CHRISTMAS TABLE CENTREPIECE SAMPLING - Creative Edge December 2021
DESIGNS & TEXT BY HITOMI GILLIAM AIFD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLIN GILLIAM
“Every Christmas I decorate a client’s home for their annual Christmas Tree-Cutting Party. This year was their 25th and final year for this event. Because of Covid situation, it was determined that the outdoor courtyard would be tented and floored to accommodate a sit down dinner in a much bigger space. 16 – 72” round tables clothed white and silver with Christmas green napkins and silver Chiavari chairs with green and white Christmas Stocking used as chair backs. Client’s flower color request is white with natural Christmas greens and woodsy accessories + silver.
The caterer and the client concluded that serving food family style would be the safest.
This quickly determined that the centerpiece must have as small a footprint as possible to make way for the platters that will occupy the middle of the table. This job was on a very short notice so in most part I had to come up with ideas that did not require sourcing supplies that are difficult to locate.”
“What I recommended was a Tall & slim Christmassy centerpiece lifted on a 12” Tall (4”dia.) heavyweight clear glass cylinders with river rock and water as anchor. Clear glass keeps the design looking light and lifted, and the mechanics used allows for precise placement of stems, into the water or free stemmed (without water source) which is possible when designing for a short term event.
I offered the client 3 choices of centerpiece design to choose from. I suggested that it would be more interesting to have 2 styles of design – alternating tables for variation. One of the most important factor to consider was the production time, onsite. It was best to choose the designs which were quick to produce for 2 pros working on site. ”
OPTION #1
‘Silver Glitz Amaranthus Branch/Fresh white & green Vase Design’
“This vase design is the quickest to create. The general mechanics used is a chickenwire pillow wedged into the neck of the cylinder with Silver Amaranthus stem bent into a ‘U’ at the bottom (this helps tightly secure the stem wedged into the cylinder). The bottom of the stem is sunk into the river rock.
Begin with the insertion of the Amaryllis stem through the chicken wire roll – the stem splitting makes the insertion firm. Add the Willow whips and the tall Australian pine uprights to establish the height of the design. Insert the Magnolia and few Douglas Fir sprigs to help cover the chickenwire roll efficiently.
Carolina sapphire, Kochia and Disbud mums are inserted next, followed by mini Phalaenopsis orchid stems as feature flowers in the focal emphasis area.
The white/glittered Plumosa fern add the texture layer with silver sparkle to complement the Silver Amaranthus branch.
The Silver branch was approved as a feature addition by the client to create this sampling. This design is also a good contrast to the second design not only in its styling but also by height.
”
BOTANICALS:
Amaryllis ‘Mont Blanc’ (Hippeastrum var.); Miniature Phalaenopsis; Disbud Mum; Kochia childsii; Brunia albiflora; Carolina Sapphire (Cupressus arizonica var. glabra); Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii); Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora); Leucadendron ‘Australian Pine’; White/glittered Plumosa Fern
SUPPLIES:
Silver Glitz Amaranthus permanent branch; Clear glass heavyweight cylinder (4 x 12”); River rocks; Chickenwire pillow; IKEA ‘Torka’ willow whips; Bindwire
OPTION #2
‘Euro Slim Christmas Tree’
“Fill the clear glass cylinder with 3-4” of River rock after filling with water. Note: Thinner glass cylinder can easily break when filling with rocks. Take a 18” length of the 12” wide coated chickenwire, roll it length-wise with Douglas fir branch enclosed within, and secure in 5 equidistant spots with Bongo ties (this enables quick construction and dismantle). Bindwire lengths of heavy willow sticks for support with extra extension of willow to the bottom of the cylinder as stilts, on 2 or 3 sides of the cylinder. This structure will provide adequate vertical gridding to hold all the insertions securely.
Wrap a short length of chickenwire roll tightly around the fir-filled vertical roll and wedge it tight inside the top neck of the cylinder. Make sure that the vertical roll is completely secure and straight upright in the cylinder. Stab in varying lengths of willow whips, from long to short, diagonally upward from the base of the design at the top of the cylinder vase to mimic the slim, tall Christmas tree shape. This will secure the vertical structure additionally.
Begin inserting Christmas greens from bottom upwards… longer pieces to shorter to the top, allowing to shift the direction downward to upward postioning at ½ or 2/3 way up the tree, as the radial binding point area. Douglas fir sprigs first, followed by Carolina sapphire, then variegated boxwood. Decorate texturally, naturally with Leucadendron cones, Brunia, then pine and fir cones.
Then the feature flower…. Miniature Phalaenopsis blooms.
This Euro slim tree centerpiece is very elegantly statuesque with a very slim profile which will not block the view entirely across the table. It is very Christmassy but with the Euro modern, yet natural and organic feel. It is also surprisingly efficient to produce. The use of the fir-filled chickenwire roll allows for assemblage with less insertions than you might expect. This design system sets up perfectly for repetition. It is vital that the tree stays very light and slim overall to be supported by a small weighted footprint (4”vase width).”
BOTANICALS:
Mini Phalaenopsis; Douglas Fir (Pseudotsyga menziesii); Carolina Sapphire (Cupresus arizonica var.); Leucadendron ‘Australian Pine’; Variegated Boxwood (Buxus elegantissima); Leucadendron cones (Leucadendron ‘Jubilee Crown’); Brunia albiflora; Pine cones (Pinus var.); Fir cones (Pseudotsuga m.)
SUPPLIES:
Clear glass heavyweight cylinder (4 x 12”); River rocks; Chickenwire rolls; Bongo ties; IKEA ‘Torka’ Willow whips; Bindwire
OPTION #3
‘Art Nouveau White Midollino Extender Tree’
“First, construct the slim Art Nouveau tree form (silhouette) with combination of white yarn-covered Midollino/wire extender vines and ‘Torka’ willow whips.
Make 2 long ‘Torka’ willow whips, each covered with white yarn, as the central vertical axis to build on.
Create 4 quadrant tree silhouette to attach to the vertical axis, to add dimension to the tree. Begin to add the additional extenders with curvilinear curls and twists to add decorative elements as well as girth and dimension. Bind wherever the pieces cross with doubled lengths of silver bullion. Attach the completed tree silhouette to the 4” pillow with bindwire in several spots to completely secure the connection.
Prepare the glass cylinder filled with water and weighted with 3 – 4”deep with river rocks. Place the tree over the cylinder fitting the pillow snug over the top of the vase. Secure it with Willow sticks stabbed through the pillow diagonally into the rocks.
Decorate the tree with silk cocoons hot glued in various spots like Christmas balls, with opening facing up (these can be filled with little bit of water to hold some flowers if needed). Place the tallest Australian pine vertically into the tree top, down into the vase, and another a little shorter. Add Carolina sapphire piece within the silhouette of the tree form. Add Douglas fir sprigs to cover the pillow. Also place a branch of variegated Holly at the base. Add a stem of Amaryllis at the top, and split stem end over the grid, into the vase to hold. Add Disbud mum through the structure into the vase.
The Parrot tulips… some are inserted to drink water in the vase. The top stem is in water in the silk cocoon. Plumosa fern is laced into the structure to complement the silhouette of the tree buoyantly. The mini Phalaenopsis orchid stem is in water in the vase or in the silk cocoon.
This arrangement is a very time-consuming design. The labor on creating the Midollino/wire extenders, plus the construction of the tree shape installed in the cylinder vase is estimated at 90 to 120 minutes each. When the 3 samples were presented to the client, I highly recommended Sample #1 & #2 as the 2 variations to install. #3 design was much admired but too difficult and costly in time to produce the 8 pieces necessary. In all practicality…. cost of time was the factor that help determine the selection for both myself and the client.
I would recommend #3 design as corporate account rotation piece. Create 3 or 4 for multiple buffet or credenza installation pieces, to be used multiple time through the holiday season for several parties and events. They are signature eye-catching pieces to sell. The flowering portion of this design is very quick and efficient.
”
BOTANICALS:
Amaryllis ‘Mont Blanc’ (Hippeastrum var.); Disbud Mum; Parrot Tulip; Miniature Phalaenopsis; Leucadendron ‘Australian Pine’; Carolina sapphire (Cupressus arizonica var. glabra); white and glittered Plumosa fern; Variegated Holly (Ilex aquifolium var.); Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
SUPPLIES:
Clear Glass Heavyweight Cylinder (4 x 12”tall); River rocks; 4” Holly Chapple pillow; IKEA ‘Torka’ Willow whips; White Yarn; Midollino/wire extender vine (white yarn covered over 3 midollino and aluminum wire); Silk cocoons; Hot glue; Bullion wire (silver); Bindwire
“I hope that this 3 sampling exercise help illustrate the attributes of the different options. While this particular project was for a Christmas application…. you can easily apply this sampling exercise when you are planning any projects where you have to seriously look at the different attributes that comes into consideration for production in multiples. Time in labor, is the greatest factor in considering efficiency and profitability.
Don’t forget to charge amply for your artistic creations!!
DESIGN #1: A quick and easy vase arrangement with minimal insertions using chickenwire pillow supporting a client selected feature statement piece that adds style.
DESIGN #2: A classic but Euro style tree based on the tradition that everyone covets for the occasion. Decorated naturally, with a touch of exquisite orchid blooms. Efficient design to duplicate.
DESIGN #3: A signature Art Nouveau tree structure… quick and easy to flower, but the structure itself takes too much time to construct. Most suitable for reuse over and over again to get the most out of the artistic endeavor via rental.”
