The smell of fresh flowers is as comforting as baked bread and cookies in creating a home.
Sandy Lau Pui-fan, from Anglo Chinese Florist, says when clients select blooms, they often use the colours in their home as a starting point. Lau has also seen interior designers create items such as top-side-down hanging pots to help people include natural elements in even the most unexpected or small spaces.
'Best of all, unlike fixtures, you can change flowers easily and the fragrance helps give uniqueness to a room,' Lau says. 'Often colours and shapes in nature are unique and hard to find in commercially produced items. You can introduce many colours with flowers to create a different mood.'
Solomon Leong, who runs Solomon Bloemen Bespoke Floral Designs, says black flowers such as lilies, tulips and roses and leaves are becoming popular, complementing the black trend in interior decoration. 'These flowers are not painted but have been bred to occur naturally,' Leong says. 'They are slightly more expensive because they are new but the effect is really worth it. Black flowers are like a living botanical sculpture for your home and are especially suitable for Hong Kong homes because they tend to be more architectural.'
Florist Gary Kwok also says darker tones such as purple and fuchsia are in fashion.
Ovo Garden florist Mandy To Man-ting recommends carnations for a cosy feel, or roses in the bedroom for an intimate look. 'We are now in spring so we recommend colourful flowers such as roses and orchids, or you may try long-lasting 'ingredients' such as lemons for your arrangement,' To says.