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19
Sept 2021
Wisteria hysteria: Are faux floral displays here to stay?
It's becoming virtually impossible these days to visit a restaurant in Harrogate without having to limbo underneath long pendulous racemes of Wisteria or some other colourful plastic floral displays. And that's after you've dodged past all the influencers.
Floral exteriors and flower-filled walls have become the backdrop of every Harrogate influencer's Instagram feed. It's a trend that doesn't seem to be fading anytime soon. Unlike the faux floral displays themselves.
Added to this bouquet are flower-filled walls with neon slogans spelling out affirmations like "you're gorgeous" and "let the real you shine" and faux floral mirrors that have cropped up everywhere.
While to many they might be better than balloon arches - are they still a thing? - I wonder whether this design trend is going to become the next "live, laugh, love"? Will they look quite so endearing on a dark, rainy day in October?
Are they less colourful and more destined for landfill?
When the subject was broached with Harrogate interior designer, Joan Maclean, it was met with a groan.
She said:
Read More:
- 7 ways covid has shaped design trends in the Harrogate district
- Secret Shopper: 8 cute reasons to shop for kids in Harrogate
Let's be clear. When it comes to floral displays, there's a tier system in place.
Top tier features the stunning real blooms that have adorned the likes of The Ivy.
Then you have middle tier - high-end flowers that are fake, but gorgeous, and actually look like the real deal - like the silk floral display at West Park Hotel, created by award-winning Harrogate florist Helen James Flowers, who has also created displays for The Ivy.
Anthony Blundell, West Park Hotel commercial manager, said:
But then there's the bottom tier- cheap, often very pink, fake blooms that just look a bit sad. They seem to be more about jumping on the floral bandwagon than any attempt at statement in interior design. I won't mention any names.
Joan, of Joanie Mac Interior Design, said:
Joan said she felt Harrogate was actually slightly on the back foot with the trend, as floral-focused restaurants and cafes in Leeds have been a thing for some time.
They include the highly Instagrammable Tattu restaurant, with its stunning blossom trees, featuring silk flowers sewn onto real tree trunks. And check out Fleur Café for a serious floral explosion.
Joan said:
At risk of sounding like a Millennial, this trend is undoubtedly fun and pleasing to they eye, and real flowers can also be a brilliant showcase for local florists. I have definitely been guilty of posing in front of a posy or two - glass of prosecco in hand. Obviously.
And let's face it, we all need a bit of colour in our lives after the last 18 months of misery we've had. They do cheer you up... in a kitsch kind of way.
- What do you think? Floral wonders or floral blunders? Do you love a selfie in front of a flower wall? Send your photos to nina@thestrayferret.co.uk
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