***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!
Dual compartment is my favorite, but this one one would be a dream.
Definitely that gorgeous touch free trash can!
I Love my simple human sink organizer that holds my sponges and keeps things looking neat. This trash can is gorgeous!
I could really go for a washer/dryer that could automatically select the right temperature so kids & my husband wouldn’t ruin clothes!
I am in love with smart tvs. I think it makes everything so easy.
We are living like the jetsons.
My dream household object would be a robot to make me s’mores and deliver them to me in bed. Ahhhhh.
My dream household object would be a bed that keeps my kids asleep!
I dream of a tub scrubbing robot. Like a Roomba for baths and showers! I seriously hate cleaning bathrooms :(
A robot to empty the dishwasher. Love the trash can!
Hmm. My dream household object would be an automatic clothes -folder! I’m fine with every other step of the laundry process except that!
A sleek touch-free trashcan would be a perfect addition to my kitchen.
I’d love a bed for my kids that senses when they are waking and lulls them back to sleep (vibrations, music, whatever) to buy me a little more sleep in the am!
A kitchen scale that automatically keeps track of weights of different items and adds up nutrition facts for a recipe. Not sure if that makes sense, but it would be cool!
I’d love a smart refrigerator that keeps tracks of what’s inside, recipes, expiration dates, etc! Love how inventive SimpleHuman is. Their dish drying rack and sponge caddy are so good.
Also, any tips on how to change the water in a big vessel like that? Do I have to take the flowers out or just pour carefully out the side? Thanks!
I’d love a robot housekeeper! The robot would just roam the house cleaning everything. Constantly! :)
My dream household object would be a machine that not only washes and dries your clothes, but folds them, too! My favorite simple human product is my current garbage can. BUT MAN OH MAN it’s got nothing on this new beautiful touch free can! I love when companies make all of the mundane things we have to have in our lives (trash cans, dish racks, etc) actually something pretty and well designed. Bravo!
My dream household object: a pet that takes care of itself and cleans up toddler crumbs :)
Great post! I love the simplehuman trashcans I have in my bathrooms.
I have had a simplehuman shower caddy for years that is amazingly still rust-free!
I love the stainless trash can that doesn’t show fingerprints!
My friend has the simple human sensor can and I love using it every time I’m at her house! I would love one of my own.
I’m digging the white, sleek exterior! It blends in nicely with its surroundings without looking so much like a trashcan! :)
Hi Amber! Congratulations! You were selected to be the give away winner! Can you email me – jenny at juniper-studio dot com and we’ll get that sent out to you?
Thanks!
My dream household product is something that can vacuum for me! I know roombas exist, so maybe one of those if they would hold up to the cat hair that seems to build up everywhere. :P
The pull-out organizer!
I’m a proud owner of the simplehuman rectangular step trashcan plus 2 mini round models.
I would love for someone to invent a pump bottle that worked until the product was 100% gone! They always fail when about 1/4 of the bottle is left or it just stops working!
A robot to bring out the trash, or throw out the old food and clean the tupperware…or make the bed. Ok, the list is growing! I love that trashcan though :)
A dust-free home? =)
A separate kitchen just for me! Husband and kids could have their own messy room with crumbs and jam on the counter whilst mine would be pristine no pile of dishes next to the dishwasher. Seriously…..if you can put it next to the dishwasher why not just open the door and PUT IT IN!!!!!
My dream household product would be a robot that could clean bathrooms.
I love this trash can that opens with voice activation– a clever invention!
My home flooded with Harvey- ground floor is a total demo. Currently drying out. Would love to have my dishwasher back- especially with 3 kid. The trash can is beautiful!
Automatic / touch-free soap dispensers get my vote. So modern and convenient!
Speaking of the Jetsons….I totally need their robot housekeeper….you know to cook, clean, do laundry, etc. Is that too much to ask of technology? LOL.
Something that would clean the bathroom for me–my least favorite chore!
My dream invention is 8 more hours in each day!
My dream invention would be a robot to do laundry. Laundry takes up so much time that I would much rather use that time for cooking, crafting with my kids or even gardening.
Definitely a clothes folder/hanger! I just can’t ever get that chore done it seems like. This trash can would work perfectly in our home. The kids would love it!
Its a good looking container. And the arrangements are beautiful.
It would be great to see more focus on sustainability such as composting options and recycling containers since many of us are trying to create less waste for landfills. Organic waste isn’t really ‘trash’ so it does seem strange to buy such a large trash can these days when most waste should be composted/recycled.
I’ve never seen this trash can and I LOVE it!! This is my dream household item. So clean and sleek. Perfect size.
I would love one of those food machines from Star Trek where you just say what you want to eat or drink and it appears. It would be so much easier than cooking after a long day.
Definitely touch-free trashcan!
haha! love the commenter that wants a bathroom cleaning robot, that is what i want too. i hate cleaning bathrooms
A robotic floor, wall and cupboard mop/vacuum would be amazing! Something that gets every corner, nook and cranny vacuumed and then steam cleans all the bits of mysterious goo off (we have 4 kids ages 8 and under!)!
I would love a machine that would be able to fold and put away clothes!
I’ve had a simplehuman dish rack that blasted over 8 years! And I don’t have a dishwasher so that means 8 years of daily use. It’s amazing and I wouldn’t change it a bit. Keep up with the excellent design and amazing quality!
I’m into arranging flowers with that BEAUTY of a can nearby I’m just not the most skilled at arranging :) I la la LOVE their ‘liquid soap pump’. As a nursing student I’m not only pressed for time but looking for a hands-free option in my bathroom and this looks perfect! p.s. Thanks for hosting such a FUN and GENEROUS giveaway, cheers!
xx
Honestly I could just go for a trash disposal, but without this would make life much easier!
: )
I love the Simple Human brand. I’d be happy to give the trash can a happy home.
I’m still waiting for my Rosie the robot who will be a charming household maid…why isn’t that the top priority for inventors??
Very informative, keep posting such good articles about go green ideas, it really helps to know about things. Thanks for sharing useful information…..