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Simple, Colorful Arrangements by Kirk Whitfield

The Atlanta-based floral designer uses bold colors to create arrangements that are easy to make but still big on style
A purple floral arrangement by Kirk Whitfield of K & Co Flowers in a room painted royal blue. The arrangement, which includes sweet peas, hydrangea, and clematis, fills a large bowl set on a dark wood sideboard. An abstract painting, also featuring blue tones, hangs in the background

Materials List

  • Variegated sweet peas
  • Hydrangea
  • Clematis
Floral designer Kirk Whitfield placed a peach-color floral arrangement, featuring hyacinth, ranunculus, and hellebores, in a woven tray beside a pair of crystal decanters. The room beyond, which boasts a tall window, is painted a soft pale green.

Materials List

  • Hyacinth
  • Ranunculus
  • Hellebores
A vibrant yellow floral arrangement of dianthus, roses, snapdragons, scented geranium, and asclepia (milkweed) contrasts with the royal blue wall.

Materials List

  • Dianthus
  • Roses
  • Snapdragons
  • Scented geranium
  • Asclepia (milkweed)

Floral Tutorial

Portrait of floral designer Kirk Whitfield, wearing dark jeans and a tan cable knit shawl-style sweater, sitting next to a vase of pink peonies accented with smaller blue and white flowers

The Inspiration

“For the how-to arrangement, I wanted to explore colors that one might not necessarily consider using together. Texture helps bring the palette together along with the green elements.” — Kirk Whitfield of K & Co Flowers

How-To Materials List

  • ‘Butterfly’ double ranunculus
  • Peonies
  • Tweedia
  • Asclepia (milkweed)
  • Lysimachia (gooseneck loosestrife)

Step 1

Make a grid on the top of the container using clear tape, which is easier to hide than green florist tape. Then add a line of tape around the top edge to make it more secure, and add water.

floral designer Kirk Whitfield demonstrates how to make a tape grid on the top of a flower vase (step 1)

Step 2

Strip the bottom leaves from the ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus, and fill the arrangement with the stems, creating a base with their foliage.

step 2 photo - floral how-to

Step 3

Trim the peonies and place them throughout the whole arrangement. I used about 20 stems.

step 3 photo - floral how-to

Step 4

I love the baby-blue shade of tweedia with its touch of pink that plays well with the peonies. Place 10 stems throughout the container.

step 4, blue tweedia nestled among pink peonies and creamy white ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus

Step 5

I added asclepia (milkweed) for texture and to help bridge the colors.

step 5, adding asclepia (milkweed)

Step 6

Then I finished with some lysimachia (gooseneck loosestrife) for their shape and “pokey” quality.

Step 6, placing lysimachia (gooseneck loosestrife)

Produced by Alice Welsh Doyle | Photography by Laurey Glenn | Floral design by Kirk Whitfield of K & Co Flowers kandcoflowers.com

Flower magazine cover for January Febrary 2021

This story originally appeared in Flower magazine’s Jan/Feb 2021 issue. Subscribe to the magazine or sign up for our free e-newsletter.

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