[caption id="attachment_4085" align="aligncenter" width="619"] The secret to loving carnations is to arrange them in such a way that they no longer look like carnations. Sad but true.
Photography by Andrea Karr.[/caption]   Beverly Hills hotels aren't exactly the first places that come to mind when I think of "subtlety." Nevertheless, when my colleague, Andrea Karr, stayed at the Peninsula Beverly Hills earlier this month, she captured this irresistibly charming flower arrangement that she knew was right up my alley. Consisting entirely of carnations, it's as humble as hotel flower arrangements get, and a great way to elevate that most despised of all cut blossoms. To keep the carnations locked in that tight, spherical shape, you'll either need to use a vase with a narrow opening, or an elastic to keep the stems bundled together. (When the vase is made of transparent glass, I like using clear hair elastics to ensure it's invisible!) If you're feeling particularly ambitious, you can take your carnation arrangement to the next level with a brick of wet floral foam. Check out my step-by-step video tutorial here!   Follow me on Twitter!