It’s a gray morning outside the midtown Manhattan studio of the noted floral/event experts (and Flower Flash creators) of Lewis Miller Design. Nevertheless, the atmosphere is sunshiney as members of the press and design industry colleagues gathered for an intimate preview of an exciting new collaboration.
Lewis Miller has much to do with the convivial spirit. He is eliciting laughter from those gathered with tales of pleasing his brides for their big days. And he also offers behind-the-scenes perspective about creating Flower Flashes—pop-up installations that bring floral delight to unexpected places: overflowing trash cans and adorning signposts and transforming food trucks.
Meanwhile, noted designer Lori Weitzner is also on hand—looking glam in green. She warmly welcomes each new arrival as though they were coming to meet her new baby. And in a way—they are.
The purpose of this celebration is to preview a new capsule collection that combines the creative talents of Weitzner fabrics and wallcoverings and Lewis Miller Design. Miller will show off some flower arranging magic before joining Weitzner to reveal the fruits of their collaboration.
Flower Arranging Advice with Lewis Miller
Looking sharp in seersucker, Miller approaches a table surrounded by blooms of late summer and early autumn (along with a few hothouse selections). Presenting a palette of pinks, purples, yellows and oranges, flowers on hand include burning bush, foxtail lily, and dahlias. Miller calls the plump, pink dahlias “the peony of the fall.”
As Miller begins arranging (see images), his goals include creating layers, lushness, sumptuousness and joy. Along the way, he also offered these suggestions:
Concerning the container, Miller recommends trading clear glass for something deep, opaque, and with a wide mouth; this allows greater flexibility in composition.
Get turned on by using a turntable to view your creation from every angle.
Miller recommends layers of longer and shorter stems, which should ideally touch the base of the vase. If you must use shorter-stemmed bloom, Miller warns, you will need to top off the vase every morning.
As for tools, Miller says to trade dull hedge clippers for quality tools such as ARS shears and a Victorinox floral knife.
Is flower food necessary? Not for flowers that only need to last until the end of an event. But if you need blossoms to stay fresher, longer, Miller recommends a mixture of water and soda such as Sprite. But don’t use diet beverages, which lack the necessary sugar.
The arrangement is, as promised, robust yet not overly studied. It feels full and elegant but not fussy—as though Mother Nature had run the race and Miller merely escorted her across the finish line.
Exciting New Collaboration Between Weitzner and Lewis Miller Design
In many ways, the flower arranging is scene-setting for the designs to come. Lori Weitzner reveals that when she was seeking to expand their 2023 offerings, she reached out to Lewis Miller Design without knowing if they would be interested in collaborating. Once they were on board, Weitzner says, “Sometimes it is hard when someone does now have a background in interior design.” But Miller and his team immediately understood.
There is evident bonhomie between Miller and Weitzner as they discuss how they developed the collection of four textiles and two wallpapers and photographed them in Miller’s home. “What I love about the collection is that it’s not too feminine and not too masculine,” says Miller. “It’s just the perfect balance.”
For Weitzner, the selections offer less contrived florals that the marketplace is missing. “It’s a different point of view,” she says, “but not too different.” Check them out below:
Weitzner x Lewis Miller Design: New Collaboration Textiles
Broadway (above) has Art Deco flair. A dynamic chevron pattern creates a mesmerizing sense of motion. And it is available in colorways with rich browns and blues (Greenroom), similar shades lightened (Spotlight), and the firecracker colors of Copper.
Centerpiece is a mash-up of modern and traditional. Its pixelated flowers feel surprisingly different among the neutrals of Dawn, the soft grays of Pewter, or the deeper ground of Evening.
Conservatory offers large-scale floral embroidery—shaping the curves of its buxom blooms in shades of taupe (Archive), peach with light gray accents (Blush), or blue with deep brown accents (Phantom).
Downpour reminds one of viewing a cityscape through rain-streaked windows. Its watercolor-esque brushstrokes melt into a textured surface in the rich browns of Tea, greens and blues of Everglade, browns and blues of Melon, and rich autumnal reds of Urban.
Weitzner x Lewis Miller Design: New Collaboration Wallpapers
Esplanade (above) is delightful with vibrant butterflies alighting on embroidered vines that unfurl across the canvas. Their wings are a shining copper in Chrysalis or a shimmering silver in Celadon.
Topiary is directly inspired by Miller’s elaborate bouquets. Its complex, layered floral is a digital print on grasscloth. Colorways include the sophisticated blue and green of Dawn, a celebration of blue hues in Bluebell, and Autumn—with a palette that is strikingly similar to the sophisticated arrangement created by Miller at this very preview.
Learn more about the Weitzner x Lewis Miller Design collaboration here.
Want more flowers? See how florists add finishing touches to show houses.
Still photography courtesy Weitzner and Lewis Miller Design. Event photography by Paul Hagen.
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