***Giveaway winner has been selected! Thank you for entering! :) ***
This post was brought to you in partnership with simplehuman. They gave us one of their new sensor open trash cans for the studio and another one to give away (details below!!)! Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep LGN going. :)
Do you have a list of back up jobs? Like, jobs you have in mind just in case your current job ever feels old or stale? I have two back ups, just in case this designer/shop owner thing doesn’t pan out. The first is a Labor and Delivery Nurse (because BABIES!!!) and the second would be a Florist. But given how much I really love interior design, and that I have four kids and that I also do my best to squeeze in as much florist moonlighting as possible around here, it might just be that I have the best of all worlds right now! :)
We make between five and ten arrangements a week for styling our projects. So every Monday morning I go to the flower market and stock up. While our studio kitchen is under construction we set up a makeshift floral station using our beautiful new voice and motion sensor trash can from simplehuman and this standing desk we got in the IKEA as-is section. I didn’t notice until we got it back to the studio that part of the laminate had been torn off (eye roll). But I’ve always wanted to try the marble contact paper and this seemed like the perfect experiment. It was super easy to do and I love this little floral station now! We can just come over and grab whatever we need during the week for print shop shoots or client spaces. And our beautiful new trash can helps us keep the area clean and tidy! It comes in a ton of color and finish options, but I love our sleek white one!
Most of my arrangements end up being loose and more organic with lots of greenery. I thought you might like a little tutorial on my general approach to flower arranging here!
I almost always start with a floral frog or oasis to help keep the stems upright and in place, especially with bigger vessels.
I always start with greenery as my foundation. I like to mix it up sometimes, but I pretty much always just want to use silver dollar eucalyptus. The bluey green color is my absolute favorite and the smell is amazing!! I use shears to cut the stems to size, so they hang a little long and loose. I’m also sure to remove the leaves that would be under water to help the arrangement last longer.
One of my best tips is to keep a tidy work station and clean up as you go. You guys, our new simplehuman trash can opens when you say “OPEN CAN” (!!!!). I mean, we basically live like the Jetsons now!
ANNE STREET print // HYACINTH print // rug
It also opens when you wave your hand near the lid and it will stay open if it senses you are still using it! Crazy right? This trash can has been so handy here at the floral station and I’ve become so obsessed that I got one for my kitchen at home. It’s awesome when the can is just open and ready for you to dump right in those drippy messes (like chicken! :/) that are just a regular part of meal prep. The germaphobe in me absolutely loves the touch-free element. And can we just talk about how gorgeous and sleek the can is? What a beauty!
You can plug in the can or use batteries and there is a built-in liner storage compartment inside the can that I think is just the coolest thing!
The next step for the flower arrangement after the greenery is to place a couple of your biggest flowers. I used blush dahlias as my base flowers here as well as couple of bright pink garden roses.
A good trick for measuring what length you should cut your flowers to is to hold them upright and trim to the height of your vase. Remember that it’s always better to cut a little long and have to maybe come back to trim a little more stem off than to be stuck with a too-short stem and a flower that keeps sinking into your arrangement! (I like to snip the ends right into our new trash can! Here’s a little pro-tip for you though: no need to say “close can.” I was saying that for a while until I realized it closes automatically! Hahahhaha.)
After you establish a general shape with the big foundation flowers, I like to add color and texture and further define the shape of the arrangement with a couple of smaller flowers.
I always like to add a touch of either black or really dark oxblood red to almost every arrangement for a little bit of contrast. These anemones do just the trick here!
Tada!! All done! I would use something large like this for a big coffee table or an entry console. If we change the water every day, arrangements like this one can last for two weeks!
Tell me, what are you favorite floral arrangement tips? I’d love to compare notes! And if you’re not arranging flowers with an touch-free trash can near by, you’re not living!! :)
PS We decided to give one of these gorgeous automatic-open cans to you! YAY! To enter to win, just leave a comment on this post with your dream household invention or your favorite simplehuman product.
Thanks again to simplehuman for sponsoring this post!
Is it too silly to want a face-washing machine? A nice, clean face feels so good after a long day – so why is it so hard?
Love your fancy new trash can!
I really like the wall mount grocery bag dispenser.I have an old plastic dispenser that’s hard to wipe clean – I have to remove it and wash in the sink. This looks much easier to wipe clean.
I would like to bring back the central vac. Similar to central air only when you hook up a hose to the wall connection there is suction to create a vacuum.
My other favorite household invention is the dryer vent – the means to exhaust the dryer to the exterior of the home, usually a flex duct and an angled exhaust vent.. My grandfather invented it! Before that dryers just exhausted into the room they were in.
I’ve never lusted after a garbage can before, ha! I’ve always dreamed of a little dryer in the bathroom for towels so you can just throw wet towels in there instead of draping them over racks or the shower. It would look like a cabinet and I call it the cabinet dryer. I wonder if it exists!
I’d love something that washes, dries, folds and puts away clothes lol
I’m with you!
A robot that unloads my car after a trip to Costco and puts everything in its place. Including taking boxes apart and recycling. Please!
I’m saving up for the combo trash and recycling! Such a space saver!
This trash can is my dream product. My husband is a wheelchair user, and it is such a pain for him to bend down and push the foot pedal on our current trash can with his hand. He frequently sets trash on the counter next to the trash can so I can put it in when I come by. This would be so cool for him to be able to simply wave or speak and have it open! I am adding it to my Amazon wishlist.
I think the bin of the future should empty itself and take the full bag outside :)
I would to have Rosie the robot from the Jetsons to clean my whole house for free, minus the units price.
I love my simplehuman dish rack, functional and looks great on the counter. Would love to add this garbage can in the kitchen!
My favorite simple human product is the automatic hand soap dispenser. No more touching dirty soap for for me! Plus my three year old ended up knocking the old ones over all the time because he didn’t have enough strength or height to push from the top. Automatic if the way to go!
My dream household invention would be a clutter-picker-up to follow everyone in my house around and pick up after them so I don’t have to! I love simplehuman trash cans (I already have 6!) but would love this one for our downstairs!
My dream household invention would be for the fridge to make dinner suggestions based on the contents. I also wouldn’t mind a way for the washing machine to shoot the clothes into the dryer.
Haha I said the washer thing too and then saw you did! Wouldn’t that be magical!!
Somehow washes the dishes that aren’t dishwasher safe
We were gifted the sink caddy and I especially like the way it’s adjustable for longer brushes. A gas monitor to leave in your kitchen to remind you that your lp gas tank outside is running low would be wonderful! It seems that our cooktop always runs out of gas before an important weekend or holiday….
It would be cool to have a self-sorting trash/compost/recycling bin!
Collapsible appliances that you can “minimize” to make room for more counter space when you’re doing with them. And can they PLEASE be pretty?
I don’t know, I think they broke the mold with the dishwasher invention but if I needed to have something else I would say anything that automatically filter dust out of the room.
I love the kitchen pullout organizers! They look so sleek!
I second the request for a refrigerator that creates a meal plan based on the contents of it–I don’t mind cooking but I am not a great planner and often end up having to run out mid-meal prep to grab something that I need.
As for SimpleHuman products, I am a big fan of their mini trash can–I have one in each bathroom and bedroom!
My dream household invention would be a self-cleaning bathroom, or at least a self-cleaning toilet. Maybe some UV light ring that fits under the rim with a brush feature with each flush… This garbage can, though, is genius!
Ooh,my fave simplehuman product is the dish rack!! It seriously changed my apartment dwelling life.
Amazing! I want this trash can. I’d love an automatic duster! I loathe spraying on the cleaner and dusting furniture. :)
What a great invention. I want this thrash can for my kitchen.
Ooooh, my favorite Simplehuman product is the sensor mirror. Yowzers!
I love the Simplehuman squeegee. It makes a mundane task a little more tolerable!!
Oooo! Love, love, love smart garbage cans, but also the dog food storage. The locking lid is a hilarious need for our family.
A self-emptying garbage can! We just stuff and stuff until there’s no possible way to get anything else in – or get the bag out :)
Oooo! I want this trash can!
My dream household invention would be an automatic door; one that opens and closes at my command. It sure would make bringing in armloads of shopping bags a breeze. Please simplehuman- invent it!
My fave SH product has been their original step on trash can since I’ve never owned any other product. Question: how do you dump the water without all the flowers falling out and do you have a cooler for storing flowers? Thank you.
I was just having a trash can convo with my bestie the other day. Simplehuman – you’re a lifesaver! This is the perfect size and I love the tech-savvy details. I want one bad. Next on my list is jewelry storage. I know you must have something great for all my pretties.
I’m swooning over that white trash can! I wish more utilitarian things came in white. Side rant: why are all TVs black and shiny? Sigh. I’d love a home invention that would dust all my shelves and baseboards!
all i want in life are window treatments that will open and close a) on a timer and b) based on the weather and time of year.
is that too much to ask?
A self cleaning cutting board!! That also looks nice and a self locking home. Like cars with a key fob.
This one made me think… I would like a washer that transferred the wash to the dryer and started the next load. Forgetting to move it over makes laundry last for daaays!
Thank you for letting us know about this trash can. I quilt and generate a lot of tiny fabric scraps when cutting fabric that I throw away. I would love this little dream machine by my cutting table.
My sister, who has 3 dogs, says the Roomba has changed her life!! Runs every other day while they’re at work, and keeps the pet hair at bay.
I’d love this trash can, and a chef to prepare delicious meals while using it!
I love my Simplehuman stainless steel trash can. I have had it for over 10 years, and it still works beautifully. This white one is definitely pretty!
I will like something that automatically cleaned the outside of the toilet, not just the inside. Hello — little boys!!
I need a machine that folds all of my clean laundry. Then it wouldn’t just sit there staring me down for a week before I decide to put it away . :)
The simplehuman automatic dish soap dispenser I bought 10 years ago was a total game changer for me!
A discrete Diet Coke dispenser or cooler that I can keep elsewhere in the house or the car that wouldn’t take up fridge space. I might never stop drinking them then…
I’d like a robot that follows my toddler around and just generally cleans behind him. No more sticky hand prints, no more crumbs!
I have wanted one of their garbage cans with a sensor forever! I would be happy with any product that simplifies my life.
I’d like a robot vacuum to turn on or off with my iphone. I also have been wanting a garbage can with sensor.
I just recently began my journey from the music business to a career in floral design & horticulture. This incredible trash can would be a lifesaver for all of my arranging experiments in my tiny Brooklyn apartment!
That being said, the giveaway model is really my dream Simple Human trash can – or any of the push bar cans because my hands are always full when putting together arrangements!
And a dream household invention would have to be a bin that condenses compostable material – all of the floral greenery that I put in the compost ends up taking up a lot of space underneath my kitchen sink before I can get it outside!
Before I discovered the George foreman grill, I dreamed of a device that would grill meat in the kitchen but drain away the fat. Thank you George!
WHAT is that ikea table/desk called? I can’t find it for the life of me.. was it a really old return or something new coming??