Stacey Dooley just normalised buying flowers at the supermarket – this is how to make them look expensive like a pro

It turns out that even celebrities like Stacey Dooley shop for flowers in the supermarket clearance section as the TV presenter presented a bunch of expertly arranged tulips on her Instagram last week, admitting they are supermarket-bought. 

As reportedly the highest earning Strictly Come Dancing winner, Stacey could surely afford flowers from a florist. But instead, she chooses not to, normalising supermarket clearance flowers and rescuing them from going to waste. We stan. 

But, to make the most of supermarket flowers as Stacey has, there are some tips and tricks you can employ when choosing what flower bunches to go for and how to arrange them to make them look expensive and make them last...

Stacey Dooley shows off her supermarket flowers on Instagram

Stacey has already made us swoon over the likes of her new oversized mirror or Stacey's flooring in the hallway that's all about traditional Victorian charm. So we know we can rely on her for a dose of home decor inspiration as interior design is something she clearly cares about and enjoys, as documented on her Insta account. 

So when she posted a snap of her round marble dining table (her famous designer sofa in the background) adorned with a vase of multicoloured tulips captioned, ‘H o m e (With my reduced to clear coop flowers lookin v stunz)’, we were surprised but intrigued, too. 

Perhaps we took Stacey for an artisanal florist kind of girl instead, but this makes us very happy nevertheless. Has Stacey just set a trend of shamelessly tapping into the supermarket clearance flower section? Normalising and even glorifying what we all do already anyway.

But which supermarket flowers are best to go for and which are best avoided? And how do you get your bouquet looking a bit more elevated than how you first found it? Our expert has answers to all of this.

How to pick them

Firstly, try selecting the bunches that are the freshest. ‘First and foremost, inspect the flowers to ensure they are fresh, and look for petals that are vibrant, and free from discolouration or wilting,’ says David Denyer, flower expert at Eflorist. 

Secondly, not all flowers are made equal when it comes to their longevity. ‘More delicate flowers, such as daisies or tulips, wilt relatively quickly, so if you’re after a long-lasting bouquet, opt for roses, or chrysanthemums,’ David recommends.

How to arrange them

One of the things you can do to make your supermarket flowers look more expensive is to mix different bunches - whether it’s different flower varieties or multiple colours, as Stacey has done, combining pink tulips with dark red and orange ones.

‘To elevate the appearance of your bouquet, consider mixing different flower varieties, colours, and textures, as combining flowers that are different shapes and sizes will add depth to your arrangement,’ David advises. ‘You can also add in some greenery, such as eucalyptus or ferns, to add depth and contrast.’

Additionally, allow for space and don’t pack the stems too tightly together as illustrated by Stacey’s bouquet. ‘Arrange the flowers in a way that avoids overly tight bunches, so they don’t look too overcrowded,’ David confirms.

Right, we're off to our local M&S for a bunch now.