINAVIAN This holiday tablescape brings together the warm color story of purples and natural materials, such as birch. “Purple blends with nature,” Olga notes. “Orchids bring in a modern relaxed feel. They symbolize love, beauty, friendship and wealth.” Traditional roses are blended with ferns dyed in tones of pink and purples. These are then intertwined with natural elements like spruce and pinecones and nested in the design. Christmas ornaments add holiday shimmer. The look is completed with elegant vanilla colored candles, lit for a warm holiday experience. All of these modern and natural elements are brought together in a birch wrapped vessel.
STYLE TIP Carry these design elements over to the place settings and décor in the room to bring the room together for that special holiday feel.
Modern Scandinavian design combines natural elements with modern textures and colors. Take natural dark green succulents, spray them with floral grade glitter to compliment your color story and place them on birch coasters to anchor the look. Set two or three around your table setting and throughout the dining room to continue to combine modern elements and textures with natural organic floral designs.
DUTCH INSPIRED HOLIDAY DECOR
“Gold is one of the main traditional colors for holiday decorations and it represents luxury,” says Olga. “Dutch design in floristry is very structural. They tend to use branches.“
The color story was inspired by the gold mirror and the architectural elements of the room. Rather than going with one traditional piece above the fireplace, the design starts with a tall standing gold metal vase. Using twigs, branches, garland, gold painted chicken wire, and peacock feathers combined with branches of cotton flowers accented with gold butterflies, the design frames the fireplace opening and mantle. “It’s a striking look, she says.
STYLE TIP Combine natural earthy floral elements with gold décor to soften the design.
WHIMSICAL FROSTY FAIRIES
“Modern holiday color schemes use white, silver and tones of black, blended with other elements for whimsical and fun design,” says Olga. White ferns, sparkly white elements, icicles, and textured ornaments are blended with black garland covered in miniature crystals. “Three Frosty Fairies from the North Pole were our whimsical and main décor elements placed at different parts of the stairs [for] a playful holiday surprise.”
STYLE TIP: Bringing in whimsical unexpected elements into a design creates a fun holiday relaxed feel.