While we waited for our freshly primed and painted open shelves to dry (hanging day is tomorrow!), we realized it had been far too long since our last budget blooms post. We used to do these every month, remember? Life — book chaos, kitchen chaos, and general project mayhem — pulled us away, but several readers asked for more, so here we are. Our house is a mess: the bed is in the living room, we’re repainting a playroom wall in different colors every few days, and photography equipment is currently crowding the dining area. Still, six dollars at the grocery store bought these tulips, and suddenly there was a small, cheerful slice of pretty in the middle of the chaos.
I love this vase from Crate & Barrel — a birthday gift a few years back — and it’s especially nice with floppy blossoms that spill casually around the rim.
These tulips are two-tone and gorgeous. Nature always picks the best color combos: buttery yellow, poppy reddish-pink, and fresh green — a simple palette that looks effortless and lively.
I like how they lean outward, as if reaching for sunlight — ironic, since our kitchen doesn’t get much natural light. They’ve been alive for a few days now, so they seem happy with water and a little tender care, even without sun.
For fun, I arranged some in a different vessel — technically a seeded glass hurricane for a candle that I picked up at HomeGoods a while back. It works beautifully as an impromptu vase. Also, we finally plugged in a clearance kitchen radio we got from Joss & Main a month ago. We’ve never had a radio in the kitchen before, and since we spend so much time at the peninsula working, eating, and hanging out, it’s been a lovely little addition. Music + tulips = instant mood boost.
The funny thing is that six inches to the right of this shot is our enormous dining table, which is currently buried under lamps, ceramics, paint cans, fabric, baskets, bottles, books, and frames. You can’t even see the tabletop. So when I say these flowers are a sliver of beauty amid a trashed house, I really mean it. The contrast makes us laugh — I’m dying to share behind-the-scenes photos, but until the book is released we’re holding back. Consider us counting down the months.
Back to the kitchen and these budget blooms: I’ve decided every kitchen benefits from three simple things — fresh flowers, a radio, and a white ceramic tea kettle. Add a giant ceramic rooster or a wall of penny tile if you want to go all in, but really those first three items add warmth and personality immediately. Have you been buying flowers or greenery lately? Tried different vases just for fun? Do you have a kitchen radio, and do you still listen to it? What three things make a kitchen better for you?
Psst — you can find a whole collection of Budget Blooms posts from previous years in the archives.