Subscribe

Botanical Curiosities

Using some of the season’s boldest blooms and a mix of unexpected elements, New Orleans floral designer Stephen Sonnier of Dunn & Sonnier Antiques and Flowers gives timeless treasures a fresh, new look

These five Stephen Sonnier arrangements celebrate autumn hues and use some of the season’s boldest blooms and a mix of unexpected elements to give timeless, 19th-century antiques a fresh, new look.

Stephen Sonnier arrangements
Fanning out from a 19th-century English rosewood tea caddy, a cluster of spicy blooms echo the hand-painted floral motif on the antique Italian canvas screen. FLOWER LIST: ranunculus, poppy pods, craspedia, seeded eucalyptus, asparagus, succulents
Stephen Sonnier arrangements
Peppered with unexpected elements including antlers and artichokes, flowers in high-voltage hues in 19th-century French tole cachepots energize an antique Italian bibliothèque. FLOWER LIST: Royal Victorian ‘Free Spirit’ roses, tea roses, fiddlehead ferns, grevillea foliage
Stephen Sonnier arrangements
FLOWER LIST: Italian garden roses, calla lilies, poppy pods, protea buds, black currants, artichokes, white beech mushrooms, pears
Stephen Sonnier arrangement
The pure simplicity of an all-white bouquet balances the ornate gilding and carving on this Venetian starburst-topped mirror. FLOWER LIST: ‘Crème de la Crème’ roses, hydrangeas, peonies
Stephen Sonnier arrangements
A whimsical arrangement in an antique Indian curry pot is dropped into a Chinese bronze planter for safe keeping. South China Sea coral adds a more informal layer of color and shape to the grouping. FLOWER LIST: Royal Victorian ‘Free Spirit’ roses, gloriosa lilies, dahlias, dusty miller, grevillea foliage, chili peppers, Guatemala coffee roots
Stephen Sonnier arrangements
Chippy terra-cotta vessels, rustic wooden trays, and a vintage papier-mâché pepper bin display an assortment of textured treasures. FLOWER LIST: tillandsia, pears, date palm sticks, dried brain fruit, green and white kale

Produced by Margaret Zainey Roux | Photography by Eugenia Uhl

More New Orleans Style

Related posts:

Art Connection: The Flower Hat + Jan Erika
The Meanings of Flowers
Sarah Winward's Romantic Arrangements
A Fresh and Fizzy Champagne Bucket Arrangement
Jason Burnett / About Author
More posts by Jason Burnett