Charlotte Moss, author, interior designer and former Richmonder (Photo by Brittany Ambridge)
Richmond native and renowned interior designer Charlotte Moss has a new book, “Flowers,” that's an ode to embracing florals for everyday living — not just special occasions. Culling thousands of photos Moss has taken over the years documenting her personal arrangements, the result is part diary, part history lesson, a visual feast meant to inspire readers to bring garden delights indoors. A line of vases created by Moss’ youngest stepson, James Friedberg, a glass artist based in San Francisco, will be available through her website in conjunction with the April book release. R•Home spoke with the designer about her book.
Image courtesy Charlotte Moss
R•Home: What are some important takeaways from your book?
Charlotte Moss: The most important thing is, it’s not about being frivolous with flowers. … It’s to encourage people to do things for themselves, to create beauty in their own home on a daily basis. People have a fear of [flower] arranging, and I wanted to attempt in my own way to get people to relax and attempt doing it on their own. I want people to really embrace the fact that it doesn’t have to be grand and glorious and expensive — it just needs to be thoughtful and personal.
R•Home: Tell us about your muses profiled in the book.
Moss: It’s always been women who have inspired me or embraced a philosophy of doing it yourself, being self-reliant. If you look at great women of style, there is a self-confidence that is their underlying current, that pushes them, enables them to do what they bloody well please and not worry about everyone else. For example, when Constance Spry started doing wild and woolly arrangements, people thought it was a little bit of madness. Then she ended up doing the coronation for Queen Elizabeth. All those tablescapes by Pauline de Rothschild — no one did that at the time. Every one of those women [in my book], flowers were important to them, and they all experienced them in different ways, but they all did it with self-confidence. And that’s the message, for everyone else to do the same.
Photo courtesy Charlotte Moss
R•Home: What’s your favorite practical tip for novice flower arranging?
Moss: I think the most important thing is to not overreach with goals. Then you frustrate yourself and get derailed. Set realistic goals. Start with small things. Start with your favorite flower or color. There are so many great books … with great how-tos. You need to own one. I want my book to visually inspire. You can have fun playing with things you have. It’s about using things. What it comes down to more than anything is just a celebration of living, that you’re making it just a little more joyous. Those little things do make the difference. It could be just one stem. I don’t care how you live — the castle or the cottage — we’re all human beings. And we all need our eyes to land on beauty on a regular basis, no matter what that is.
