It is always so nice to walk into a hotel or building lobby and encounter a beautiful floral arrangement. My favorites are those over-the-top arrangements that make us stop and say "WOW". Decorating with flowers and plants is easy and stylish, but since flowers are a product of nature, they are impacted greatly by the environment in which they are displayed. Light, air, water, and care are the main factors that will affect your arrangement. The rest is up to your imagination.

There are many styles of floral arrangements, from geometric traditional bouquets to casual garden-style arrangements, eclectic "free-spirit" concoctions and modern minimalist compositions. Learning how to create a floral arrangement must take into account the environment and the time of year. Your location, whether at the beach or in the mountains, and what flowers are available will affect the style of your creation. The style of your arrangements should be in sync with the style of your decor; then again, these are personal and temporary forms of expression, so decorating edicts are loose...almost anything goes.

Almost any place can have a floral arrangement. The most common locations are entry hall consoles, coffee tables, dinner tables as well as nightstands and bathrooms. Where you place your floral arrangement will determine its size and grandeur. For example, a bedside bouquet should be small and demure, while an arrangement for a dinner table should be low so you can see the faces of the other diners, and an arrangement that is on a console can be as high and wide as the room allows.

The type of flowers chosen really depends on what your local vendor carries based on your geographic locale. That being said, most flowers are imported and exported from all over the globe, so everything from tulips to orchids are available in most green markets and flower shops. With ample time, most florists can order your preferred specimen for you.

If there is anything that will impact the overall style of your floral arrangement, it would be the container. The same arrangement in a different container can change the appearance and style of your design. A group of sunflowers and greens in a milk glass pitcher will add a bit of country style to a kitchen, while if displayed in a simple geometric clear glass vase, it will give a contemporary feel to a living room. Likewise, a bouquet of red roses in a cut crystal vase may appear formal, and yet the same roses in a glazed clay container have a casual fresh-out-of-the-garden look.

Flowers are a great way to keep your decor looking fresh. Here are some tips to keep them looking their best.

—Flowers absorb water all night long, so it is best to cut them in the morning when they are hydrated.

—Cut the stems at an angle. This allows the greatest surface for them to absorb water.

—Use a mister every other day to provide the petals and leaves moisture, which is often absorbed into the air, especially in an air-conditioned space.

—Remove most leaves so they don't touch the water. This will keep the water fresh and clear.

—Change your flowers' water daily, and trim a small portion off the stem. This will keep your flowers perky.

Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: at Unsplash