Some hotels are famous for their flower arrangements and more and more are having their own in-house flower shops where you can by beautiful bouquets even when you are not staying at the hotel. We talked to our favorite hotel florists and found out how a bouquet of roses can illuminate a room, which flowers give the most exquisite scent and much more.
Chef Florist Denis Martel has been working at the Peninsula in Paris right from the opening in 2014. He is used to arranging giant flower bouquets for weddings and glamorous hotel lobbies as he worked before at the famous Hôtel de Crillon and the Hotel Meurice in Paris. With his team of four additional florists he works every day with more than 1500 blossoms.
IRMA: Why do French florists love roses so much?
Denis Martel: A rose is a sign of love, glamour and romanticism and Paris is all about romanticism, isn’t it?
IRMA: What inspires you for a bouquet?
Denis Martel: I get my inspiration from many things: a piece of art, design, fashion, a film or even something that caught my eye. I arrange flowers like a photograph, using sweet tones and light colours – almost white.
IRMA: How does the interior of a hotel affect the arrangement of flowers?
Denis Martel: For a hotel, flowers are the icing on the cake, the “final touch” that creates an emotion and makes a place comfy and warm. The arrangements of flowers are crucial to polish the interiors. This is all about finding the best combination between the interior style and the floral arrangement.
IRMA: Regarding scents, which flower makes the most beautiful scent?
Denis Martel: Roses! Is there any fragrance more legendary than the scent of the rose? My favorite is Mister Lincoln: probably one of the most fragrant red roses in the world. This hybrid tea rose produces a sweet, classic rose scent.
IRMA: Can you create a mood in a room with a flower bouquet? If so, can you tell us some tips & tricks?
Denis Martel: Absolutely! Flowers make the room more welcoming and allow people to improve their mood by producing happy emotions and positive feelings. This is why we display our roses in the areas where visitors can see them: location is crucial – choose the right place! Most important, every bouquet delivers a message so you need to carefully adapt your bouquet depending on the mood you would like to create.
For mothers, grandmothers, girlfriends…, a floral arrangement with a blend of delicate warm and cool colors will create a sense of intimacy. Choose some pink tones for this floral arrangement, pale pink roses, lavender roses and champagne roses mixed with pink bouvardia and lavender lilacs, accented with blush tulips.
For THE loved-one, make a sensual bouquet that sets the mood for sophistication and passion. It is perfect for special significant celebrations such as an elegant romantic dinner or an anniversary. Use a basis of hearty reds, then add strong pinks and spicy oranges to create this floral arrangement.
Finally, for the “everyday life” at home, you can go for a floral arrangement that will give light, tranquility and serenity. Cloudy blue, light green, clear lavender, or any other pale carnations is a great combination to embellish an interior and create a calm, peaceful atmosphere.
The directors of Roses Costes, the flower store in the Hotel Côstes on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré are Julie and Fabrice. They dress the hotel with thousands of roses every week, skillfully arranged in harmonic tones. IRMA spoke to Julie and Fabrice, the directors of Roses Costes.
IRMA: Why do French florists love roses so much?
Julie: The rose is one of the most emblematic and meaningful flowers and it has been a symbol of youth and love for the French since the Middle Ages. Roses represent the French “art-de-vivre” and owing to their diversity in colours and scents, they can be combined to express any emotion.
IRMA: What inspires you for a bouquet?
Julie: The inspiration for a bouquet comes from the combination of the significance of the colours of the roses and the occasion as well as the person it is meant for and the person who will give it.
IRMA: How does the interior of a hotel affect the arrangements of flowers?
Fabrice: The bouquets are first and foremost designed to express the personality of the hotel. Each bouquet will be composed to embellish the particular space within the hotel where it will sit. The interior design as well as the lighting of the space will determine everything from the colour palette to the size and the opulence of the bouquet. For example, light-coloured roses will be preferred in a bouquet destined to a space with dim lights.
IRMA: Regarding scents, which flower has the most beautiful scent?
Julie: Roses have the most varied palette of scents of all flowers. The most delicious fragrances include the ones from Le Prince Jardinier that reminds us of lychee, the lemon-scented David Austin and the citrus-fragrant Ohara.
IRMA: Can you create a mood in a room with a flower bouquet? If so, can you tell us some tips & tricks?
Fabrice: A bouquet of roses can alter and sublime the ambience of a space. A bouquet can illuminate a room with light coloured roses, it can create a warmer atmosphere with red roses or brighten up an austere environment with orange roses. The choice of vase is also important because it will determine the size and opulence of the bouquet.