For this month’s Point of View, we spoke to Julie Drago, aifd, ccsp, the owner of Julie Drago Designs in Toronto, Ont. Drago has experience in both the floral industry and the home decorating sector as an accredited floral designer and a Certified Canadian Staging Professional.
We asked her to share her thoughts on the trends that are occurring in the interior design market as well as pass on tips to florists looking to expand into this sector. Here’s what she had to say:
What interior design trends are you seeing in the market at the moment?
Fresh, clean and neat is the current style in demand. Flowers and plants help provide added textures and colours to any landscape or home design scheme. Drago says there’s a movement towards monochromatic backgrounds, which are accented with punches of colour and accessories. Textures play a role here as well and there’s a greater use of metals, woods, textiles and glass. Drago says you can also expect to see dull, muted metals in containers, along with pearls and even leather.
What type of flowers or floral design styles for the home are popular right now?
“I present florals in strong groupings of colour or variety,” says Drago. To demonstrate this style, she gives the example of oncidium orchids placed in a pewter oval vase. Drago says she’s also seeing a lot of single exotic flowers, such as king protea, featured in weighted vases, or green foliage used as a single stem in a vase. “We are using the flowers and greens to complement its atmosphere versus overpowering it.”
Why are flowers important to a home? How do you sell the benefits?
Drago says flowers have the ability to provide comfort to a space because they help connect us to nature. Flowers are also a gift with a low impact on the environment. “With the green movement happening all around us, it is the gift that gives back as it is not wasted, but composted and given back to the earth. Flowers never die, they are merely recycled. They bring us pleasure, warmth and we adore their beauty,” she says.
Drago positions her flowers as a therapeutic product that can relieve stress and bring smiles to sick patients. “Sell it as a benefit and sell it as a gift that keeps giving. Believe in your product and sell with confidence.”
What tips do you have for florists who are looking to expand into this market?
Drago offers the following tips for florists who are interested in selling more designs and gifts for the home:
- Always keep up with the trends.
- Don’t overbuy on items – provide unique accessories and showcase them in your shop so that clients can relate to the product.
- Appeal to the visual sense – add something surprising to an arrangement such as pods or sticks covered in wools, shells or metals.
- Have a seating area with décor magazines and European floral designs. This wows people when they see what the other side of the world is doing.
- Upsell to customers with a keepsake vase that suits their decor style. Encourage shoppers to bring in the vase periodically to be refilled. It’s an easy way to refresh a space for a new season.
- Educate your clients via e-newsletters with information about flowers and how they complement a home’s interior. Keep your messages simple and on point.
- Change your wall colours at least once a year – even your furniture. To do this cost effectively, you can buy used furniture and sell yours.
What are some good resources florists can use to stay up on the trends? Do you have any websites, magazines or sources you can recommend?
“I subscribe to European magazines and I always get the new issues of local décor magazines. I buy floral design books to keep me inspired,” says Drago. In terms of online resources, she recommends checking out Canadian Florist’s website (www.canadianfloristmag.com) and Benjamin Moore’s site (www.benjaminmoore.com) for great information on new décor styles. Florists can also subscribe to Benjamin Moore’s site for updates on new colour trends. Last but not least, Drago encourages florists to network with others who have the same interests and exchange views and insights.
Point of View appears regularly in CF and offers our readers the opportunity to hear the perspective of other industry members. If you would like to suggest a topic or be part of the Point of View column, please contact Sue at
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