Inexpensive Simple Flower Centerpieces

If you're getting ready for a dinner party, or just want to add some everyday color and character to your kitchen or dining room table, flower centerpieces are a wonderful way to do this. There are several simple ways to put flowers together that are cost-effective and lend an impressive touch to your table. Does this Spark an idea?

Flowers and Fruit

Use a large, shallow wooden bowl to create a centerpiece that features affordable flowers and fruit. For instance, fill the bowl with limes and tangerines, and accent the fruit with spring flowers like daisies. Tuck the stems in between the fruit, so that the blooms show in between the fruit's bright orange and green hues. Or, use a cylinder-shaped clear glass vase for the centerpiece; slice grapefruit pieces and place them inside so that they face the vase's surface. Pour water in the vase, and add flowers like lilies or carnations in colors like white or pink to complement the grapefruit's color.

Flower Petal Display

Use a shallow crystal dish that matches the size of your dining room or kitchen table. Gently tear the petals from flowers in your favorite colors, and place them in the dish -- you can also use synthetic petals, and spray glitter on the petals for added appeal. Add sprigs of fresh herbs like peppermint or pineapple mint to add fragrance to the centerpiece. Or, add a few drops of lavender or bergamot oil to the flower petals so that guests will experience a calming or energizing scent even when they walk by the table. Flank the dish with large candles in colors that match the flower petals.

Flower Basket

A decorative basket is a cheap yet visually appealing way to display flowers for a centerpiece. Change the flowers in the basket according to season, e.g. lavender flowers for the summer, tulips for spring. Synthetic blooms can help save you money if you'll be using them year after year. Add smaller flowers like baby's breath to the basket, and enhance the centerpiece with smooth stones or synthetic grass. Tie a large bow around the basket in a color that coordinates with the arrangement's blooms. Or, lift the basket up and put a large, patterned place mat in the center of the table for the basket to rest on.

Flower Vase Wreath

Gather a collection of small vases, which are often a dollar or two at a local craft store, and place one flower bloom in each vase. Position the vases in the shape of a circle in the middle of the table -- bright blooms like poppies are ideal for this arrangement. You can also place a bowl of potpourri in the center of the candle wreath to add more texture and a pleasant aroma. Change the potpourri according to season, e.g. cinnamon-scented pine cones and leaves for fall and winter.