Looking at a counter full of flowers in various colors, I was trying to decide on a direction for a new arrangement. My eyes kept drifting toward the vivid yellows and bright pinks. However, a different kind of inspiration came from an unexpected place in the kitchen. My mother was prepping seasonal shallots (rakkyo), layering the white roots with bright red chili peppers inside a clear glass jar. The clean, sharp contrast of that red and white combination stayed with me. I wondered if I could translate that domestic kitchen scene into a floral display, so I gathered whatever red and white stems and green leaves I could find around the house.
Red and White Contrasts in Kasama Ware
For the first styling, I chose a small, rounded Kasama pottery jar that has a somewhat plump and charming shape. I wanted to focus on a deep red gerbera, but placing white carnations directly next to it felt a bit too abrupt. To create a softer transition, I used reddish dracaena leaves to frame the red gerbera first. Around this central cluster, I arranged pure white carnations and mixed in some carnations with red-and-white color gradients. For an added touch of green, I clipped a few fresh wild strawberry leaves from the balcony garden. The arrangement sat on a wooden compote, with a decorative ceramic tile featuring a tulip design leaning against the wall behind it. It feels right at home in the kitchen, sitting naturally next to the jar of pickled shallots.
Dividing the Colors Across Small Vessels
The second experiment moved away from a single, unified arrangement. Using the same color theme, I selected three small, different vessels—one Japanese ceramic vase and two glass bottles of varying shapes—and spread the flowers across them on the wooden compote. This time, along with the red gerbera and gradient carnations, I added a few white scabiosa blooms and scattered various green leaves among the containers. It is hard to say if anyone looking at the shelf would immediately connect these scattered red and white flowers to a jar of homemade pickles. Still, the process brought a playful, casual energy to the corner of the room. Relying on an everyday kitchen scene to choose a color palette was a new experience, and it made me want to keep looking at functional, daily routines through a similar lens.
These sweet, crunchy "Rakkyo" (pickled onions very similar to silverskin onions) are often enjoyed on their own or finely chopped into tartar sauce in Japan as well. However, their most iconic local role is as the essential topping for curry rice. The crisp, clean crunch is meant to perfectly refresh the palate after a rich, spicy bite. I have never actually tried them myself — not even with curry. This time, they inspired me purely through their looks.
Stay calm and enjoy your quiet moments.
-mizu
