Tradtional vs. contemporary vs. modern

[bloomtastic]

Okay, I've developed a problem. My definition of contemporary is different from my desingers! Help! I have scoward the internet for a true definition of each and I cannot find one. Here's my definition:

Traditional: Round shape, greens and fillers (we call them accents)

Modern: pave, mound ontop a vase, no greens, no fillers, clean, sleek, focal flowers

Contemporary: The use of the negative space in the design is part of the design. Ikabenna (if spelled correctly) is a good example.

My designer seems to think that what I think is modern is contemporary. I want us on the same page so we can explain to a client what these key words mean. I don't care who's right--we need to be on the same page (as well as with our client adn since we are the expert we should know!!).

Is there a book or something out there I can get or what are your opinions???

THANK YOU!!!!

 

[Joe Mioux]

Okay, I've developed a problem. My definition of contemporary is different from my desingers! Help! I have scoward the internet for a true definition of each and I cannot find one. Here's my definition:

Traditional: Round shape, greens and fillers (we call them accents)

Modern: pave, mound ontop a vase, no greens, no fillers, clean, sleek, focal flowers

AKA roundy moundy's ?



not much changes in good design, It is normally small nuanced changes that make an old stougy - boring arrangment into modern.

I have been thinking about designer definitions recently and have come up with what I think are definitive designer designations.

jeo

 

[Rhonda]

I actually googled the "design" styles......and came up with pretty much this definition...........modern and contemporary are basically the same BUT...
modern meaning "the time we are in" with contemporary meaning clean lines, definite shapes.
I picture contemporary with very very distinct lines, hence, negative space. Modern with texture as to the "sign of the times" meaning leather, fur, feathers........etc
Color is ageless thanks to the rules put in place many years ago.
The absolute reason to stay current with trends as many people consider clean lines with contemporary design and modern regarding color trends.
I shall consult my AIFD dictionary for more definitive designations!
LOL

 

[VJD]

.​

Check out AIFD's book of Floral Terminology (Rhonda, I know that's where you were headed)!!!​

AIFD Book Of Terminology
"The Floral industry's first official publication of standard terms and terminology."​

Contemporary Design: A generic term for design which is up to date of currently favored.

Modernistic Design (design style): A contemporary floral arrangement expressing current trends and ideas.

Traditional Design (design style): Time honored, familiar, and generally accepted style of design.

http://www.aifd.org/bookofterminology.htm

 

[RWK]

Being an AIFD member and one who has ran headfirst into terminology issues between designers. customers, managers, owners, etc. - I can relate

This is how I define - Contemporary - A blending of traditional and linear design styles to create a design that will fit in a wide variety of home decor.......Contemporary design can be something as simple as using the grouping technique for a traditional shape roundy-moundy

Modern design - Although the two can be used interchangeably - modern design to me usually means a litle more structured, linear design - such as a design done in the forma-linear style.

What I suggest is for the both of you - you and your designer study the AIFD book of floral terminology and use those terms when selling or describing the design you are wanting.

To give you an example - let's take the word "showy" - At a shop where I worked, the manager and I would butt-heads almost daily over how we applied the word "showy"

To me - Showy translated into a design that made a statement.....Stood out with singular distinction, most often I would do a linear design.
To her - Showy meant volume, size, and mass - in other words - as physically large as the dollar value would allow.

 

[cherrie]

Contemporary designs reflects the current trends.
So, now a days - to me, contemporary would be Martha Style arrangements, low to the water source, somewhat monobotanical, sometimes monochromatic, grouped colors, with lots of texture.

Ikebana, I would consider somewhat of linear design- although not always. Just the most commonly perceived ideas of Ikebana.

You know what I miss and have been thinking about reintroducing into my designs - is parallel and new convention designs.
I think they are so striking. I just don't do much in foam anymore, except sympathy pieces.

 

[RWK]

Cherri - I too would love to re-introduce parallel and New Convention designs back to the marketplace - About the only times anymore I do any type of parallel design is for sympathy and even then, it is sort of a looser, free-form landscape/garden style design.

 

[bloomtastic]

Thanks, everyone

Hey, thank you everyone! This has been very helpful.

 

[Rhonda]

.​

Check out AIFD's book of Floral Terminology (Rhonda, I know that's where you were headed)!!!​

AIFD Book Of Terminology
"The Floral industry's first official publication of standard terms and terminology."​

Contemporary Design: A generic term for design which is up to date of currently favored.

Modernistic Design (design style): A contemporary floral arrangement expressing current trends and ideas.

Traditional Design (design style): Time honored, familiar, and generally accepted style of design.

http://www.aifd.org/bookofterminology.htm

yeppers, you're right ! Thanks Val :blowkiss:

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

OK lets put a little more thought into this as to not confuse people.

To me There are several roundy moundys, there is the Traditional roundy moundy,
in a basket, design dish etc.

Then there is a contemporary roundy moundy, in a cube, maybe with curly willow in the container, nicer flowers etc...

A "traditional" arrangement usually says to me "pretty long lasting flowers in a vase, all around design"

Modern can also fall in that "contemporary roundy" category.
But it can also mean a very stylized tailored design, AKA "tropical flower" design, but the arrangement doesn't have to be always tropical flowers, you get the drift.

Also "Showy" that's a hard one. My first boss who was 8 thousand years old, to her "big and showy" was a term she used for funeral work.
so to me Showy will always mean BIG..

And contemporary means literally "what's in vogue NOW" period. so right now, that means little wads of flowers with no or little greens......... puke.

Really, some things are very open to interpretation, so be very clear what you mean on an order. ESPECIALLY wire outs.

For instance, "garden look" here would fall into that wildflower look category. Unless stated, garden look in a vase short and compact. Then I'd think they want a compact design with the flowers grouped together rather than "polka dotted"

IT"S A CONFUSING FLOWER WORLD!!!!!!!!

 

[SpringCity]

I like the aifd defiinitions, works for me.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

yeah, but the AIFD definitions are a big vague, ESPECIALLY if you're new to this game. The main prob with contemporary is all across America what's "in" changes from place to place.

 

[CHR]

Classic/Traditional - symmetrical or standard Western line designs

Linear High-style - use of negative space and form flowers

Low & Lush - compact with premium flowers, little or no added foliages (also called Pave' style although it's not really correct in florist vernacular)

Garden Vase - Casual groupings incorporating taller stems and appropriate foliages

'Contemporary' really is too ambiguous to be meaningful as a style. Other terms that lead to problems: 'English Garden' and 'European Garden' when used to refer to floral designs. In my classic training, 'English Garden' was 3-sided, used tall stems and well as draping flowers and was abundant. Many designers today use the term to describe tufted but looser than compact bouquets.

'European Garden' was originally used in the US to mean a planted basket which incorporated numerous blooming plants. Each plant was left in its original pot to account for soil differences. Again, I hear designers using the term to describe abundant, loosely tufted arrangements.

If everyone in a shop is using the same terms, then few problems occur. It's when orders are sent to other stores that the real issues arise.

Just my .02

 

[bloomtastic]

IT"S A CONFUSING FLOWER WORLD!!!!!!!!

Ahhh, you said it!