As seen on Oprah – Jeff Leatham discusses modern design.

Oprah just did a show on The Most Glamorous Dream Jobs and guess what a florist was one of them!!! She spoke with Jeff Leatham about his passion and his views on flowers. It is nice to know that our philosophy of clean, modern design is on trend with such a respectable designer.   Read a portion of the interview below and check out our designs that reflect this current trend.

Known as the rock ‘n’ roll florist, Jeff Leatham has made a name for himself with his unconventional style and bold designs. He’s perhaps best known as the star of TLC’s Flowers Uncut, but he’s currently the artistic director of the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris.

When Jeff first got involved in flower arranging, he didn’t even know it was something he liked doing. “I never wanted to work with flowers. I trained to be a model in L.A., … [but eventually] I said, ‘I have to either move back home to Utah or get a job.’ So, luckily enough, I had a friend that worked at the Four Seasons in Los Angeles at the flower shop,” he says. “I walked into that hotel and I saw it was like art. This is like walking into a museum, and they’re creating something so special that I said, ‘I have to be a part of this.'”

Jeff says his designs are inspired by both passion and color. “People often say to me: ‘What do you do with your designs? Do you sketch?’ I used to sketch a lot, but my sketches are real bad,” he says. “It’s better to kind of sit back and look at color and go from there.”

If you’re looking to send flowers to someone, Jeff suggests sending a bouquet without a vase and passing on arrangements of many different types of flowers. “Just say [to the florist], ‘What’s the most beautiful flower you have in your shop right now?’ … Just send a big bunch of the same type,” he says. “It’s really important, too, to really think clean, simple and chic.”

Jeff says living out your dream job is about creating something that will make someone else stop in their tracks. “We’re all so busy in the brouhaha of everyday life,” he says. “If you stop a businessman in the lobby of a hotel or if you make something in a restaurant and they’ll stop and say, ‘That’s amazing,’ (then) you’ve done your job.”

Colors to look for – Purple and Green

The top color combination of 2010 and the above pictures show you why. Purple and green can appeal to just about anyone. It can be playful and fun, rich and seductive, light and airy and even very natural with a wildflower feel.  The versatility is amazing as is the variety of flowers to choose from. Your choices can include; orchids, callas, roses, stock, hydrangea, tulips, hyacinth, lilacs, freesia, lisianthus, bells of Ireland, Kermit daisies, spider mums and phlox to name but a few. Purple and green a great choice!