Paint the interior black to make flower colors pop. Using a moisture/mold/mildew-resistant paint (oil-based enamel, for example), paint the interior walls and floor. Make sure the cooler is unplugged, clean all interior surfaces thoroughly, sand or grind away any rust or other corrosion, and allow the surfaces to dry thoroughly before painting. Also, allow the paint to dry thoroughly between coats (if more than one is applied) and before turning the cooler back on. This might take 24 hours or longer.

Wallpaper the exterior. Apply wallpaper or a laminate product to the exterior surfaces of your floral cooler for a new, custom look. Prepare the surface properly, according to the chosen product’s instructions, before applying the product.

Change the light bulbs. All bulbs lose illumination power as they age. This loss is so gradual that it often goes unnoticed until the bulbs burn out. Look for full-spectrum bulbs so that the colors of your flowers appear as true as possible, and check out new lighting systems that provide increased light along with energy savings, distribute light evenly, reduce or eliminate reflection, and so on.

Electroplate metal finishes and shelves. This refinishing process will add a new sparkle and eliminate chips in the metal finishes on your cooler. You will need to hire a professional company to do this job. Search online for electroplating companies in your area, look in your local Yellow Pages or ask auto body shops for recommendations.
    Another option for giving wire shelves a clean, new appearance is to spray them with a rust-proof enamel paint. Be sure to clean and prepare the surfaces properly first so that the paint adheres permanently. You also can purchase replacement shelves relatively inexpensively from your favorite floral cooler manufacturer.

Clean your cooler(s) regularly. Establish a daily, weekly and monthly cleaning schedule for your cooler. (See the “Cooler Maintenance” schedule below.) Be sure to use a professional floral cleanser (such as D.C.D.® Cleaner from Floralife or Fresh-n-Clean® from Syndicate Sales) on the interior surfaces; avoid vinegar-based cleaners (e.g., Windex), which can corrode delicate parts.

Keep container styles and colors consistent. Choose one style and one color for all of your flower storage containers—except if you use glass containers—to create a consistent, cleaner, less cluttered and less busy appearance. Choose white containers, if your cooler interior is white, and black containers, if the interior is black. The goal is to have the storage containers fade into the background, making the flowers more prominent.

Group flowers by color, then by variety. For example, display all pink flowers together, followed by red, followed by burgundy. Then within each color grouping, display all roses together, all carnations together, all Alstroemerias together, and so on. Group flowers following the color wheel: red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, yellow, yellow-green, green, blue-green, blue, blue-violet, violet and red-violet. It doesn’t really matter in which order you display the tints, tones and shades of each hue (i.e., pink, red and burgundy; peach, orange, brown/rust; etc.)

Do not crowd the flowers into the cooler. Flowers will look more appealing if there is adequate space between them, and they will last longer if there is adequate air circulation among them. With proper spacing, each type of flower can be fully appreciated by consumers, and less injury and damage will befall them.