The Vintage Flowers Decor Joanna Gaines Effortlessly Uses In Her Cozy Cottage Kitchen

It's no secret that vintage and retro design trends are making a comeback in 2025. From antique furniture to a resurgence in vintage glassware trends, it's clear that what was once popular in decades past is now coming back into style. This is all part of a larger cultural shift that favors charming home designs bursting with character in lieu of the drab minimalist trends that rose in popularity in previous years.

One interior design expert who has recognized and embraced this shift is HGTV star Joanna Gaines. Gaines regularly showcases her designs that are expressive, unique, and brimming with vintage nostalgia. One great example of this is her use of preserved flowers in her very own cozy cottage kitchen. While you can find evidence of cultures preserving flora dating all the way back to ancient civilizations across the globe, Gaine's pressed flower designs are reminiscent of the Victorian era style of preservation. 

In a video Gaines shared on her personal Instagram, you can see where she opted to style dried leaves and delicate pressed floral arrangements on vintage-looking paper in various sizes. This is not the first time Gaines has used dried botanicals in a display. You can also find delicate dried flower arrangements throughout her brick-and-mortar Magnolia home store. Here is how you can press and style your own dried flower displays, and the benefits that come with choosing this technique for your home's decor. 

To begin the process of preserving your own flowers, you'll first need to decide which flowers you want to press and how you'd like to arrange them. Delicate flowers with thinner stems are a great option, since these will be easier to flatten and preserve. It is smart to choose younger blooms that are open and have more vibrant colors, since these will hold their colors for longer. Once you've picked a handful of wildflowers for preserving, you'll want to get to work quickly before they wilt, for the best aesthetic results.

There are many methods of pressing and preserving flowers, but one of the simplest ways is using a book. Give your flowers a little bit of time to air dry, then arrange them on newspaper or wax paper until you're happy with the final layout. Close the book and stack other heavy books or objects on top so that the weight flattens the flowers as they dry over the course of a few weeks. After some time has passed, check the flowers periodically until they're fully dried, then you're ready to remove the paper from the book and mount the paper to frame it. 

If you aren't a fan of pressed flower wall art, you can carefully remove the dried flowers and make little bundles with twine. These bouquets can be hung around the house or placed in vases or jars for a more lasting effect compared to fresh cut bundles of flowers, which wilt and lose their vibrancy. Just be sure to handle the flowers with care since they're delicate.

The most obvious benefit to pressing and styling dried flowers in your home is that it is a very cost-effective method of home decor. You can achieve this vintage-inspired craft using plants you acquired from foraging, books you have lying around the house, and repurposed pieces of scrap paper, making this DIY essentially free. If you want to replicate Joanna Gaines' framed pressed flowers look, you can find cheap frames in thrift stores and secondhand shops. If you choose to create bundles instead of framed dried floral arrangements, all you'll need is a few pieces of string or twine, which is incredibly affordable and smart to keep on hand around the house. 

Another benefit to drying your own flowers at home is that you can enjoy the beauty of various blooms long after their growing season ends. This method of preservation allows you to display vibrant and intricate blossoms even during the coldest months, without having to go through the effort of keeping a live plant healthy. You can also use this method to preserve flowers that have sentimental value, and dry flowers from special events or occasions. This allows for an elegant keepsake that you will associate with positive memories, even as time passes. Another way you can preserve your gorgeous summer flowers, according to Joanna Gaines, is by placing the dried flowers in a jar. No matter which display method you choose, this versatile and inexpensive DIY can add a touch of vintage charm to your home's decor, without the hefty antique price tag.