It’s been quite a year. Moving your family to a new town is an adventure in and of itself. Moving your business along with it adds a whole other dimension to the equation. Our little farmhouse is charming, even without us doing anything to it. But obviously I was itching to get my hands on it, personalize it a touch and up the charm anty a bit. However, there have been other priority spaces, one of the big ones being The Day’s Design’s studio space.
So while I have touched a few areas with paint in the house, outside has really been the focus. The studio is on our home property. We have approximately 4 acres of space, most of it not utilized but I have garden visions that *might* happen yet this season. Baby steps, I keep reminding myself. Back to the studio, it was a MUST happen item. It was one of the leading factors in purchasing our home, it has a space for me to work. It would allow me to have a home based business but at the same time a seperate space.
The previous owners had an upholstry business which they ran out of this green garage “studio” building. I didn’t think much work would be needed to make the space functional for me. But once their stuff was emptied out, I realized how much love the area needed. The walls were dingy. The space was really dirty. And the concrete floors were a little gross… but we’re going to call that “patina”.
Since at one point in it’s lifetime the building had actually functioned as a full time garage, it was one big room. I wanted some division. I space where I could meet with clients and another area for to hide the “ugly”, ie. a storage area.
So the entire studio was painted, a seperating wall was built and chandeliers were installed (because the existing hum of flourescent lights wasn’t cutting it). It doesn’t sound like much work, but it was. I also painted and created a backbar, sourced more storage shelving (some pretty and some not) and cleaned, cleaned and cleaned some more. If you follow along on Instagram and you watched my latest IGTV episode, then you have an idea of where we started and where the space ended up. If not, I’m sorry to say I don’t have a before picture. I didn’t get up here before the moving trucks started dumping boxes and was too embarassed to take one after the fact. So much organzing and unpacking, such is the life of a floral designer.
The space was offically “finished” late last summer/early last fall. But will I ever really be “done” with it? Probably not. Even now, there are still some things I’d like to achieve before the upcoming season – more shelves, replacing the window AC unit, etc. There are always systems to improve upon. However, I’m going to stop dragging my feet and holding out on this tour… without further ado, this is The Day’s Design’s studio!
When you first walk in there door there are two areas that immediately grab your attention, the soft seating area for chatting with clients and the round “meeting table”. I’ve actually yet to meet with any clients at this table and rarely sit here. It has held a centerpiece mock-up or two though.
This is where conversations and cookies are served. We have a seat and relax and dream about all things weddings. I love inviting people to come and sit with me here. My other favorite part of this area is that large antique cabinet that holds my treasures. It came from a school in the Flint area and still has writings on the side with classroom notes. Part of me wants to give it a fresh coat of paint, but the other part of me can’t bear to cover up a piece of it’s history.
90% of the time, there is where you’ll find me working. I love this small work table and those cabinets behind are loaded with supplies. The mirror serves not only as a pretty focal piece, but also for assisting as I build bouquets. The wall that the mirror is hanging on is the one that I mentioned needed to build, to seperate the pretty from the “ugly” space.
This is the overflow table. For the purposes of these pictures, it’s beautifully covered with linens and all the finishings of a fine table setting. It’s held a centerpiece mockup or two and shine up real nice. But in reality, when that linen is removed, it’s a crooked old work table that propped up by a random 2×4 and looks like an animal chewed on it legs. However, it serves its purpose well, it’s a place for overflow flowers, additional team mates to work or to stage and prep things for the upcoming busy weekend.
Did you really think I was going to show you pictures of that? Certainly not! There’s a reason that curtain exists! My dad build me sturdy shelves though and they are filled to the brim in votive olders, taper candle hurricanes, bouquet vases, table number, styling fabrics, baskets, chicken wire, extension cords, zip ties, cables, picture frames, buckets, bouquet wrap paper and so many other things that I cannot possibly mention it all.
I certainly don’t take for granted the luxury of working out of my own studio space, it wasn’t long ago that my kitchen was overflowing with flowers on a weekly basis and I was pushing my family of house and home just to create.
Photography: Emily Jane Photography
I know wedding season it going to look a little diffent this year, in light of the recent pandemic and gathering restrictions. But whatever the future holds, we’re ready for it with a bunch of blooms in our hands!
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