Fall 2008
Botanicals: The Bold and the Beautiful By Poornima Apte

The International Floral and Gift Center at the Dallas Market Center plays host to many permanent botanicals vendors. Check out the displays in market to trigger some ideas you can implement in your store.

The classic principles of visual design—using linear elements and repetition apply to this display from the Aldik floor. The spherical cactus balls and the weathered table on which the display is set add some texture to this elegant display.

This gorgeous display from Direct Export uses high-impact color to good effect. The oranges in the arrangement are complemented by the warm shades in the silk tablecloth underneath. Notice how the bird of paradise flowers—a flower usually used to impart height—is used here to give the arrangement some horizontal flow.

Direct Export breaks up this display of vertical flower stems with a well-ordered arrangement of fresh fruit. It adds visual interest to what would otherwise have been a pretty standard display.

This example from Direct Export could be used in your store especially if you want to showcase an ideal outdoor display. Note how the flowers used on the vertical door element are the same used in the faux garden. You might not have such a bright red door handy but it drives home the importance of working vivid color into your displays.

Talk about attention-grabbing! Allstate Floral uses nostalgic Hollywood images to gorgeously complement floral displays. Notice the wonderful use of color—white with white; Sophia Loren’s red against red—a principle you can use no matter what wall art you choose to work with.