Secrets of a Design Master with Jeff Leatham

Published On: March 3, 2014Article by: Staff 

Jeff Leatham is the artistic director of the iconic Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris and has been creating a sensation with his floral designs and arrangements, and voted Best Hotel Florist in Europe for three consecutive years. He stopped by The Queen Latifah Show to share his secrets for finding the perfect floral arrangement.

        
“It’s all about creating a mood. It’s about taking things you love and going from there,” suggests Jeff. ”People don’t have a lot of money to spend on flowers. I do believe that we should at least have a small vase by your bed, or in the bathroom. Our lives are so busy that sometimes those are the places where we spend the most time. Treat yourself and at least have them there.”

What are the best flowers to buy anywhere that will always work and look beautiful?
Jeff says roses are the best. You can find them in the grocery store or the farmer’s market. They always work.

 

What is the ideal floral bouquet someone can easily pick up to bring to a dinner party?Orchids, Jeff recommends. You can also find them at farmer’s markets. You get more for your money because they last a while. They grow back so you can have them from 6 months to a year.

What about color choices? Clean, simple and classy as possible. With design, it’s all about knowing when to stop, suggests Jeff. Pick one thing, if you really love color, being color crazy is fine but keep it all in one color scheme. It’s also important to keep things separated and blocked. One of the biggest mistakes is choosing too many colors.

 

           

You work with thousands of flowers, do you have a personal favorite? Yes! Magnolia. It grows on the street. It’s that giant big white flower with a beautiful citrus flower. It’s like life you have to take advantage of it while its beautiful, says Jeff.