MEET SIERRA & JULIET OF POPPIES AND POSIES

Today, say hello to two of the sweetest and most talented young ladies, Sierra and Juliet of Poppies and Posies…..their florals are truly works of art…I love their style and I can’t wait to meet them later this year!!  Sierra and Juliet are constantly busy and they will be jet setting to LA this month designing flowers and styling shoots for Jen Huang’s Photography workshop in Malibu. Let’s check out their fun interview and get to know them a little better…..Enjoy!!

S&J:  One of the reasons we love what we do so much is that we don’t have typical days.  Everyday is really different which makes this job always fun and exciting. On many days we start out in the flower market bright and early to pick up our blooms and to see if there is anything extra special that we could use in the project we’re currently working on. Then it’s back to Brooklyn to work in our studio. On the days we’re not designingflowers for a project we often take trips to upstate NY to source vintage and antique elements for our weddings and events.

TBC: What wedding trend would you like to see disappear? 

S&J:  We’d love to see the outlandishly tall centerpiece trend disappear. People often think that by having a tall centerpiece guests will be able to chat across the table more easily but we tend to find it’s the opposite. A low, lush floral arrangement makes it easier to see across the table and strike up conversation with the other guests. A low, lush centerpiece is also easier to admire throughout dinner. For those clients who are still drawn to the tall centerpieces, we have cooked up some ways to make sure the arrangement is stillexciting and can be admired by guests throughout the evening.

S&J:  Our clients are the best! We are so lucky to have such creative, incredible people approach us for their weddings. I’d say on the whole, our clients are down to earth, wickedly creative, and easy to get along with. We have had meetings run for hours because we’ll all get to talking and forget we’re not just old friends having a catch up! 

TBC:  Where do you find inspiration?

S&J:  We tend to find inspiration from all around us. NYC offers some of the world’s most inspiring art, fashion, and restaurants so all you have to do is step outside your door in order to stumble across something inspiring. On the other hand, we’re both originally from New England and find that getting out of the city occasionally to breathe fresh air does wonders for your creativity as well. There is nothing better than seeing the ocean to clear your head or popping in antique shops in the NH/Maine area to find a unique piece to incorporate into a project.

S&J:  We really couldn’t do without our favorite floral wholesaler in the NY market, 28th St. Wholesale. All of the guys who work there and own the place are like our uncles at this point. They go out of their way to find us exactly what we’re looking for and give us tips on how to keep all of our flowers as fresh and fabulous as possible. They’ve all been doing this for a long time so their guidance is invaluable! 

TBC:  Describe your design style. 

S&J:  Our style is inspired by the natural composition of a wild garden. We love incorporating unexpected elements such as branches, berries, fruits and vegetables to create imaginative and unique arrangements. We also think imperfection is perfect so you’ll never find two of our arrangements that are exactly alike.

S&J: That’s a hard one. We have had so many amazing things happen to us since the conception of Poppies & Posies. From being photographed for Martha Stewart Whole Living to wandering around a private garden in Santa Ynez California picking blooms for a photo shoot, there has not been a dull moment! 

TBC:  What advice would you give to upcoming floral designers? 

S&J:  Approach floral design with an artist’s eye. Each arrangement is a composition, so, allow the elements to guide you while you’re working. Forget all of the rules and make your own to create a personal style!

S&J: We love all of our compatriots, from Saipua to Nicolette Camille, and their gorgeous work. Outside of NYC a few of our favorite designers are Ariella Chezar and Amy Osaba. We’re also totally in love with pretty much anything Flower Wild gets their hands on.

S&J:  We work mostly in the New York area (NJ, CT, etc) and the New England area (we both come from up North). But, we’re happy to travel far and wide. To date California is the farthest we’ve traveled for a project but we’re open to anything. Anyone need a floral designer in the Seychelles? We’re dying to go!

S&J:  We have a great group of ladies who help us out on a regular basis in our studio, so the gossip and laughter is constant while we work. Lately we’ve been into listening to lots of NPR (we love Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me) and rocking out to 90’s faves like TLC.

TBC:  If you had to make a career change, what would you do? 

S&J:  We’ve already made our career changes, so we’re happy right where we are. We both left more corporate styled desk jobs to pursue a more creative field where we’re our own bosses and we can get our hands dirty. There is nothing better than knowing you have full creative control over your work and I don’t think either of us could ever do anything else!

S&J:  We actually have very similar styles, which works out really well because we can borrow each other’s clothes. Juliet is madly in love with good vintage clothing shops and just stumbled upon her mecca in Miami called C Madeleine. She had sort of a religious experience there. Some of my favorites right now are Madewell, Pinky Otto in NYC, and Anthropologie.