This week I was created a seasonal display for a bridal store in the Cotswolds. The store itself is beautiful with the perfect bridal vibe. However, the owner wanted a window display with a little more impact and glamour to help welcome their brides.
I worked up some sketches and came up with a plan for the displays for the rest of the year. The space is a little limited, so the first display, for Winter, centres around a huge, fluffy pampas cloud.
Pampas clouds are simple to create, hugely effective and, unlike fresh flowers, need little to no maintenance, which is something the store wanted to avoid. The overall effect was reminiscent to Art Deco glamour with pearls, feathers and lace to emulate the store's latest bridal collections.
Create your own cloud for an event of party by following the steps here:
Materials
20 - 30 pampas stems (depending on size) - mixed tones for depth and increased texture
Chicken wire
Fishing wire
Natural coloured twine
Reel wire
Feathers (optional)
Strings of pearl beads/fairy lights (optional)
Method
2-3 days before starting your installation, shake out your pampas gently to allow it to fluff up to its fullest and hairspray to keep it in place.
Measure the hanging space available and create two cloud-ish shapes from the chicken wire. One slightly smaller than the other. Place the smaller one inside its larger counterpart and secure by twisting the ends of the wire together. Use reel wire if necessary to ensure everything is fastened tightly and that the structure will remain in place.
Use five pieces of twine to secure the wire to your ceiling, one placed at each outer corner and a final one in the middle. We installed a metal trellis grid to hold the cloud but for less permanent installations you can use a pole, lighting fixture or small hooks. Make sure the chicken wire is evenly tied so it won't tip as materials are added.
With your first few pieces create the basic outline for your cloud. Choose the longest, fullest stems of pampas to shape your base and set your lines. Think about where you want to extend. Perhaps you'll go farther to the left or right to draw the eye to your edges of your design.Think about allowing the stems to reach out from the front of the design to create a truly 3D feel. And stagger the different lengths and fullness to mimic a more natural form.
Once you have your main shape, cut down any stems that protrude, and fill in large gaps to prevent the chicken wire from showing. Don't be afraid to move the pieces round or swap them to create the shape you want. Test and tweak. Leave a few pieces of the base colour in case you need to make final adjustments at the end.
Next, add in any additional material to create movement and interest. Take a step back and walk around the installation to allow your eye to see where colours/tones might have clustered or if the weight feels uneven. Look at all the angles it will be viewed from, including underneath. Think about what your guests will be seeing. Once you have everything where you'd like it, do a final check for gaps with any leftover pampas.
If you'd like to add more design elements, simply use fishing wire to secure them to the chicken wire or stems from below. The benefit of fishing wire is its invisibility and so anything you attach will appear to be floating. Try pearl bead "raindrops" or waterfall fairy lights for a thunder pampas cloud. Vary the length of each element so nothing sits on the same plane, to give a more natural appearance. And stick to odd numbers for a more consciously designed feel.
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