Deanna King, owner of Strawberry Fields Flowers and Finds (Photo by Monica Escamilla)
Virginians have decorated their homes for the holidays with evergreen boughs and flowers since the first English colonists arrived in Jamestown. Prized for their fresh scent, the evergreens also added a festive touch to decor. With the holidays — Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa — just around the corner, thoughts of evergreen boughs, wreaths and festive centerpieces are top of mind.
R•Home spoke with Deanna King, the proprietor of Strawberry Fields Flowers and Finds, for some tips on holiday decorating. King stocks everything from traditional pine and boxwood to adventurous artichokes and ornamental pineapples for the holidays in her Strawberry Street shop.
R•HOME: What special services do you offer during the holidays?
Deanna King: We’ve been doing wreath workshops. We’ve done “decorate your mantel” workshops. We sell Christmas decorations. Our main holiday thing is amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs that we grow.
R•HOME: What are some of your tips for incorporating flowers or greenery in holiday decor?
King: If there is an eclectic feel to the room, maybe we suggest more wispy, asymmetrical materials, or even going with a color pop. We had a client recently who requested a pink Christmas look, and it turned out amazing! On the other hand, a lot of people enjoy a traditional and polished look, and in that case, paying close attention to detail on paring down the materials to create a controlled shape would make the most sense.
King pairs air plants with traditional materials to give this holiday arrangement an unconventional vibe. (Photo by Brenna Coady courtesy Strawberry Fields Flowers and Finds)
R•HOME: Do you have recommendations for certain colors or flowers?
King: We do a lot of jewel tones for fall rather than pumpkin colors [like] plum, gold and burgundy. [For Christmas], pine is going to be your most traditional. I’ve also done stuff with fresh magnolia, succulents and air plants. I like to spray-paint stuff with floral paint and make it more holiday-looking.
R•HOME: How can I maintain my living holiday decor?
King: If it’s cold out, things last much longer. If it’s a hot, weird winter, then you’re definitely going to have things last for a shorter amount of time. If your front door is in the sun, and you have a fresh wreath, it’s not going to last as long. [For flowers], if you switch the water out in your vase, clean it out and trim your flowers every couple of days, your stuff is going to last so much longer.
