Make This Quick DIY Vase for A Seaside-Inspired Brunch

We're teaming up with Squarespace for a week of inventive DIY centerpieces, from classics with a twist to totally wild takes. We invited a few of our favorite designers and stylists to participate, so join us as they share their tips and tricks—and scroll down for a code to get 10% off a yearlong subscription to Squarespace.

Today: Floral designer Michelle Rose of Minka Flowers shows us her Maine coast-inspired arrangement to anchor your next seafood dinner. Michelle uses Squarespace—check out her site here.

  

A trip to the Maine coast is the right kind of New England destination to plan for on the brink of warmer weather—one filled with the promise of fresh lobster, rocky beaches, and wild, willowy plantlife. Michelle Rose, proprietor of Kennebunkport's Minka Flowers, channeled the Down East's flora through this centerpiece of variegated grass, hosta leaves, Soloman's Seal and Leucojum—all of which, she says, can be seen growing in traditional shade gardens throughout New England and the U.S. Her coastal-inspired arrangement brings to mind a quick kayak ride through the estuaries and salt marshes of Maine.

Shades of green and white bring airiness to a table setting without overpowering, say, a raw bar or a crisp white wine. And simple glass bud vases showcase individual blooms, the ends of the stems concealed by a DIY sand covering. (Michelle taped off the vases at varying heights, painted them with glue, and evenly sprinkled on beach sand to creat the effect.) 

She grouped Soloman's Seal and Leucojum in separate vases (and suggets that if you can't find these where you are, try bleeding hearts and lily of the valley). She then knotted groups of spunky variegated grass, leaving the ends to fray out at an angle. Finally, she transformed hosta leaves into makeshift calla lilies—just by cutting off the stems and rolling the leaves inward.

Photographs by Karen Sigler

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