Designing Forty Four

Lilac Laura

2015-05-18T19:42:00.000-04:00

It's lilac season, and this year I got to celebrate in style. On Mother's Day my son presented me with a lovely, heartfelt card, which included a surprise invitation to the Harvard Arboretum's Lilac Walk. How did I not know about this place?

It wasn't news to my son that I had a love affair with lilacs, which dated back to my childhood. Every Spring, our side yard would be bursting with tones of purple and white, and bushes that were too high to reach. The scent was amazing, and impossible to forget. "Lilac Laura" became my CB handle, when my Dad got a CB radio for his car. It is still not quite clear why he needed a CB radio, but it was exciting nonetheless. Being able to communicate remotely with total strangers was a relatively new thing back then, and clearly a sign of things to come. It sounds scary, but we communicate with strangers all the time, through social media, and our fascination with peeking into the lives of others has taken over much of our down time. I was happy to have a reason to get away from the hustle and bustle of constant communication, and take in the beauty of the lilacs in season.

While visiting this amazing place, with a lilac display like no other, we discovered many other themed gardens that were begging to be enjoyed. Before we left, we were already talking about a return visit, as we didn't have time to see everything, and I was not wearing the best pair of shoes for walking.

Mother's Day is a time to be honored by those whose lives you have left an imprint on. It is nice to know that my children know how to get to the heart of what I love.

entrance exam

2015-05-18T13:24:00.004-04:00

A home's entrance says a lot about a person. This Gloucester client was looking for a custom design that would celebrate her new seaside home, and provide another reason to go "overboard," with all things beach related. Since she would be hosting an upcoming wedding shower for her daughter, my client was hoping to show off her new home to family and friends. Isn't it funny how a gathering of any kind can help to get your butt in gear?

This photo of the outdoor space, supplied by the client, made me think that we were going to need some plants with height for the urn designs. A site visit, including a tour of the inside of the client's beautiful home, provided me with a pretty good idea of what she had in mind.

An elegant and understated use of greens and touches of white was the perfect complement against a teal green door, and the classic black urns didn't hurt either. Using the hog brush wreath as a base, I selected a combo of faux grasses, hydrangea, trailing succulents, queen annes lace, an upscale burlap-y ribbon along with some foraged elements including driftwood, starfish, and a clam shell from my personal collection.

The blue crab door knocker just takes it up a knock (get it?), making this entrance exam an A+.

speaking of florals

2015-04-28T07:48:00.000-04:00

astrid photography and model Cari Funkhouser

I designed this bouquet at David Beahm's fabulous South Bronx studio in New York. If you would like to read about my experiences in NYC at the 5th Annual Chapel Designers Conference, follow this link to Laura Thomson Design.