As the leaves continue to fall, a design trend is rising this autumn among style-conscious home decorators – and it offers a budding opportunity for custom framers.

 

 

Botanical design – which includes the framing of pressed leaves or flowers, as well as plant-inspired prints – is becoming increasingly popular as more people look for innovative ways to incorporate natural elements into their living space and spruce up their homes.

 

 

 

 

What’s old is new

 

You can be forgiven for thinking that pressing leaves or flowers is an old-fashioned relic from the 1970s. But what’s old is apparently new again. According to Pinterest’s 2018 home-trends report, the increase in searches on the social network for botanical-related prints has risen 114 percent this year, while the interest in framed plant pictures has jumped 396 percent.

 

 

“Plant and nature lovers, like me, are always on the hunt to bring more of the outdoors in,” Nubi Interiors founder Carmeon Hamilton tells the Washington Post. And what better way to bring the outdoors in than through custom framing?

 

 

 

 

A pressing matter

 

For many people, leaves or flowers can evoke memories and a strong emotional connection. Perhaps a flower was given in a special bouquet from a loved one or a collection of leaves were gathered during a memorable walk in the park. Like any other treasured keepsake, such foliage can serve as a great subject for a handcrafted custom framing project that will bloom for generations.

 

 

There are a number of ways to dry and press leaves or flowers in order to increase their longevity, including using a heavy book, an iron or even a microwave. Instructions for these methods and more can be found via a simple Google search. Such dramatic visuals providing yet another reason why such keepsakes deserve the expertise of custom framers and Tru Vue® glazing for clarity and UV protection.

 

 

 

 

Proposing new opportunities

 

Tapping into botanical design could also help custom framers break into other markets, including the lucrative wedding industry, which has fallen head-over-heels for the trend.

 

 

Framed table settings and ceremony backdrops or décor featuring framed leaves or flowers are among the designs popping up at weddings, offering custom framers an opportunity to create something special for a bride and groom’s special day.

 

 

To inspire customers about the opportunities of botanical design, consider creating your own display to put up in your store and feature it online in your social media posts and on your company website. And if you don’t have the time or patience to press your own leaves or flowers, you can purchase them online from vendors such as Nature’s Pressed and Greetings of Grace.

 

 

Whether botanical design is a trend you start taking advantage of now or later, consumers’ interest in the lush, leafy look appears to have staying power, with Carmeon Hamilton saying, “There’s no chance its popularity will fizzle any time soon.”