Tutorial: “Vintage Opulence” Pomegranate Centerpiece & Auction

Today’s post is a very special one, the first of its kind…

We’re giving you a detailed, step-by-step tutorial on how to make our pomegranate centerpiece for autumn!

Plus, you’ll have a chance to bid on the original creation! All proceeds from the auction will go to Susan G. Komen For the Cure.

 

I call it “Vintage Opulence“, because the colors are a bit toned down, but it still has an air of splendor.

When I first imagined it, it was much like Couleur Nature’s Pomegranate Collection, full of vibrant golds and rich burgundies.

But as I walked up and down the aisles of the craft store, and as the bundle of stems in my arms kept getting bigger and bigger, I realized my imagination was taking me on a different route. I still wanted to keep the overall essence of the collection, but the finished result has a much more definite autumn feeling, don’t you think?

 

A lot of thought went into this centerpiece, so I’ll include detailed commentary in the tutorial in green.

Tools and Materials

 

• ~4 Pomegranates (stems optional)
• Red berries
• ~6 Magnolias
• ~6 Chrysanthemums
• Hydrangea
• Gold Glittered Juniper*
• Low container
• Floral foam

• Floral scissors and plastic wrap for real stems
• Wire cutters for artificial stems
• Floral picks/Skewers/Paper clips and tape if pomegranates lack stems

*I’m not sure exactly what kind of plant the feathery gold one is but the receipt said “juniper”.

If you can’t find the exact kind of flowers I used, that’s okay, as long as it looks similar. The most important element is the colors. You want them to range from warm creams to soft, pastel yellows and dusty golden yellows. The colors of the leaves are also important; notice how I didn’t pick anything with emerald green leaves. Bonus points if your leaves have tinges of yellow.

Because the color is so important, it’s best to use artificial flowers, so you can pick and choose exactly what you want. They can be found at arts and crafts stores, such as Michaels.

The berries should come in two tones, a plum variety and a red variety. Remember, the theme is vintage, so you want a sober red and not a fire engine red. Ideally, the pomegranates should be a sort of wine red. The artificial pomegranates I had on hand are more of a plum.

The feathery, glittered gold leaves are important! They add a slight touch of opulence to the centerpiece. It really makes a subtle difference, if you’ll see at the end.

The choice of container is really up to you, but I love the pumpkin basket I found, because it’s so perfect for autumn and Thanksgiving. If you can’t find a pumpkin basket, you could always carve out and clean a Cinderella pumpkin. Try to choose one in a burnt orange or white color. The container I used had a rim of about 8 1/2″ in diameter.

How to Make Pomegranate Centerpiece for Autumn

Preparation If Using Real Flowers

1. Soak a piece of floral foam in water overnight.
2. Line a low container with plastic wrap. Trim foam with a knife to fit snugly inside container.
3. Trim the stems at 45 degree angles before inserting them in the foam (this helps them pierce through the foam).

Tutorial

1. Place the foam inside the container. Trim the stems to appropriate length (not too short; if you cut it too long, you can always trim it later).

As you can see, I removed the handle from the basket. If your basket has a handle like this, it’s best to remove it, because it looks better.

 2. Begin by inserting the stem of the hydrangea flower in the foam. Because it’s the biggest element in the centerpiece, the other pieces will be arranged around it. Place the chrysanthemums around it. Some of the flowers should hang over rim of the container. You don’t want to make them too evenly spaced (so it looks more natural), but you don’t want them all on one side either.

 

3. Place the pomegranates evenly around the flowers. Trim wire of flower picks to 2 inches (use 1 pick for each pomegranate). Twist the wire ends around the pomegranate stems and insert the picks into the foam.

If using real pomegranates without stems, you can insert a pick or skewer directly through the bottom of the fruit and then insert it into the foam. (You may want to remove the pomegranates from the arrangement after a day as juice may leak.)

If using artificial pomegranates, take a paper clip and unbend most of it into an L shape. Tape the short end of the L to the bottom of the pomegranate and insert it into the foam (this works best if your pomegranates are lightweight). The pomegranates may tend to flip and flop around, but when the arrangement becomes fuller, they’ll be held in place by the flowers.

 

4. Arrange and insert the magnolias into the floral foam. Fill empty gaps with leaves.

5. Arrange and insert the berries into the floral foam. You want a few short stems and a few taller ones, but don’t make them tower awkwardly above the rest of the arrangement.

 

6. Arrange and insert the gold glittered leaves into the floral foam. The idea for the height of the leaves is the same as for the berries.

 

Voila! The centerpiece is finished!

 

Don't forget to pair your centrepieces with a Couleur Nature French tablecloth or some delightful tea towels.