need an idea for a very different funeral piece

[lori042499]

One of my really good corporate clients needs a very outstanding funeral piece, they want it different than the norm and they want it to stand out...they will be spending $250.00.

I just am looking for some out of the box ideas that are standout but not crazy different....I am thinking of a possible hedge design...but have also tossed around the several plants on one side and flowers and the other for a possibility..

What say you all..

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

Lori,
I know it's not too "different" but may be just unusual enough to stand out amid a sea of typical sprays - a standing spray with groupings of flowers, with some more unusual flowers ... Kale, Eremurus, orchids, lilies, hanging amaranthus ... I've taken some inspiration from CHR's site for these ...here

Or a tall vase, with a grouping of natural birch branches, followed through with some of these atypical flowers.

In our area, these flowers aren't typical, and they get noticed.

I find that my customer's idea of unusual isn't unusual at all to me .... yours may be different.

good luck!

 

[lori042499]

Lori,
I know it's not too "different" but may be just unusual enough to stand out amid a sea of typical sprays - a standing spray with groupings of flowers, with some more unusual flowers ... Kale, Eremurus, orchids, lilies, hanging amaranthus ... I've taken some inspiration from CHR's site for these ...here

Or a tall vase, with a grouping of natural birch branches, followed through with some of these atypical flowers.

In our area, these flowers aren't typical, and they get noticed.

I find that my customer's idea of unusual isn't unusual at all to me .... yours may be different.

good luck!

You are correct there....They more want a standout arrangement of some high end flowers that you don't see too often, but nothing real starnge like hanging heliconia or tropicals...They like it to be just different enought to show up in a different way rather than just a huge and massive spray of the same roses and mums in everybody elses...

 

[SpringCity]

I like the idea of an Oasis wreath laid flat, designed with groupings of flowers. Looks like you took a piece of the garden and transported it to the service. It's not weird but a little different.

 

[lori042499]

I like the idea of an Oasis wreath laid flat, designed with groupings of flowers. Looks like you took a piece of the garden and transported it to the service. It's not weird but a little different.

Great Idea, however, the funeral home would not have a table to put such an item on...not to mention 250.00 worth would get awful heavy with not so much water I would be scared of that....I did think of doing a garden style parallel arrangement, almost like a perrenial border in a window box type of basket, but then I thought to ordinary...in my mind anyway...I think I want to go more classy...

 

[SpringCity]

Ok, what about a pilsner-type or that size of large vase with flowers like orchids (if you can get some), callas, different greenery, etc. You could design into a Lomey dish w/foam and set it on the vase and put twigs and blooms or an orchid stem into the vase. Of course, that could be too wedding-ish... I will keep thinking!

Edited to add: I see what Tracy wrote and I think she's right. You could do a "regular" style but w/cool flowers and I bet your customers will be wowed.

 

[Connie]

How about incorporating some braided greenery, ala Phil R.

 

[Lally's Bouquet]

I would do an all white cymbid arrangement in a nice turquoise or white vase. I'd add some branches like manzanita or birch, or whatever you have available.
I find it appropriate for a funeral while it is also different than what is out there. No oasis, no sprays, just a simple arrangement of 3 large white cymbid stems and 2 mini cymbids with branches throughout.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas to pick from and you'll do a good job.

Lally

 

[crazy daisy]

I love one of Phil's designs from several years ago....it's a standing spray made of a variety of tropical foliages (fern, palm, monstera, lily grass, aspidistra), with white lilies (as the focal) and dendros with bamboo accent. The design is spectacular, unusual, but not "way out there."

 

[paradise bird]

You can become very showy and large with a tall hedge design, grouped colors for impact very easy to sink 250.00 into it. in our area size is important and can be placed on floor next to casket. Or how about a cage style arrangement with vines, strong paved focal center. I once made a patterned rug of foilages, (ti, croton, flax, euc, lemon leaf, calathea, aspidistra, and herbs for under the casket. this traveler loved Africa so I used repeated geometric forms.
P. Bird

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

how unusual do you wanna go?

The first one of these pics (with the birds) is Hitomi inspired..
When I do this design it gets a lot of attention. super easy to make this $250. And it can be as tall as you want really.

The second one (with the purple dendros) was one I helped Wilton Hardy make. It's suppose to be a wisteria tree. I think more orchids coming out of the pot would be pretty. This stood about 6feet tall

The third with the white dendro I think is just a nice design, and also very eye catching in the all white. This one stood about 3 feet.

Anyway, I know they are a little weird, but I like weird.

 

[lori042499]

Shannon, I like them all but a bit sparse for their taste....they want more standout impressive than stand out weird....That was why I immediately thought hedge....or parallel..

 

[Joe Mioux]

Shannon, I like them all but a bit sparse for their taste....they want more standout impressive than stand out weird....That was why I immediately thought hedge....or parallel..

Ok, your answer to shannon answer my first question.

Tracy and others also offered some good ideas.

Your client wants different, they didn't say "art" but from your above response they want "show".

Set pieces always work. a wreath is probably your best bet. I would use an Oasis wreath, get it done and move one.

this is a corporate account so a heart is a little too personal.

or ....

do an easel with different flowers.

all your customer wants is different........... don't go crazy trying to figure out what "different" is. You know them and they know you.

the only time I go wild is when I am sending a funeral piece, otherwise I prefer to play it safe and just do something that is traditional but different from the rest of the florals.

joe

Now

 

[teresa]

What about a spray (waterfall) we bend the back leg of an easel and make the spray with flowers that flow over with orchids, other flowers and greens we did this for a company once and now they request it all the time.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

well if that's the case, I'd go with a kick ass standing spray.

and I'd shove curly willow in it or Kiwi. Seems people think curly willow makes everything fancy and high end.

Joe gives good advice, I think I would listen to what he said.
My idea of different and regular people's/non designers idea are seriously 2 different things.

The waterfall Idea is good too. that was what I first thought of, but like I said, how unusual do they want to go???

I can get pretty looney toons with a design if they let me.

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

My idea of different and regular people's/non designers idea are seriously 2 different things.

"BIG" gets the same varied responses. I once had a customer ask us for a price on a "BIG" standing cross , and he emphasized really big. I suggested $275, $350, or more depending on the variety of flowers he wanted us to use. He was shocked - he thought "BIG" would be $75 ... Lost that one -"customer demise" due to sticker shock & poor salesmanship at the time.

 

[lori042499]

OK, so I decided on going with a white wash willow basket with large groupings of flowers....I went with hybrid delph, open cut callas, hot pink open roses, blue hydrangea, safari sunsets(leucodendron) bells of ireland, white orchids, blue iris, pink lizzy, pink snaps, pink flax leaves and myrtle with some salal....

Most of the groupings are 10 stems some altogether some split in bunches of 5.....the hyds are a bunch of 3....I may just add some birch or curley for some more height....

It came out pretty and kind of elegant woodland feel...not to weird but definately will stand out among the sea of mums and carns...

 

[rogerhabgood]

OK, so I decided on going with a white wash willow basket with large groupings of flowers....I went with hybrid delph, open cut callas, hot pink open roses, blue hydrangea, safari sunsets(leucodendron) bells of ireland, white orchids, blue iris, pink lizzy, pink snaps, pink flax leaves and myrtle with some salal....

Most of the groupings are 10 stems some altogether some split in bunches of 5.....the hyds are a bunch of 3....I may just add some birch or curley for some more height....

It came out pretty and kind of elegant woodland feel...not to weird but definately will stand out among the sea of mums and carns...

onlyjoined in late soz
I was gunna ask whattype of client and the person? tatses type personality.
I always them get my head around that.
Obvious ons like Cycling club I used the guys front wheel as base for a fab piece that they still talk about.
Marketing co lost the expert sound technician ... Yep I got some alumin wire and made the base out look like A Clef

Anyways up what youve doen sounds V ineteresting with loadsof texture

Pics ?

 

[lori042499]

onlyjoined in late soz
I was gunna ask whattype of client and the person? tatses type personality.
I always them get my head around that.
Obvious ons like Cycling club I used the guys front wheel as base for a fab piece that they still talk about.
Marketing co lost the expert sound technician ... Yep I got some alumin wire and made the base out look like A Clef

Anyways up what youve doen sounds V ineteresting with loadsof texture

Pics ?

no time on this one....made and out the door..sorry

 

[Joe Mioux]

"BIG" gets the same varied responses. I once had a customer ask us for a price on a "BIG" standing cross , and he emphasized really big. I suggested $275, $350, or more depending on the variety of flowers he wanted us to use. He was shocked - he thought "BIG" would be $75 ... Lost that one -"customer demise" due to sticker shock & poor salesmanship at the time.

and sometimes "BIG" doesn't work in funeral homes.

I once had a designer who thought big was good. She made easels that were enormous.

The problem was her "big" easels stuck out like sore thumbs. The intent was good, the execution was good, the resulting look in the funeral home was abysmal.

Now in the churches they looked good, but in the funeral home with more traditional sized arrangements competing for the same space, it failed.

joe