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
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
The mix of antique furniture in the shop gives it the feel of a living room.
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
Located in historic Logan Square, her boutique offers seasonal cut flowers from primarily local sources, along with jewelry, paper goods, and home accessories.
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
Flowers and grasses selected for the photo shoot with Flower magazine
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
“Shop Kitty,” aka Sweet Pea, basks in the late October sun.
– Kelly Marie Thompson
A TRIO OF FLORAL DESIGNS
MATERIALS
- Wild grasses
- ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus
- ‘Romantic Antike’ roses
- ‘Koko Loko’ roses
- ‘Prairie Sunset’ roses
- Anthurium
- Pieris japonica
MATERIALS
- ‘Blushing Bride’ protea
- ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus
- Wild grasses
- Pieris japonica
- Dried pampas grass
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
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
Step 1 | “I used a low terra-cotta pot to complement my palette,” says Kelly Marie Thompson. “Ball up chicken wire to create a base, and insert it into the container. Then trim and add the japonica, which is rust-toned and textural.”
Step 2 | Add branches of plum foliage. Trim them fairly short, and then place throughout the base of japonica.
Step 3 | Now the mix of grasses—bridal veil, explosion, and millet. Place these at varying angles in the arrangement. There’s no exact formula; just step back every once in a while and make adjustments as needed.
Step 4 | Use the ‘Blushing Bride’ protea in small groupings at the base of the arrangement. They impart a soft pink to the palette, and the texture is wonderful.
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson
Step 5 | Time for roses! Place ‘Prairie Sunset’ roses in front, and start to add more volume to the arrangement. Add a few ‘Koko Loko’ roses, which bring a depth of color and help blend the palette.
Step 6 | Place about six ‘Garden Antike’ roses to add another more muted and romantic shade of pink. This is a good time to step back and make any desired adjustments and look for holes to fill in.
Step 7 | Finally, the ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus—let these flowers float throughout the arrangement. They add movement and another layer of color.
The completed arrangement, inspired by the romance of the Midwest prairie sunset.
Produced by Alice Welsh Doyle | Photography by Jaclyn Simpson
