The History Behind The Sunflower Motif And How You Can Add It To Your Home

If we take a look at our history as a species on this planet it becomes clear we were interested in patterns and beautiful arrangements even as cave dwellers. Therefore, it’s difficult to put a start date on our interest in interior design. After all, world history is filled with amazing interior designers (even though the actual profession is only about 100 years old).

From people who arranged the interior of castles and palaces, to artists who helped create masterpieces, we have a long and rich history when it comes to creating marvelous interiors. And, as we take a closer look at all the patterns we use, we find that most artists took inspiration from the most talented creator available to us all – Mother Nature. 

We continue to be fascinated by floral and botanical patterns and we tend to use them on a wide range of objects such as dishes, linens, pillows, wallpapers, and paintings. Wherever you look, you’ll find at least one representation of the rich and diverse world of flowers.

Still, today we’ll take a look at the sunflower motif and how we can integrate it in our interior design options to brighten up the place. 

The Sunflower Motif in Interior Design

While it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment humans realized sunflowers are amazing for decoration, we see representations of this beautiful flower in a wide range of paintings and other art items. 

Across history, sunflowers have a complicated history with royalty and divinity. For instance, Incas thought of sunflowers as the symbol of their god and in 17th century Europe, sunflowers were associated with luxury and prosperity and only kings could enjoy their beauty. However, the 18th century brought a downfall from glory for the sunflower since they were demoted to mere crops. 

The amazing flower caught the eye of artists again, in the 19th century, when famous figures such as Oscar Wilde and Van Gogh started using its motif in their works. 

Nowadays, the lovely sunflowers are used to create artistic floral arrangements and beautiful bouquets that brighten any interior. You can also find them on walls as paintings or decorative stickers (just a few examples).

How to Use the Sunflower Motif

Due to platforms like Pinterest and Instagram and access to countless interior design websites, everyone has access to a wide selection of ideas. Therefore, it’s rather easy to get an idea of the type of design you prefer and the colors that best suit your mood. 

As Actual Flowers

The best way to create a mood-boosting interior is to use real flowers to spruce up the atmosphere. After all nothing says freshness like a bouquet of freshly picked flowers! 

In the case of sunflowers, you can let your imagination fly as these are versatile flowers that work in almost any combination. Still, if you really want to highlight their beauty, you should use dark-green plants to highlight their color and let the eye enjoy the beauty and complexity of their faces. Another idea is combining them with white or blue flowers – again to highlight the bright yellow of their petals. 

Sunflowers are just as amazing alone in a vase or jar (the container can be as unusual as it can be). Just make sure to change their water every day.

On the Walls

The sunflower motif works extremely well in exaggerated paintings on a simple white wall. Since it’s so vibrant and complex, the design doesn’t need anything else to support it. Moreover, the flower can be painted or applied directly on the wall and, depending on size and colors, it may be enough for a medium-sized room. 

As a Welcoming Motif

Whether painted or in a vase, this flower is extremely welcoming and inviting, which is why many people prefer placing them where guests are most likely to be (at the entrance or the living room). However, they also work well in the kitchen (on the main or corner table). Their beauty is so imposing that everyone’s eye will be attracted to their shape and color, so their placement is not of extreme importance. 

Wrap Up

In summary, sunflowers are a luxurious interior design motif that should be used in moderation. After all, you don’t need more than a bouquet to brighten up a room. And, if you use it on the walls, keep it simple and impactful.

About The Author: Sarilaya Cada. Sari, as she is aptly called by friends and colleagues, strongly believes that research is the heart of every content. She likes to write about marketing, design in all forms, and poetry. Bundling up with her cat while watching Netflix in her condo is one of her favorite past times.

Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash