“I am from here, but I grew up in New Zealand. There is a bright-yellow national flower called the Kōwhai. That’s where my company name comes from,” says Owner and Floral Designer, Helen Boebel, who focuses on bold colors and sustainable options for her clients, which range from brides to party hostesses.
She moved back to New Orleans during the pandemic, loving the city’s abundant hospitality and tight-knit, helpful floral industry. For her, winter is a time to reach for still-green tropical plants, metallics and lots of color.
“I find it so interesting to decorate in winter, because, growing up in New Zealand, Christmas was a summer holiday. I think I lean back on that often, not being afraid to throw in some tropical elements and brighter colors against the expected red and green,” she says.
We asked Boebel to talk with us this issue about going beyond the boundaries when thinking of decorating a table for a winter gathering, whether it’s as simple as a six-person meal or as grand as a 60-person, black-tie fête, and a few ideas for being more sustainable this season.
What’s a visual hurdle to winter decorating? I think we hold on to Eurocentric ideas of what something should look like in this season. There are many parts of the world where winter is a warmer holiday, like here in New Orleans. If you lean into that mindset, you can open your table up to more options.
What are a few fun things you reach for in winter? I think about creating designs with our tropical greenery. Even in winter, we have beautiful sago palm branches outside. Really any kind of palm plant works great for fun arrangements, and even those palm date seeds that are bright yellow are cool to use.
One great idea for a holiday party would be a monochromatic tablescape. Just choose one color and do everything in that hue. If you choose a deep red or white, it will still feel traditional.
How can we make cool creations but create less waste this winter? I like using found vessels. Knickknack bowls, for example, or, old candle jars repurposed as tiny vases. Jane Hazeltine is a local candle maker. I like using her jars once my candles have burned down. I also love thrifting for tiny jars, or stopping by my mother or grandmother’s house, to see what they aren’t using.
Once you find a jar, use a small floral frog in the bottom of it to create your arrangement, or use chicken wire. I do not use floral foam.
Why should we avoid floral foam? Floral foam is awful. It has a microplastic in it that does not break down. When you cut it, and it’s dry, it can also release particles into the air that you inhale. It’s such a common thing in the industry, but it’s not adequately discussed as to how toxic it is. Chicken wire is very easy and a great alternative that you can reuse over and over. You just cut a small piece, make it into a little ball, and place your stems inside.
