![Fleur_078_4x5 Portrait of floral designer Kelly Marie Thompson in her shop, Fleur, in Chicago. She wears a denim tunic and dark pants, and holds a small bouquet of roses. She's surrounded by flowers, grasses, large tropical leaves, and the antiques that fill the shop’s exposed brick frame.](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fleur_078_4x5.jpeg)
When Kelly Marie Thompson was designing floral arrangements for Flower magazine’s visit to her shop, Fleur, in Chicago, she looked to nature for her creative catalyst.
“I was inspired by the romance of the Midwest prairie sunset, which led me to choose several wild grasses to mix in with the flowers,” she says. “I wanted a soothing palette that would evoke a peaceful feeling, incorporating rusty bronze, pale orange, and soft pinks that hint at the season but perhaps are also a little unexpected.”
Enjoy a peek inside Kelly’s shop and the trio of designs she created for us. You’ll also find her step-by-step floral tutorial at the end of this post.
A LOOK INSIDE FLEUR
![Fleur_138_4x5](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fleur_138_4x5.jpeg)
Located in historic Logan Square, her boutique offers seasonal cut flowers from primarily local sources, along with jewelry, paper goods, and home accessories.
![Fleur_128 Fleur in Chicago](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fleur_128.jpg)
The mix of antique furniture in the shop gives it the feel of a living room.
![Fleur_110](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fleur_110.jpg)
“Shop Kitty,” aka Sweet Pea, basks in the late October sun.
![Fleur_089](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fleur_089.jpg)
Flowers and grasses selected for the photo shoot with Flower magazine
A TRIO OF FLORAL DESIGNS
– Kelly Marie Thompson
![Fleur_115 Kelly Marie Thompson floral design in a long, oval antique dough bowl](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fleur_115.jpg)
MATERIALS
- Wild grasses
- ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus
- ‘Romantic Antike’ roses
- ‘Koko Loko’ roses
- ‘Prairie Sunset’ roses
- Anthurium
- Pieris japonica
![Fleur_123 A Kelly Marie Thompson floral design in a low compote vase](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fleur_123.jpg)
MATERIALS
- ‘Blushing Bride’ protea
- ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus
- Wild grasses
- Pieris japonica
- Dried pampas grass
![Fleur_074 Finished floral arrangement demonstrated by Kelly Marie Thompson. Materials: Pieris japonica, Plum tree foliage, Bridal veil grass , Millet grass, Explosion grass, ‘Blushing Bride’ protea‘, Prairie Sunset’ roses, ‘Romantic Antike’ roses, ‘Koko Loko’ roses, ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fleur_074.jpg)
![Fleur_134 The materials are laid out on a flat white surface: Pieris japonica, Plum tree foliage, Bridal veil grass , Millet grass, Explosion grass, ‘Blushing Bride’ protea‘, Prairie Sunset’ roses, ‘Romantic Antike’ roses, ‘Koko Loko’ roses, ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fleur_134.jpg)
MATERIALS
- Pieris japonica
- Plum tree foliage
- Bridal veil grass
- Explosion grass
- Millet grass
- ‘Blushing Bride’ protea
- ‘Prairie Sunset’ roses
- ‘Koko Loko’ roses
- ‘Romantic Antike’ roses
- ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Click the arrows (or swipe if on a mobile device) to see each step.
Produced by Alice Welsh Doyle | Photography by Jaclyn Simpson