Image: Floral Kokoro
Whether you’re planning ahead or feeling spontaneous, these artisans will give your flower arrangements a novel twist.
1. Floral Kokoro
We love that: this modern dried flowers concept store extends the lifespan of your flowers
These flowers aren’t dead, so to speak. Floral Kokoro say fresh flowers are dried naturally in optimal conditions so that they retain their colour and form beautifully, without the use of any chemicals. The brains behind the business is 27-year-old Chong Fuiyi who started it in New York City while working for a tech startup. Thanks to this innovative method of preserving blooms, Floral Kokoro gets you access to flowers such as Lagurus Ovatus (also known as the adorably named bunny tail grass) that’s native to the Mediterranean Basin, that might otherwise be hard to find in this region.
Floral Kokoro’s bohemian flowers typically last three to six months – and up to five years for cotton and pampas grass – which make them well-suited for jazzing up your work desk. In fact, keeping them away from sunlight is key to them lasting longer. Have a last minute rush order? You can pick it up on the same day or arrange for an overnight door-to-door courier delivery.
But it’s not just a flower store. Floral Kokoro also sells candles made from the dried blooms. Mini bouquet prices begin at $14. Fuiyi lets on that a physical store will be opened soon as customers have expressed interest in seeing the flowers in person, but until that is complete, find out more at https://floralkokoro.co/
2. Windflower Florist
We love that: the florist collaborated with gift and greeting card store Kalm’s to introduce Singapore’s first dried bouquet dispensing vending machine.
It’s been almost two months since Singapore’s first dried bouquets vending machines opened in Raffles City Shopping Centre and SIM University. Priced at $25 and up, some 50 bouquets are sold each week, and the team is looking to set up more vending machines over the next few months.
The bouquet vending machine was part of florist Stanley Tan’s strategy to reinvent his family’s 20-year flower business. After taking the reins in 2014, he poured his savings into give the business a makeover, launching e-commerce and social media platforms, as well as redesigning bouquets by incorporating a variety of flowers with different wrapping materials. Find out more at https://windflowerflorists.com
3. Petals and Foliage by Inside the Knot
We love that: it’s a flower subscription service that can deliver fresh flowers to your door regularly.
Look forward to gorgeous blooms weekly or fortnightly without lifting a finger, starting from $60 a jar. Launched this month by Rubina Tiyu, who’s been running event and wedding planning company Inside the Knot for almost a decade, Petals and Foliage stemmed from the idea that wedding guests often left the venue asking if they could take home the various floral centrepieces that decorated the guest tables. This led to the conceptualisation of a home subscription for people to receive fresh flowers regularly on Tuesdays or Fridays.
Naturally, flowers will vary according to the season but every subscription comes with charming care instructions and notes about the blooms. The folks behind Petals and Foliage tell us that bouquets should ideally be kept in a cool, shaded environment to maximise their longevity. Change the vase water every two to three days, and add flower food into the water to help them last longer. Find out more at http://insidetheknot.com/ .
4. Ektory
We love that: the art studio creates paper foliage decor for parties.
Led by founder and creative director Dawn Koh, Ektory is an art studio that specialises in handmade floral set designs, props, and decor.
It officially launched late 2014 when people began asking to rent a flower wall which Dawn had designed for her own wedding. The brand has since become synonymous with paper art creation and flower wall designs for clients who are looking to orchestrate unforgettable ‘Instagrammable’ moments.
Planning a party? Hit them up.
Imaginative by design, Ektory also elevates window displays, weddings, and corporate events. Ektory’s most elaborate project to date was a window display for luxury handbag maker Delvaux in April. It took 600 hours to craft – from conceptualisation to set up – and involved discussions with Paris, Belgium and Hong Kong-based art directors and visual merchandisers to realise the mood and feel of the season’s collection in the different countries.
Ektory Petit is in the works and is set to be rolled out before the end of the year. It’ll specialise in retail products and workshops, featuring the brand’s signature “real touch” flowers – artificial blooms that look and feel realistic. Find out more at http://www.ektory.com/ .
5. Fleur de Joy
We love that: this entrepreneur can recommend flowers based on the recipient’s personality
A one-woman show, Fleur de Joy’s founder Joy Peh started doing this first as a hobby, before going freelance, and eventually going full-time this year. A Nobleman School of Floral Design graduate, she draws inspiration from Instagram, noting that many Singaporeans are inclined towards the rustic aesthetic or Korean styles. Still, she maintains that her creations are bespoke and built based on the preferences of the recipients. She wants them to be more than a pretty sight and able to carry meaning to tell a story, she would try to find out more about the mood of the occassion and colour scheme.
One top tip to help flowers last longer after purchase? Keep them in an air conditioned room, cut the ends, and change the water every other day. Sounds simple enough. Find out more at http://www.fleurdejoy.com/.
6. The Flower Library
We love that: this home-based floral studio hosted a mini workshop for Readable (a reading programme for children to help cultivate an academic foundation) during Mother’s Day this year and hopes to organise more for older folks.
The Flower Library is run by Rachel, who initially dabbled in flower arrangement on occasion out of interest. In 2014, she did a Valentine’s Day pop-up just to have a little bit of fun and earn some extra cash, she shares. “An ex-colleague ordered a bouquet for his then-fiancee who liked it enough to ask if I could do the flowers for her wedding. Everything snowballed from there.” When asked how she intends to set herself apart from traditional and bespoke florists in the market, she modestly claims that she doesn’t pit herself against them for she has not been trained as rigorously. Having witnessed the prowess of her Midas touch, we beg to differ. “I love bringing the inspiration that I get from nature, books, art and travels into my colour palettes and flower choices – I think a worldview that lends itself onto a creation is something you can always call your own,” she says of her style, which often seems wildly effortless, weaving succulents and even an artichoke into bouquets.
As Christmas comes around (trust us, it’ll come sooner than you think), Rachel looks forward to making arrangements that have a warmer colour palette and incorporate elements such as dried fruits and leaves. Find out more at http://www.theflowerlibrary.net/.
