The Princess of Pretty: Dallas Twentysomething Turns Flowers Into a Thriving Obsession

“I love seeing flowers that haven’t been overused,” says 28-year-old Peyton Riley. “Cabbage roses, sweet peas, hellebores, and Queen Anne’s lace — not the conventional wedding flowers like hydrangeas and lilies.”

Thus Riley recently added floral design to her thriving interior design business, Peyton Riley Design. The ingénue is busier than ever these days, whether onsite for a decorating job in California or creating a tablescape for Kappa Kappa Gamma’s Tablescapes luncheon.

This year, she showcased her fleurs for the luncheon in custom glass vases by artist Leslie Purdy. When creating arrangements, Riley looks to many of the same principles that inform her decorating style.

“Color, texture, focal point, and the flower varieties themselves are as important as any detail in the room,” she says. The Dallas native worked for Todd Events while in college, where she no doubt learned a few tricks of the trade and honed her signature look.

Flower guidelines? Stick to odd numbers. “Avoid the look of pairs,” she says. (“This can make an arrangement seem boxy and unnatural.”) Embrace a flower’s natural movement. (“Admire the innate curve of a tulip stem and the wispy nature of a sweet pea.”)

And, the golden rule: Less is more. “Simplicity,” says Riley, “is the ultimate sophistication.”