Boho Chic Dahlias
The glamour of Boho Chic style with its mixed prints and bright clashing colors has a certain appeal and visual interest that may be lacking in more conventional approaches to fashion and interior design. In decor, the drama and romance of Bohemian influence is seen as patterns and plants are integrated in rooms through a fusion of color and design. Recently, as I wandered through a nearby Anthroplogie store selecting props for future photographs, I recognized that it was the harmony in this studied form of dissonance that makes Boho style so captivating...
Surrounded by dahlias of every size, shape and color as I prepared to design an arrangement for a friend, I decided to create a Bohemian inspired floral piece using a melange of jewel-toned blooms. A contemporary glass cylinder vase in a dramatic plum hue gave structure to the arrangement and balanced the multicolored flowers and balls of citrus fruit.
A unique flower, the dahlia grows late in the season and often in deep rich autumn hues. Vivid but earthy, the orange blooms fade to a soft apricot color as the flower opens.
The fiery pink and orange dahlia pictured above is one of my favorite varieties. It has such a lovely range of colors that change with the lighting.
The brilliant pink of this dahlia has a cool undertone, creating a fuchsia color in morning light...
Photographing these flowers was as much fun as styling them, since the geometric quality of the dahlias and the repetitive design in the petals brought out a unique blend of color and ornamentation. Creatively, it was very liberating to mix so much color and pattern, layer the tones and textures, and adjust the lighting to make these vibrant but also somewhat moody floral images.