Your First DIY Centerpiece: A Beginner's Guide
Beginner

Your First DIY Centerpiece: A Beginner's Guide

centerpiece beginner DIY everyday

You Don’t Need Fancy Flowers

Here’s a secret that professional florists won’t always tell you: some of the most beautiful arrangements come from grocery store flowers. The trick isn’t in the flowers themselves — it’s in how you put them together.

In this guide, I will walk through everything you need to create a stunning centerpiece for your dinner table, brunch setup, or just because.

What You’ll Need

  • Flowers: 2–3 bunches of mixed flowers from your grocery store or local market. Look for a mix of shapes — something round (roses, carnations), something spiky (snapdragons, stock), and something airy (baby’s breath, wax flower).
  • Greenery: 1 bunch of eucalyptus or Italian ruscus
  • Vessel: A low, wide bowl or compote (thrift stores are goldmines for these!)
  • Tools: Floral shears or sharp scissors, floral tape, a small piece of chicken wire or a floral frog
  • Water: Fresh, room temperature

Step 1: Prep Your Vessel

Place a small piece of crumpled chicken wire inside your bowl — this creates a grid that holds stems in place. Secure it with a few strips of floral tape across the top of the bowl.

Fill with fresh water about ¾ full.

Step 2: Start with Greenery

Strip the lower leaves from your greenery stems and cut them at an angle. Place 5–7 pieces around the edges of your bowl, angling them outward. This creates the foundation shape and gives your arrangement a natural, organic look.

Step 3: Add Your Focal Flowers

Your largest, roundest flowers go in next. Place them in a loose cluster near the center, at slightly different heights. Don’t line them up perfectly — the goal is natural, not rigid.

Pro tip: Turn your arrangement as you work. What looks balanced from one side might be lopsided from another.

Step 4: Fill In with Secondary Flowers

Add your spiky and textured flowers between and around the focal blooms. These add movement and draw the eye around the arrangement.

Step 5: Finish with Airy Accents

Tuck in your lightest, airiest flowers last. These are the finishing touch — they fill gaps and add a cloud-like softness to the overall look.

Step 6: Edit

Step back and look at your arrangement from all angles. Remove anything that feels too crowded. Sometimes less is more.

That’s it! Your first centerpiece is done. Take a photo, tag Instagram, and be proud of what you made. Want more guides like this? Check out more guides or browse templates for detailed design plans.

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