In Bloom: Styling with Flowers in Interior Photography
A Quiet Romance
If I weren’t a photographer, I’d be in a tiny village in the south of France—running a bookshop with good coffee, handpicked poetry, and small, sculptural floral arrangements in the window. That alternate life lives close to the surface.
Flowers are part of my everyday. They’re on my skin. In my apartment. In my woven work. I always have fresh ones near me. I keep going back to even the simple ones—tulips, Peruvian lilies. When placed with care, they come alive again.
When I enter a space with my camera, my eye looks for the flowers. Not to highlight them too much but to feel the atmosphere they bring.
Flowers in interior photography should never steal the scene. They’re not the star. They’re the mood.
My wild garden. My happy place.
Tattoo design by Zia Flemon
Florals Should Accompany, Not Compete
In interior photography, flowers are not the subject—they’re the supporting cast. Their role is to enhance, not dominate. A well-chosen stem can echo the color of a cushion, soften a hard corner, or pull the eye gently through the frame.
In the most beautiful rooms, flowers don’t shout. They just quietly belong. They bring something felt, not forced.
Understated arrangements—sometimes even just a single branch or bloom—can add life without distraction. I often ask myself: What is the room already saying? How can the flowers echo that, softly? Not with drama, but with presence.
When a Stylist or Florist Isn’t Available
It’s a gift to work with stylists and florists. But not every shoot allows for that. Sometimes it’s just the designer and me, a few stems, and whatever we can find on hand.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Stick to a single color palette
Use one type of flower for simplicity
Don’t overfill the vessel—give the flowers room to breathe
Even grocery-store blooms or foraged branches can sing when placed with care.
The Vessel is the Voice
What you place your flowers in matters as much as what you place around them. Stone feels grounded. Glass feels light. Ceramic whispers handmade.
A vessel is never just a container. It’s a conversation with the room. I’ve used vintage glass, chipped ceramic, even a heavy brass cup when nothing else felt right. It’s not about perfection—it’s about intention. The right piece hums quietly with the rest of the space.
Talk to Your Photographer
If you're preparing a home for a shoot, involve your photographer in floral styling decisions. We can guide scale, placement, and composition.
Some flowers wilt under lights. Some need trimming. And some need nothing but space. A quick conversation ahead of the shoot helps everything fall into harmony.
Case Studies
1. White Stock in the Blue Wallpapered Bathroom
Bright and tailored. The teal vessel plays beautifully with the wallpaper, while the white stock brings lightness and texture to a bold pattern.
Design by Elizabeth Malmo
2. Dining Nook with Tulips
Joyful restraint. The tulips bring a playful contrast to a room full of bold color and pattern. The clear glass vase keeps the arrangement feeling effortless—like the flowers were picked and placed without overthinking, allowing the room’s personality to take the lead.
Design By David Quarles IV
3. Lilacs in the Bedroom
Understated and poetic. The lilacs echo the room’s palette and feel like they’ve always belonged there.
Design by Greg Baudoin
4. Sculptural Amaranthus and Heliconia in the Dining Room
Floral styling as sculpture. The pairing of amaranthus and heliconia adds gesture and movement, extending the maximalist energy rather than competing with it.
Design By David Quarles IV
5. Greenery in the Formal Dining Room
Polished and composed. The oversized vessel anchors the corner, echoing the rich palette of the room without distracting from it.
Design By Greg Baudoin
6. Monstera Leaves at the Hotel Bar
Hospitality with soul. A single vessel with graphic foliage makes a bold, elegant statement. In commercial spaces, especially hotels and restaurants, flowers can feel intentional when they reflect the interior’s design choices—adding polish without pretense.
Design By GCD Interiors
7. Bittersweet Branches on the Outdoor Cart
Seasonal and wild. The arrangement feels spontaneous and deeply tied to the natural setting. The branches dance gently, echoing the movement and rhythm of the landscape outside
Flowers are how a room breathes. Not loudly—but deeply. They punctuate. They soften. They echo what’s already there.
And when chosen with care, they turn a still image into a living, feeling moment.
“Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature.” — Gérard de Nerval
xoxo,
Sarah
If this resonates, I’d love to connect.
You can explore more of my photography work here, or get in touch here.
Note: While I’ve credited the interior designers featured in this post, there may be additional vendors, makers, or creatives whose beautiful work is also present in these spaces. Sometimes I don’t know every contributor, or I might forget to name them—but I see you, and I’m grateful. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I’ve missed you.
