In floristry, design determines the way we choose and sue our materials: the way every piece of floristry is planned and organized to give the maximum visual appeal.

The elements of design guide us in creating visually attractive work.  However, such guidelines are not rigid.  They allow freedom and flexibility to express one’s own style.  It is important to understand the elements of design which are:

• Color
• Form
• Space
• Texture

Color
Whilst line is the basic component of design, color provides emotion.  Countless books have been written on color, yet few people understand its full emotional impact.  A color that inspires and cheers one person can irritate another.  Colors can be warm or cold, sending out cheerful or soothing vibrations.

The color wheel has several color groups but the three most basic ones are:

Primary colors - Red. Blue and yellow – are the sources of all colors.  Primary colors cannot be created by mixing colors.

Secondary colors – Green, orange and violet – are created when two primary colors that are next to each other on the color wheel are mixed in equal proportions.

Intermediate colors
Are obtained by mixing equal parts of a primary color and a secondary color that lies next to it.

Color has three dimensions:  hue, value and chroma:
• Hue is the name of a particular color, thus ‘hue’ is not synonymous with ‘color’
• Chroma is the color’s intensity or saturation.
• Value is a color’s lightness or darkness.

Tints, shades and tones all affect a color’s value:
• Tints are created when white is added to a color.
• Shades occur when black is added to a color.
• Tones are colors with grey added.

Complementary colors
Complementary colors are colors opposite each other on the color wheel, like blue and orange, violet and yellow, red and green.  They are warm and cool colors.  The complementary color harmony is the brightest color harmony there is because its colors are opposing.  They give you the greatest contrast.  Contrast can also be heightened by the intensity of the colors you choose.

Designing with complementary colors creates greater impact with few flowers.  Complementary arrangements look wonderful in large rooms like banquet halls or lobbies but tend to overpower smaller areas.

Colors are frequently described as advancing or receding.  Advancing colors are warm colors like reds, yellows, oranges, red-violet and yellow-green.  Receding colors are cool hues like blues, greens, blue-violet and violets.

Many florists think the most important thing about color and design is knowing the receding and advancing colors and how they affect people.  You should know how people are emotionally affected by color.  Warm (advancing) colors and cool (receding) colors have an automatic emotional impact.  People generally have a preference for either warm or cool colors.  Preference also depends on mood and what people need.  You can choose warm colors if you want to cheer people up or cool colors if you want a formal or soothing feeling.

Analogous colors
Analogous colors are made up of adjoining colors consisting of one primary, one secondary and two intermediate colors.

When you choose analogous colors, it is best to pick those that fall either on the cool side of the harmony or the warm side, because an analogous harmony generally has an emotional feel to it.  The easiest way to remember analogous harmonies to think of the harmonies of nature, like the red-violets and violets in a sunset.  Or think of autumn with its yellows, oranges and browns or the harmony of forest greens, blue lakes and the blue sky.

Adjacent colors reinforce each other and create3 a close harmony.  When these colors are used in group0s, they create analogous colors schemes.

Monochromatic colors
A monochromatic colors scheme is one color and its full range of tints, shades and tones.   For example, sky blue to medium blue to navy blue and all shades and tints in between is monochromatic color scheme.  When used in a floral arrangement, this scheme has a retreating, subdued character.

Color summary
To sum up, here is a list of some of the important elements of color.
Primary colors – Red, blue and yellow.
Secondary colors – Orange, green and violet.  Created by mixing two primary colors.
Intermediate colors – Red-orange, blue-violet, red-violet, blue-green, yellow-orange and yellow-green, created by mixing primary color with either secondary color located nest to it on the color wheel.
Warm colors – Reds, red-violet, oranges, yellow and yellow-green.  These are also called advancing colors.
Cool colors – Blues, greens, blue-violet and violet.  Also know as receding colors.
Neutral colors – White, black and grey.
Tones – A variation or a graduation of a colors, achieved by adding grey.
Chroma – A colors’ intensity; its brightness or dullness.
Value – A colors’ lightness or darkness.  Affected by tints, tones or shades.
Complementary colors – Colors opposite each other on the color wheel.
Analogous colors – Colors opposite each other on the color wheel.
Triad – A combination of any three colors equally distant from one another on the color wheel.
Polychromatic colors – A combination of five or more colors on the color wheel.
Monochromatic colors – A range of tints and shades based on a single-color.

Form
Use a variety of shapes within a design as the contrast between them provides interest.  Line material is generally used to give height and break up solid, round shapes.  Their spiky shapes give movement to a design: gladioli, larkspur and bulrushes are typical examples.

Round materials attract the eye and are generally used for focal flowers.  Round shapes, used at the base of a design, stabilize it.  Gerberas, roses and carnations, are several examples.

Transitional materials are used as stepping stones to link round and line materials together.  Spray carnations and spray chrysanthemums are often used for this purpose.

Space
The use of maximum space within a design will both define and enhance the material being used.  Designs with flowers tightly packed together, allowing no space between them, will result in a solid, static appearance.

Texture
Visual textures, in any good design, should be varied.  This is particularly when creating a design which is all in one color.  For example, an all-white arrangement could look bland without the added interest given by differing textures.