Avoiding the ‘florals for spring’ cliche

Anya Cooklin-Lofting explains how to pull off the classic look without falling victim to triteness

Scaling up floral motifs creates more impact (Andrew Martin)

The “florals for spring” cliche was famously torn apart in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada, by Meryl Streep’s character, New York City editor Miranda Priestly. She derides the very concept of “florals for spring” with a sarcastic, deadpan delivery of her next line, “groundbreaking”. In both the fashion and interior design worlds, a spring floral print can feel at once derivative and apt. However, as a lover of all things floral myself, I believe there is a way to nod to the cliche without falling victim to Priestly’s disapproving eye roll.

Old Master influence

Banish the dainty and the ditzy florals in favour of blooms with substance. Old Master-style floral paintings and prints bring floral charm to the home in a more refined and sophisticated way. You can pick up this kind of artwork on the secondary market at auction or in vintage and antique shops. Roseberys Auction House’s upcoming Old Masters, British & European Pictures sale (29 March) will feature some beautiful works on paper by Dutch Old Masters including Anthony Claesz, and a stunning still life with red geraniums by German artist Hans Dieter, to mention just two examples.

Hans Dieter, 1881-1968: still life with red geraniums (Studio of Miguel Canals)

Play with scale

Working florals into the home in unusual ways will also help you avoid the spring florals cliche. Scaling up floral motifs creates more impact, stepping away from more traditional floral wallpapers or soft furnishings like curtains, bedding or upholstery. A great example of this is Andrew Martin’s Tulips wallpaper, which features individual tulip stems, bulbs and all, in a larger-than-life scale, that sprout up from behind sofas or hover eerily behind furniture.

Andrea Scacciati, 1642-1710: still life painting of flowers in a vase (Studio of Miguel Canals)

Rugs and carpets

Deeply pigmented rugs with floral designs can bring fantastic floral flair to any space in a very understated way. From runners in landings to cosy kitchen corners, the rug needn’t be the preserve of the living room or the bedroom. I love my rugs with a little wear and tend to favour early 20th-century European rugs or kilims. 1stDibs is a great platform for vintage rugs and more contemporary takes on the classics.

Cut flowers

Finally, floral fiends shouldn’t ignore the real thing when it comes to bringing the outdoors in this spring. Cut flowers plonked unfussily in a vase on the dining table or the kitchen island are not to be sniffed at, but there are some alternative ways to display your favourite flowers. Tulipieres, towering ceramic vases with spouts and ventricles for individual stems, are perfect for creating alternative displays. Some great styles are available from Etsy, but check out the auction houses and digital antique marketplaces for the “real thing” as it were, with Delft blue designs and ornate silhouettes.