Module 8 · 13 design shapes
Asymmetrical triangle
How to build: Place the tallest line about one third in from one side. One side is short and heavy, the other long and light. Balance the visual weight, not the number of stems.
AIWA Academy / Courses / Hotel Floristry
Hotel Floristry Flowers, Colour & Care
Learn what UAE hotels want in their lobbies, which flowers to choose, how to put colour together and how to make every arrangement last the week. Built from AIWA's own hotel work in Dubai.
Taught from experience with hotels and brands including
About this course
What you'll learn
Hotel flowers have to look grand on day one and still look fresh on day seven, in air conditioning, under strong light and in front of thousands of guests. This course teaches the flower knowledge behind that: what UAE hotels choose, what lasts, what to avoid and how to put colour together.
- What UAE hotels prefer in their lobbies, by hotel type and season
- The flowers that perform best in hotel work, and how long each one lasts
- The colour wheel and the colour combinations that look expensive
- Flowers to avoid: scent, pollen, shedding, heat and cultural meanings
- How to condition flowers and make them last longer in the UAE climate
- Where flowers come from, how to buy them and what is in season
- How to substitute a flower without changing the design
- How to scale and place a lobby piece and keep it fresh all week
- The 2027 trends, translated for UAE hotels
- Japanese, Korean, Chinese and South Asian flower traditions
10Written modules
10hLessons, exercises & exam
3Months of access
1AIWA certificate
A look inside
Professional knowledge, shown clearly
Every module mixes clear writing with design schemes, reference cards and photographs. Here are three samples from the course.
Module 8 · 6 placement schemes
The trio
On a console against a wall, group three vessels of different heights (tall, medium, low), slightly off-centre. Odd-numbered groups look natural; even rows look stiff.
Cymbidium orchid
- Vase life
- 14–28 days
- Store at
- 4–10°C
- Ethylene
- High
- Scent
- None
- Role
- Focal / line
- Price
- Premium
Tool · 41 flower cards
Flower cards
Vase life, storage temperature, scent, pollen, season, price level, a pro tip and substitutes for every hotel flower.
Seasonal designs for the UAE hotel calendar, from Module 1.
Curriculum
Ten modules and a final exam
Every module is written, with clear tables you can keep open while you work, a practical exercise and a short self-check.
10 modules · 2 bonus lessons · final exam · about 10 hours
01What UAE hotels want
Who you design for and what they expect
50m
- Why hotel flowers are different from retail and events
- Who you are really designing for: GM, housekeeping, F&B, marketing
- What UAE hotels prefer, by hotel type
- The UAE hotel calendar: Ramadan, Eid, National Day and more
- Exercise: walk a hotel lobby with the site checklist
02The hotel flower list
The flowers that perform in UAE lobbies
1h
- Orchids: cymbidium, phalaenopsis, vanda and dendrobium
- Tropicals: anthurium, heliconia, ginger and birds of paradise
- Roses, hydrangea, calla lilies and other classics
- Foliage and branches that give structure
- Exercise: build a flower list for a lobby
03Colour: the wheel and combinations
Palettes that look expensive
1h 10m
- The colour wheel, explained for florists
- Monochrome, analogous, complementary and triadic schemes
- Colour with marble, gold, wood and hotel lighting
- Brand colours and seasonal palettes
- Exercise: three palettes for one lobby
04Flowers to avoid
And when they can still work
40m
- Strong scent, pollen and allergies
- Short vase life, shedding and heat-sensitive flowers
- Ethylene: why flowers die early near fruit
- Cultural meanings to be careful with
05Making flowers last
Conditioning and care in the UAE climate
1h 10m
- Conditioning by stem type: woody, soft, hollow and latex
- Water, hygiene and flower food
- Temperature: cold rooms, transport and summer heat
- Reviving tired flowers and the maintenance visit
- Exercise: your conditioning routine
06Suppliers and seasons in the UAE
Where flowers come from and when
50m
- Import origins: the Netherlands, Kenya, Ecuador, Thailand and more
- Choosing and working with suppliers
- Checking a delivery: accept or reject
- Seasons and price peaks
07Substitutions
Same design, different flower
40m
- Flower roles: line, focal, mass, filler and foliage
- Substituting by shape, colour, vase life and cost
- The AIWA substitution table
- Exercise: replace three flowers in a recipe
08Designing the lobby piece
Scale, vessels, shapes, placement and maintenance
1h 20m
- Scale and proportion for large spaces
- Vessels and mechanics that stay stable all week
- The classic design shapes: triangle, L-shape, crescent, S-curve and more
- Placement schemes: hero piece, pairs, trios, reception and long tables
- Reception, restaurant and suite pieces
- The weekly maintenance visit, step by step
09Hotel floristry trends 2027
What is next, translated for UAE hotels
40m
- Sculptural design and negative space
- One flower, many scales: monobotanical designs
- The five colour stories of 2027, plus "cool blue"
- Moss, branches, sustainability and regional identity
- Exercise: design a 2027 seasonal feature
10Asian floristry for hotels
Traditions that shape modern design
50m
- Japan: the principles of ikebana and the kenzan
- Korea: airy, asymmetric and beautifully wrapped
- China: colour, numbers and lucky flowers
- Southeast and South Asia: orchids, garlands and Diwali
- Exercise: build your first ikebana-style design
BonusTwo bonus lessons
Included with the course
30m
- Photographing your hotel work for Instagram and proposals
- Preserved flowers and potted orchids: the long-life options
ExamFinal exam
Pass and receive your certificate
30m
- 30 questions covering all ten modules
- Pass mark 70%
You receive: the AIWA Certificate of Completion when you pass.
Included
Four tools you'll keep using
Professional tools that stay useful long after you finish the course.
1
Flower cards
41 hotel flowers with vase life, storage temperature, scent, pollen, season, price level and substitutes.
2
Interactive colour wheel
Click any colour to see the matching schemes, tints and shades, and the flowers that come in each one.
3
Storage and temperature guide
Which flowers go in the cold room, which must stay out and which must never be near fruit.
4
Free gift: price calculator
Cost, price and monthly contract value of a hotel arrangement in a minute.
Is this course for you?
Built for florists
This course is for you if
- You work with flowers and want to start working with hotels
- You run or work in a flower business in the UAE
- You want your arrangements to last longer
- You want more confidence with colour and flower choice
It is not for you if
- You want video tutorials or a hands-on, in-person class
- You need a government-accredited qualification
Your instructor
Learn from the studio behind the work
Anna Naumenko
Founder, AIWA Flowers · Dubai
Anna founded AIWA Flowers and leads its floral design, including the hotel and corporate programmes this course is built from. She is also an exhibited abstract painter, and brings the same eye for composition and colour to every space AIWA designs.
- TeravarnaTwo-time finalist
- Bronze AwardArt recognition
- Gallery exhibitionWork shown in Dubai
- AIWA FlowersHotel & corporate programmes
Certificate
Finish with an AIWA certificate
Awarded when you pass the final exam with a score of 70% or more.
AIWA Academy
Certificate of Completion
Hotel Floristry: Flowers, Colour & Care
Your name
Awarded on passing the final exam
An AIWA-issued course certificate. It is not a government-accredited qualification or professional licence.
Questions
Frequently asked
How long do I have access?
3 months from enrolment. That is plenty of time to work through the ten modules and take the exam.
How much time does it take?
About 10 hours in total, including exercises and the final exam. Most learners finish in three to four weeks.
Are there video lessons?
No. The course is fully written: clear lessons, tables you can keep open while you work, practical exercises and self-checks.
How do I get the certificate?
Take the final exam after Module 10. Score 70% or more and you receive your AIWA Certificate of Completion.
Do I need hotel experience?
No. Basic flower handling is enough. The course teaches what hotels need and how to deliver it.
What language is the course in?
English and Arabic. Every lesson, tool and the exam are available in both languages.
Are there any extra costs?
No. AED 990 (plus 5% VAT, added at checkout) covers the full course, all the tools, the bonus lessons, the exam, the certificate and the free price calculator.
