“Roses for Christmas? Are you sure?” asked Andrea Tomasi, editor-in-chief of the prestigious Homo Faber Guide, which celebrates exceptional artisans and craftsmen from around the world. I’m honored to be a member of this guide, a recognition that cannot be purchased but is awarded to a select group of artisans globally.
“Yes, absolutely, roses for Christmas!” I replied with confidence. “My American colleagues use them often for Christmas floral decors, and with the right approach, they’re stunning.”
Roses Blend Seamlessly With Traditional Christmas Elements
The key lies in thoughtful selection: choosing the perfect color palette, styling, and incorporating seasonal foliage and textured materials. From there, roses work their magic. They bring glamour and romantic touch, blending seamlessly with traditional Christmas elements like evergreens, pinecones, and twigs, and they can even handle a touch of glitter. Their versatility makes them a perfect choice for enhancing your Christmas table-scape, wreaths, garlands, and mantelpieces. Have you ever tried adding roses to your Christmas tree? Cluster or spray roses look stunning when arranged in tubes and hung among other ornaments.
For Homo Faber, I had the pleasure of creating a Christmas table décor tutorial featuring roses. I was one of four European artisans chosen to showcase my interpretation of Christmas table decoration to the Homo Faber community by crafting a beautiful centerpiece.
Here’s the result: festive, elegant, and unmistakably floral:
10,000 Roses and a Christmas Dream in Aalsmeer
Once a year, the quiet town of Aalsmeer, just 30 minutes south of Amsterdam where I live, transforms into a buzzing hub for the global floriculture industry. Home to the world’s largest flower auction, Aalsmeer welcomes thousands of visitors from around the globe for its internationally renowned Trade Fair Aalsmeer (TFA). Held during the first week of November, this event brings together growers, breeders, traders, and florists at two key venues: Aalsmeer, which highlights Dutch floriculture, and Vijfhuizen, hosting the International Floriculture Trade Fair (IFTF) just a 15-minute drive away.
Floral designers are often invited to decorate the stands of leading growers, breeders, and industry professionals. Each year, my team and I take part in this exciting event, and this year was nothing short of extraordinary. We collaborated with Interplant, a highly respected Dutch rose breeder, to create designs for a series of exclusive Christmas-themed dinners and parties hosted at an independent venue in Aalsmeer. The venue was transformed into a winter wonderland, with 10,000 roses at our disposal. The project was produced and facilitated by a venue Belle Époque in Aalsmeer and their partner, Bresser Bloemen, a floral business based in the east of the Netherlands.
My team was tasked with decorating the floral kitchen space, where I hosted workshops during the mornings, and the entrance hall. What a joy it was! We crafted dreamy floral designs using over 5,000 flowers. It was a great pleasure to weave my expertise in luxury wedding and event design into every installation. The wide variety of rose colors allowed me to work like an artist with a palette, painting stunning gradients and bold displays: soft pastels melting into deep mustard tones and purples, vibrant reds blending into fuchsias, and striking transitions from soft pastels to rich reds. Each arrangement became an artistic floral statement, showcasing the roses in their finest light.
For the entrance composition, I chose one of my favorite color schemes: peaches, oranges, lavenders, and purples. This palette, which I’ve previously used in France to great acclaim, brought a warm yet festive sparkle to the space. While reds are a classic choice for the Christmas theme, the addition of pines, crystal ornaments, and carefully chosen hues gave the design a unique, celebratory charm. The result was a welcoming, vibrant entrance full of holiday spirit. This project reminded me once again of the magic of working with roses, they truly are the most versatile and inspiring of blooms.
Special thanks go to my team on the project, Shari, Irene, and Karina, whose creativity and skill shone in bringing these designs to life. The main production team of Bresser Bloemen and Belle Époque worked tirelessly on outdoor installations, the main hall, numerous bars, and a giant Christmas tree. Together, we achieved a truly magical festive look. The parties and dinners were a huge success with hundreds of guests enjoying the floral displays featuring 10,000 beautiful roses.
Hope this story inspired you to use roses in your Christmas decor!
Exclusive Workshops: Creating My Signature Bouquet and Centerpiece
During the event, in the quiet morning hours before the parties and dinners began, I had the privilege of holding two exclusive workshops: Creating My Signature Bouquet and Designing a Sustainable Table Décor using Interplant’s diverse collection of roses. The setting in the floral kitchen was utterly enchanting, with overwhelmingly romantic floral displays showcasing dozens of rose varieties, including some of my favorites: Quicksand and Gentle Trendsetter.
My students were free to select their own blooms and color palettes while following my signature recipes and techniques. Among them was Sandy, who traveled all the way from Bangkok specifically to join my workshops and learn my approach to table centerpieces and bouquets. Her creations were so beautiful, she has remarkable taste and an innate gift for floral design.
Throughout the workshop, Sandy kept exclaiming, "I’m so happy! I’m so lucky!” Her pure joy and enthusiasm uplifted everyone, reminding me of the beauty of this craft and my gratitude for a profession that celebrates flowers, especially roses. Just look at the exquisite bouquet Sandy crafted, featuring her favorite blooms from the rich selection!
In addition to roses, we incorporated some of my other favorite flowers: Lisianthus from Montana, one of my preferred Dutch growers; irises from the talented team at Middenweg Flowers; and sweet peas from the world’s largest producer and my dear floral friends at Lathyrus.nl. These delicate companions beautifully complemented the roses, creating the perfect frame for their radiance.
When creating centerpieces, my students focused on mastering techniques, selecting harmonious color palettes, and working with my tried-and-true recipes. Each student designed a unique and authentic centerpiece that reflected their character and passion for flowers. Some participants were professional florists, while others joined simply to learn for personal enjoyment or as a hobby.
Once the centerpieces were complete, we styled them using the original kimono obi ties that I brought with me, adding an elegant and unexpected Japanese touch. Vintage vases and ikebana vessels were arranged with mono-floral designs featuring Lisianthus, spray roses, and sweet pea vines, creating a breathtaking final display. The result was a rich, vibrant, and deeply personal floral tablescape, a celebration of creativity and the endless beauty of flowers.
I love to give workshops and do it twice a year, plus I host private lessons on bridal floral design for professionals and amateurs alike. My schedule and information about the upcoming workshops can be found on the specially dedicated page: Katya Hutter Floral Design Workshops.
Christmas Wishes
As the holiday season draws near, I am reminded of the warmth and magic that flowers and other festive decor bring to our celebrations. But beyond flowers, this is also a time to reflect on kindness, love, and the power of meaningful connections.
May this Christmas season inspire us to create with open hearts, to uplift one another, and to celebrate beauty in all its forms. Let us leave behind jealousy, negative relationships, anger, and hate, embracing instead a spirit of generosity, friendliness, positivity, and joy. Together, we can make this world a more beautiful place, not just with flowers, but through acts of kindness and a shared love for creativity.
Wishing you all a joyful Christmas filled with peace, love, meaningful connections, and … Roses!
Yours sincerely,
Katya xxx
Author & Floral Designer: Katya Hutter Floral Design, Photography: Natalja Pauli Van Zijp, Assistants: Shari Tamar Akal, Irene Slootweg, Karina Khadzhymatova, Roses: Interplant Roses, World of Spray Roses, Supporting flowers: Decorum, Warja Abrosimova, Lisianthus: Montana Lisianthus, Iris: Middenweg Flowers, Sweet Peas: Lathyrus.nl, Rose vines: Verse Rozen, General production, Location and props: Belle Époque and Bresser Bloemen.
