Living in the country side has it’s advantages nowadays. But it is not exactly the best spot to discover new places to be. So it was quite a surprise to come home one day and see opposite the street a kind of barn that was transformed into an atelier with just a wooden sliding door and a small name tag on the wall. Just Blom-ista, by appointment. Nothing more. Very discreet, minimal without any window, and no clue what it actually was.
My curious nature won, and the next day I pulled over my car as the wooden door was open and checked it out.
The barn, concrete floor, white walls, was stuffed with large pots filled with all sorts of colorful flowers. But this is not an ordinary flower shop. This is a flower ‘bibliotheque’ or library.
Blomista
I met Kirsten Blom, the owner & ‘blomista’ in her atelier and she introduced me to her art & her profession. She’s a flower stylist for retailers, hospitality and events but she does not work with natural living flowers, but with high-class silk replica’s that she collects all over the world. Blom (Dutch for flower) talks about her flowers as it are treasures from her archive. In the back of her shop, she has a photo studio so she can photograph her compositions before she delivers them.
The Blomista flower arrangements are beautiful. And off course I love the real thing and I somehow miss the wonderful scent of living flowers but this old school ‘new style’ replica’s are great and surprisingly almost real. Kirsten Blom flows the seasons, and so today the barn is packed with wild field flowers, in delicate whites, soft pinks and purples. But also some branches amazing pink magnolia’s that I took home straight away.
Silk flowers
Silk flowers are back. They make a remarkable comeback in the contemporary flower arrangement scene. Not to replace natural flowers, but as a beautiful alternative for special moments, or places that need dramatic styling that lasts longer than a week. See for yourself.
Later!
Kate
Kirsten Blom, kirsten@blomista.com #dontletyourflowersgotowaste