Design Floralia

Save Money on Valentine's Day

2012-02-09T16:38:00.000-08:00

screen shot from Yahoo Personal Finance video.

A new video from Yahoo Personal Finance tells viewers that one of the best ways to save money on Valentine's Day gifts is to buy good quality, fresh flowers from a local, professional florist instead of an on-line service (or buying them from a road-side vendor, duh...).

Last time I went to the Kitayama Brothers Watsonville greenhouse, Robert gave me an armful of freshly harvested lilies and hot pink Gerbera daisies, and they lasted for almost a month (using cut flower food).

Modern Luxury Wedding Fair

2012-02-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

invitation from Modern Luxury

I don't usually post about commercial events & products, but I have found these Modern Luxury wedding fairs to be very interesting. Also of value is the free subscription to the on-line version of San Francisco Brides magazine, which saves it from being lost forever in the huge stack of magazines and stuff to read at the end of my dining room table :-) Students, check this out (and let me know if you are going 2/21).

New Posts on KB Blog

2012-02-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

I have been contributing to the Kitayama Brothers Floral News blog. There are new posts up about this year's floral trends, and a great video by Robert Kitayama about their bountiful Valentine's Day crop this year. The blog can be found at http://kitayamabrothers.blogspot.com/

CCSF Floral Class - Web Lecture

2012-01-31T20:11:00.000-08:00

This might seem like an odd topic for a floral blog, but it's important. I love floral design, and have been through most of the program at City College of San Francisco. Along with that I have worked in the arts my entire life, and have frequently worked as a graphic designer or creative director for dot.coms and software companies.

Many people don't quite understand the huge paradigm shift that has happened on the web, with HTML 5, CSS 3 and the general user expectation to participate in a conversation/relationship instead of looking at a static informational website. People become confused and overwhelmed by all the choices that are available. Web site, blog, Google +, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter - how do all of these work together? Floral designers need to harness this power and communicate about their designs and what they do.

Below is a short presentation I did for the work study class at the CCSF. Please contact me by e-mail at kim_munson@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

CCSF Web Lecture

View more presentations from Kim Munson.

Kitayama Brothers Tour

2012-01-09T14:25:00.000-08:00

If you can't see the slideshow above, click here to see it on flickr.

Last week, I had a business meeting at the KB (Kitayama Brothers) Farms in Watsonville, situated on the Monterey Bay near Sunset Beach. They have about 1 million square feet of greenhouse space, and I was amazed by how tall and beautiful the flowers were. When we were walking through the greenhouses, it seemed like they went on for miles! I also enjoyed hearing all the stories about how things really work, like the fact that the birds that get in the greenhouses prefer to only eat the shoots of purple flowers and what holidays/seasons the crops are grown for. It was fascinating, and worth the drive to see it in person.

If you click on the slideshow in full-screen mode, you will get the captions.

Food Stations for CCSF Final

2011-12-27T20:08:00.000-08:00

If you can't see the slideshow above click here to see it on Flickr

The above are photos of our final projects for the "floral designs for events" class taught by Jenny Tabarracci, AIFD. We were assigned one of 5 "food stations" to design and install in the floristry workshop/classroom in mid-December. There was a "winter wonderland" desert station; an English tea; a farmer's market display; and and a sushi station, all lovely.

Joyce & Kim's "martini" station

Joyce Kessler and I were assigned a "Martini" station. We decided to go with a fruit Martinis theme; green apple, lime and kiwi, all in shades of green and brown. We decided to add a hanging floral element with a hint of the holidays, constructed of gold branches with white twinkle lights, noble pine, green spider mums, dianthus, hypericum, and belles of Ireland with green and brown holiday ornaments. We filled clear cylinder vases with green apples and limes and used them to support glass shelves, lit underneath with LED lights. There was a display of "kiwi martinis" on a gold tray front and center.

This was a great class, and we got lots of practical information out of it. Highly recommended!

Taste - Microsoft Party

2011-12-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

If you can't see the photos above, click here to see the Picasa Gallery.

These large arrangements of magnolia, greens, berries and roses were created at Taste Catering and Event Planning for a Microsoft holiday party at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco. The finished arrangements were placed on top of large glass vases filled with clear water and floating branches of holiday greens. These were incorporated into the food stations in the main ballroom. The event had an overall 1940's theme.

Structures for Holiday Arrangements

2011-12-06T11:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my CCSF floral design class prepared some arrangements for the annual Environmental Horticulture/Floristry Department sale, benefiting the department's scholarship fund. They sell poinsettias, holiday wreaths, centerpieces, all kinds of arrangements, and indoor and outdoor plants. This year the sale is on December 8th from 11 am to 3 pm at the Horticulture building (Judson at Gennessee) on the CCSF Ocean campus (415-239-3236 or 415-239-3140 for more info).

The photos below show the "mechanics" of these designs, to be finished with fresh flowers right before the sale. Many of these designs have many uses outside of the holidays.

The framework for a topiary arrangement. Moss and greens are wired to a bent coathanger, then flowers will be added to the bottom.

Jenny Tabarracci's finished sample. I've used this design myself for Easter, new baby gifts, and other occasions.

A "tree" made of a foam cone and cut holly leaves. All it needs is an ornament on top.

Cubes of foam covered with holly leaves have a modern, streamlined appearance. These will be topped off with moss and one beautiful flower.

Garlands of moss and holiday greens coil around votive candles. The tray will be filled with water, with fresh flowers arranged in and around the coils.

This simple, modern design is perfect for a desk or cocktail table, consisting of two water tubes affixed with decorative wire and uglu to a small square vase. There's a votive candle in the vase.

This arrangement is meant to hang, I'm going to finish the bottom with ribbon and pine cones.

This grid of ribbon will support an arrangement of holiday greens and fresh flowers.

Thanksgiving arrangements

2011-11-25T17:44:00.000-08:00

The centerpiece for dinner, accented
with silver candlesticks, and an ocean sunset.

Fall leaves on the front door welcome guests.

Green & purple arrangement in the living room, in a
long, thin glass container. All photos by Marc Greenberg.

Billy Cook Demo at CCSF

2011-11-14T21:34:00.000-08:00

If you can't see these photos, click here to see them on Picasa.

My CCSF events class had a demo today by Billy Cook, Executive Designer for Taste Catering and Event Planning (SF). He explained the nuts and bolts of working with clients on large events, such as corporate parties, retail events and conventions. He pointed out an important difference between these types of events and events like weddings. In weddings, small details matter because you are creating a life-long memory for the bride & groom, who will look at the flowers/design over and over again in photos & video, as opposed to corporate events, where it’s important to make an immediate impact, and the priorities are different. The flowers only have to look fabulous for one night, and they will most likely be composted when the event is struck. Companies invest time and money in events for various reasons, but they are always going to move on to the next one (one would hope the newlyweds aren't thinking this way). The key, Cook said, to all this is relationships, your personal network. He recommended a recent NY Times article, Generation Sell, that focuses on Gen X and the idea of personal branding.

Mock-up of a small plates table design with LED
lights and arrangements of succulents.

He talked about the cycles involved in event work: the frenzy of creating and installing the event, and the downtime when you can do research and sales. Corporate events have cycles too, he explained, The winter holiday season, fall and spring are busy, with the summer months of July and August being the slowest. January and February, which seems like they would be slow times, are taken up by an active convention schedule.

The most requested look, he said, is shabby chic, refined yet simple. Another popular look is the “barn” look: rustic, rough fabrics like burlap, textures, mosses, plants. The farmer’s market look is also in demand: wood, mason jars, metal tubs, weeds, vegetables, plants and textures. All types of sustainable, organic, local materials are in, and succulents are gaining in popularity with corporate planners.

He also gave us some practical tips:

Glass containers are the most useful and flexible. You can change the look of them in many ways: wrapping them, colored water, filling them with different materials. Imported ceramics are also important.
He showed us flat plastic bases with LED lights built in to use as accent lights under arrangements and other ways.
He talked about the trend toward “small plates” displays (as opposed to buffet lines), and good ways to decorate them (photo above).
He wraps all vases and glassware in plastic wrap to keep them clean and protect them from scratches. He commented that plain hot water cleans most of the glass, and he would use vinegar or ammonia on stubborn film and stains. Not only are clean materials and vases important because they look professional, but the flowers are closely tied to food service, and no one wants to look at dirty glassware while they eat.
Taste Catering is a certified Green company. Other than recycling and composting, there are things you don't think about like the chemicals commonly used to enhance floral blooms and wastewater.
Avoid fragrances, and branches/stems that might poke someone.
Be familiar with the inventory at furniture and linen rental companies. After the lighting, he said, linens have the most dramatic effect on the room.
He mentioned that Taste gives back to the community by donating to fundraising events for non-profits, and that he enjoys the challenge of designing for them, especially for Meals on Wheels.

As you can see by the photos above, he managed to tell us all this and still demonstrate some lovely centerpieces. We were all thrilled to hear such down-to-earth, practical information about the events business. Thanks to Billy and Jenny Tabarracci for working this out.

Thanksgiving Centerpieces

2011-11-14T18:35:00.000-08:00

If you can't see these photos, click here to see the album on Picasa.

I just found a few photos of some Thanksgiving centerpieces I did for the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley, CA while working for Ornamento last year. We used rustic, twiggy containers, and filled them with fall leaves, gourds, seasonal fruits, mums, and berries.

Tall Centerpieces - CCSF Midterm Designs

2011-11-09T15:29:00.000-08:00

If you can't see the slideshow above click here to go to the gallery on Picasa.

These tall arrangements were the mid-term assignment in Jenny Tabarracci's "Floral Design for Events" class. We were all required to use the same riser prop, and to select a celebrity birthday for our theme. It was really amazing to see how differently everyone used the prop. Beautiful work from the whole class.

Kim's design

My design was a predominantly green one that sort of looks like a palm tree. I was inspired by local tech celebrity Larry Ellison (I worked a Oracle for a short time eons ago). Lately he's been in the news because he is the moving force behind bringing the 2013 America's Cup race to San Francisco. He has long been interested in Japanese design, and even modeled his Woodside estate after feudal Japanese architecture. I was also inspired by a small Buddha statue I keep near my desk. I decided to incorporate the statue into the base on the design. Since Buddha found enlightenment while sitting under a tree, I made a "tree" with large leaves, orchids, thistles, small Japanese toys, and other materials.

We also had an informative guest lecture by Robert Kitayama, President & CEO of Kitayama Brothers, Inc, one of the largest growers of fresh flowers in California. His description of the evolution of their family business between its beginning in 1948 and now sounded like a mini-history of the ever-changing floral business. It was very interesting to hear his perspective on industry trends, which was quite different from the experiences of the designers that have come to demo for us. Thanks to Robert and Jenny for working that out.

pink & green column centerpiece

2011-11-02T01:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's project was a large column design with pink cockscomb and hydrangea. This versatile arrangement has many uses for all types of events, such as a centerpiece, buffet, entry design, or almost anywhere.

While I've filled the top here, it could be much more open, or have flowers hanging down instead of "growing" up.

purple & green arrangements

2011-10-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

Tall Centerpiece with Dragon Fan

2011-10-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

Tall centerpiece with dragon fan by Kim

The colors in this tall centerpiece arrangement were inspired by the dragon print fan. To finish this, I would probably wrap the shaft with a dark ribbon, and decorate the base with a second fan, lilies, and moss.

Demo by Gerry Gregg AIFD at CCSF

2011-09-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

Large Centerpiece by Gerry Gregg AIFD

Had a demo today from Gerry Gregg AIFD, winner of the Cal-State Top 10 and owner of the Flower Market Chico, specializing in Manzanita and other natural materials from the Sierra Nevada Range. He came to talk with us about floral design for events (corporate, weddings) and the "California Natural" style.

Gerry made several amazing arrangements for using wood, mushrooms, moss and other materials as an structural base, explaining that he prefers "sheltering, free-flowing lines" and lots of texture with fewer flowers.

He has participated in many shows and competitions, and talked to us a lot about trends in design. He told us that the "Bling" style with all the jewels and sparkly bits is on its way out. "California Natural," a style he's actually been working in his whole career, has finally become a known and accepted design style, which includes such elements as woods, mosses, grasses, mushrooms, a clean architectural look, and elements that seem "grounded."

He talked to us about color trends: red, light blue, silver/pewter and antique gold are happening colors. Cascade wedding bouquets are in, with long sweeping tendrils. "Design for arts sake" he said, "is finally coming into play," meaning modern Eurostyle elements like exposed zip ties. He explained that he used exposed zip ties in a competition but was marked down for it, but times have changed. "Now," he said, "anything is possible if you use it with confidence and you have a reason for it."

He also stressed the importance of identifying what your clients "dislikes" are, the importance of knowing when to stop working on a design and leave it alone, and told us that it was his educated opinion that the Dole float built by Fiesta Floats would win first place in the Rose Parade this year. I found that he also does interesting abstract paintings, that can be seen at Art Circle.

Annual Auction at Intersection for the Arts

2011-05-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

Busy bees at Intersection.

I created several centerpieces for Intersection for the Arts annual art auction and gala fundraiser. This year was particularly exciting because Intersection had moved their gallery from their Mission location on Valencia Street to new digs at the historic SF Chronicle building on Mission Street. The theme was bees and beehives. I created this centerpiece of Spring greens, flowers, ribbon and bees for the main table, and smaller groupings of spring flowers for the bar and cocktail tables. Congrats to Intersection!

Ornamento at Bouquets to Arts

2011-05-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Daisies at the de Young

Ornamento's installation for Bouquets to Art 2011 was created in the long triangular space right next to the main enterance. This space has long display windows on both sides, and can be seen from both the exterior courtyard and from the main lobby of the museum.

Inspired by the coming of Spring, we installed over 200 Gerbera Daisies, in a spectrum of colors. The colors began at one end of the long window with white, then yellow though orange to orange-red, then went from dark magenta through all the pinks to the lightest blush pink.

Museum visitors on opening day seemed very happy to see the "daisy field" a sign of Spring after days of overcast weather.

Ornamento at the Fairmont

2011-05-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

Mock-up of Ornamento at the Fairmont by Kim Munson, 2010.

Ornamento has recently taken over the floral shop at the Fairmont Hotel, and become their preferred florist for events in the hotel. The shop had a "soft launch" a couple weeks ago, and we expect to hear about about a big grand opening in the next month or so.

The graphic on the left is a mock-up of the interior I did for a proposal to the Fairmont. They eventually decided on a modern French studio theme and I'm sure it will look great.

Start Trek Bouquet

2010-12-17T21:58:00.000-08:00

For my final project in the CCSF wedding design class, I tried to imagine what the bouquet would look like at a Star Trek wedding. Imagine the bride wearing the regulation red velor mini-dress "uniform" from the original 1966 series. Part of the reason I wanted to do it was that it wasn't just a compelling vision of the future, it was a 1960's view of the future, around the same time similar design ideas were also appearing in the NY World's Fair and the original Tomorrow-land (Disneyland). In keeping with the theme, I used lots of bright solid colors and unusual materials.

2010-11-10T16:01:00.000-08:00

A pair of large vase arrangements created today by Carolina Herrera, Yun Kyung Park & myself at CCSF.

2010-11-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

2 small arrangements celebrating the Giants victory in the World Series for the fall Intellectual Property Conference at Golden Gate University School of Law. One was for the reception table in the entry, the other for the panelist's table.

I seem to have a bright orange theme going on this fall!

Modern Fall Wedding - CCSF

2010-10-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

This selection of arrangements was a group project for my Advanced Floral Design class. The theme was "Modern Fall Wedding at the SF W Hotel," inspired by some arrangements featured in the April 2010 issue of Flowers& magazine. Everyone in the group helped create these, but each person was primarily responsible for the following: Kim Munson (Bride's bouquet and overall design); Yun Kyung Park (cake display); Federico Lupercio (Mother-of-the-Bride corsage & Groom's boutonniere); Tamar Farajin (centerpiece collage & project storyboard);Carolina Herrera (altarpiece & project presentation).

Although we presented this at 11am, we thought of this as an early evening in downtown SF, with fall colors accented by warm candlelight.

Ylvisaker - Trends in Floral Design

2010-09-24T18:17:00.000-07:00

The slides above are cell snaps from a floral design demo by Kevin Ylvisaker AIFD, PFCI sponsored by the local unit of Teleflora hosted by Brannan Street Floral Wholesale at the SF Flower Mart.

Kevin created all the arrangements in these photos. In the captions, I discuss points that he brought up as he created the arrangements, but overall his main points were:

Martha style arrangements are dead. Many people still like them, but that's not where contemporary design is going. Monotone and grouped designs are popular. Design is more spare and architectural, and not so much about round mounds of mixed flowers.

Turquoise will be the happening color of the year. Bright colors like lime green, orange, hot pink and bright purple are still trendy. Chocolate is out, and has been replaced by a warm gray/black Charcoal.

More flowers, less greenery. Use moss to cover foam if needed. Even garden style arrangements are more structured.

We love glass cubes. We fill them with colored foam, colored foam shapes, dyed beads, colored wire, curly willow and grasses.

Glitter and dyed flowers are popular. Especially flowers dyed blue.

There was lots more information, and I was fascinated with how quickly and deftly Kevin could create design after design, while talking and joking the whole time. I would think these same trends are probably appearing in most creative endeavors.

Contemporary Designs by Kim

2010-06-08T01:11:00.000-07:00

Wedding Designs by Kim

2010-06-08T01:10:00.002-07:00

Everyday & Holiday Designs by Kim

2010-06-08T01:10:00.001-07:00

Sympathy Designs by Kim

2010-06-08T01:10:00.000-07:00

"Body" Flowers by Kim

2010-06-08T01:09:00.001-07:00

Bouquets to Art 2010

2010-06-07T23:37:00.001-07:00

Cel snaps of the amazing floral designs on display at the de Young's annual Bouquets to Art event, in which designers from around the bay area create pieces based on works in the de Young's permanent collection. April 20-24, 2010.

I was pleased to assist on the event this year with other CCSF students, particularly the opportunity to help Kiko Zimmerman of tk designs prep for her demos. Her designs were spectacular!