In Conversation with Erika Smolders

Erika Smolders

 

Erica Smolders is without a doubt one of the best floral designers in the city. She runs the premiere luxury floral boutique, Rook and Rose located in the fashionable district in lower Johnson Street (aka "LoJo"). 

 

I met Erica over a year ago when she was opening her quaint shop, and since then every time I walk by on my way to the studio her floral displays outside make my day brighter and happier.  She always has the most beautiful and unexpected flower arrangements ready to take home and you'll undoubtedly find the most stunning selection of seasonal and exotic blooms as well. 

 

Erica Smolders and her talented team including Lolita, her bulldog (which has stolen my heart completely) are available to work with each and every client bringing the beauty, the unique and the unexpected to every floral creation.

 

Lolita

 

Iván Meade - What is your favourite local find? Where did you get this item – how long have you had it?

 

Erica Smolders – Last spring I found a 1950’s Smith Corona typewriter while helping a friend clean out their garage. A few months later, I opened Rook & Rose and really liked the idea of using it at the shop to hand-type card messages and little love letters.

 

 

Iván Meade - Why is it important/inspirational to you?

 

Erica Smolders – I think it makes people happy. The sound of a typewriter might seem a bit out of place in a flower shop but it sure gets a lot of attention. I also really like that no two notes are ever the same. Some might be a tiny bit crooked or have a spot of white-out but I think that makes them special and I bet people will keep those cards for a really long time.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade -  How does this item reflect upon your personal design philosophy?

 

Erica Smolders – In floral design I really appreciate small, unexpected details and I think you can always tell when someone has taken the time to include those things. Plus, I love anything with a slight DIY vibe and I’m a sucker for anything vintage.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - What was your first experience with floral design?

 

Erica Smolders – I was attending University overseas, took a part-time job at a small flower stand and fell in love with it. Within weeks I’d decided that I just had to be a floral designer... and the rest is history.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - Who or what has influenced your style aside from nature itself?

 

Erica Smolders –Without a doubt, the years spent working in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore and were the most inspiring and influential experience I could have asked for as a young designer.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - Your shop is really unique and beautiful - It is not your typical flower shop what is your idea behind the shop?

 

Erica Smolders – I actually framed a restaurant napkin that I used to take notes when I was coming up with the concept for the shop. It says “clean, modern, stress the basics, affordable luxury, approachable design, beautiful packaging, quality customer service” and I think we’ve really done that.

 

Rook & Rose – Floral Boutique

 

Iván Meade - It was very refreshing to find someone in the city who does new and different floral designs. How do you keep current in the floral industry?

 

Erica Smolders –My eyes are always open. I follow high fashion, interior design and modern art really closely and have noticed that it doesn’t take long anymore for trends in those industries to influence floral design.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - Do you feel that Victoria is ready for a change? Where do you see floral design going in the next 10 years?

 

Erica Smolders – Absolutely! There’s been efforts to push the envelope around the city but it’s sometimes been met with hesitation. Luckily, being a new business, we’ve built an incredibly supportive clientele who are always checking in to see what’s new and that really keeps us on our toes. Hopefully within the next 10 years more and more people will choose flowers to compliment the style of their surroundings and maybe those fluffy, tacky, novelty arrangements will finally retire! 

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - What project are you most proud of?

 

Erica Smolders – I live for the moments when a bride tells me that her bouquet was ‘exactly what she wanted’ or that the flowers were ‘the favourite part of her wedding day’. Knowing that you’ve made someone so happy on one of the most memorable days of their life... you just can’t beat that.

 

Floral Bouquets by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - What would be your dream project if you were given carte blanche?

 

Erica Smolders –I really love events to have either a clear theme or a really cohesive look, so a dream project for me would be having a hand in the planning process from the beginning so that I can spend a majority of my time on all the thoughtful little details. Our flowers just look so much nicer on a perfectly planned table.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - What is your favourite plant to work with?

 

Erica Smolders – Orchids! It might seem like a really obvious answer but I just love how versatile they are and some of the rare varieties are really special.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - Lastly, you have already created a stunning body of work with many mediums and styles, what would you like your legacy to be?

 

Erica Smolders – Oh wow...I don’t know! I’m still just the new kid on the block. Ask me again in 5 years?

 

Erika Smolders in full action.

 

I invite you to discover Rook and Rose website at:

 

Eye Candy of the Week – Arbutus + Denman

 

 

PRODUCT

The SimplySpun Collection

 

DESIGNER

Arbutus + Denman

 

AVAILABLE AT

Arbutus + Denman

Only Human

 

TECHNICAL FEATURES

- Aluminum shade with a matte powder coated finish

- Available in black & white

 

DESCRIPTION

I am always excited to find, discover and introduce local Victoria talent.  I know it is hard to imagine that this Canadian city is full of well keep secrets. Well it is, and there is the certitude that you can find real design talent just around the corner.  This is one of the multiple reasons why I love this city so much. Yesterday my good friends Chris Rothery and Christina Stack from Only Human introduced me to ARBUTUS + DENMAN a local design team with a new stunning product. 

 

The SimplySpun collection of light fixtures is a clever, clean and very memorable line completely designed in Victoria.  With sexy names like Anya, Quincy, Ella, Cortez, Clio and Mino these light fixtures could fill the latest interior design project and you will think they are already design classics. 

 

These stunning light  fixtures where first introduced at the IDS 2011 Toronto show being extremely well received. With a very strong price point that can’t be beat and the fact that is a local product you can’t go wrong using these babes in your next project.   If you are into the “100 mile diet” why not to embrace the “100 mile design approach”.  Supporting our local design talent, using local design products and spreading the world that Victoria produces great design.

 

SHOW THEM SOME LOVE!

 

YUMMY FACTOR

Refreshing!!!

In Conversation with Ben Brannen

Ben Brannen

 

Ben Brannen is the co-principal of the successful local design firm and store, Bespoke. He has a rich history in the design community and continues to assist clients and colleagues with a smile alongside his faithful companion, the adorable Tibby (his dog, a Yorkie that I want to kidnap every time I see him roaming Market Square).

 

Mr.Tibby

 

Ben began his design career working in a paint store in Calgary while he attended Carleton University. He has earned himself a vast amount of experience throughout the years in space planning, decorating, colour consultations, material and fabric selections, and custom drapery. He shares his education and experiences via teaching courses and volunteering on panels through Chinook Learning Services, Bow Valley College and Mount Royal College.

 

Ben's designs are dictated by paying attention to his clients' needs and providing them with multiple options throughout the process so their home can have as much of their own personality showing as possible. He describes his style as being "based in tradition but brought together in a cleaned up, contemporary environment with tailored choices that have just enough detail to be interesting.  In many ways it is a style that brings sparkle and soft touches to a masculine design aesthetic".

 

Iván Meade - What was your first experience with design?

 

Ben Brannen - I am sure I was interested in design as early on as my first set of Lego blocks. While the occasional spaceship transformed from the blocks, my favorite subject was always the 2 story home with attached garage (to store the matchbox cars of course). Or perhaps it was the first time I decided the furniture in my bedroom would look better if I moved it around. I got my real opportunity to learn about design during my first job during university working at a Benjamin Moore paint store. I got my basic knowledge of color and coatings there and thought I'd made it big when I did my first decorative painting gig for an in house designer I worked with.  I  believe design is in constant flux. While the fundamentals are constant, our interest in pushing the boundaries and reinventing style makes design a constantly changing art. I love constantly learning and changing!

 

Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade - What is your favourite local find and how long have you had it?

 

Ben Brannen -Being a prairie boy the water has to be an easy one! I never get tired of watching the colors change over the water. When my dog Tibby and I go for walks on the beach I am constantly looking for natural accessories. Sometimes it is a colourful stone and others an interesting piece of driftwood. Tibby keeps a look out for ticks! My favourite piece so far is a twisted piece of driftwood with a single stone trapped inside. I have it sitting on top of a stack of my favourite design books.

 

Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade - What do you think most Victoria homes are missing?

 

Ben Brannen - coming from Calgary where the majority of homes have that brand new feel, the homes I get invited to help with always seem to have so much character. If there is one general thing that is missing in most Victoria homes (and I hate to generalize), it would have to be the great room where the family can gather and perform a number of different life experiences at the same time.   Most of my clients share an interest in interior design but lack the knowledge or vision to bring their ideas to life. I love educating my clients during the design process specifically explaining why it is designer manage to create interiors that are uniquely beautifully suited to each resident and never the same.

 

Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade - How have you found the Victoria design scene and projects differ from those in Calgary?

 

Ben Brannen - It is so hard to generalize the difference between design projects because the client dictates the style of design and each and every client is different.  Overall, I have found that the Victoria surroundings - deep green landscape all year long and shades of blue in the water that surrounds the island influence my color choices and style references, much like the big sky, mountain peaks and prairie color shift themes design in Calgary.  I think in part because many of my clients make choices to live where they live and their interior environments reference that location.  Those that have the luxury of more than one home especially. 

 

Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade – Who or what has influenced your style?

 

Ben Brannen -  Like many designers, I am influenced my so many things.  My partner and I like to travel as much as we can, and I find I am especially open to new ideas when I step away from the day to day and am immersed in a new environment.  Seeing luxury living in the heart of Morocco is still a high point for me.  In terms of inspiration and similarity of style, I still look to the US designer Thomas O'Brien for an inspirational mix of clean, modern traditional style that aligns with my own preferred aesthetic. 

 

Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade - You always respect the traditional with a fusion of modernity.  I believe this is what makes your style.  How do you achieve this?

 

Ben Brannen - When helping a client with their home, I would much rather have them invest in pieces they will have for a lifetime or longer.  It is far too easy today to "buy all new"  but this always looks formulaic and stages to my eye.  I would rather have my client save and buy something they will love forever and pass on to a family member in the future.  But here is where I contradict myself.   love contemporary lighting design and like to infuse this into my rooms.  I find lighting is an element that is often overlooked and dates quickly.  So when I have a choice, I will place a Schonbek Chandelier or a Fortuny silk fixture in the same home that has a high tech rail system.  The rail system will date, but the investment piece will last the test of time.  I have the same opinion with fabric - if the furniture is made to last I change the frame slightly and put current fabrics on the pieces rather than throw them in the landfill.  Homes and home furnishings are an investment.  It is this mix that creates  the clean and current aesthetic with a traditional foundation.

 

Interior Design by Ben Brennan

 

Iván Meade - What product or line are you most excited about right now at Bespoke?

 

Ben Brannen -  It is no secret that I love what a difference paint and wallpaper can make to a  room for such a small investment!  Farrow & Ball have just updated their palate with 9 new colors.  If you don't follow fashion, the colors might seem avante garde, There are beautiful shades of liveable grey lilac tones such as Calluna, and a fantastic new exterior color called Plummett, and my personal favourite "Charlotte's Locks" a gorgeous bright orange (not for everyone) that I can't wait to use in a on the walls and ceiling of a dining room with Pointing wainscoting (any takers?)  I always look forward to Farrow & Balls wallpaper book releases, but currently my favourite is a Schumaker contemporary and yes a traditional JP&J Baker book we have in the store.

 

Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade - With your previous experience in the world of colour - What do you look for in a colour? Or, in other words, you are very selective in what colours you use into your interiors, what makes a colour(s) important enough to be used in your projects?

 

Ben Brannen -  Many years ago when I was just learning about color, I had the opportunity to learn how color is made in relation to paint.  I think the most interesting colors are made up of many pigments.  At different times of day, the underlying pigments and their relation to other adjacent colors is what is interesting to me.  Add to that the psychology of colors, how they make people feel and how colors in your past make you feel just amazes me.  Since learning the composition and psychology of paint color.  The same theories can be applied to everything from fabrics to marble.  For me, rooms can look beautiful with many color combinations, but it is the best when it makes the client feel relaxed and comfortable in their own environment.

 

Interior Design by Ben Brennan

 

Iván Meade - Having an interior design boutique - What trends do you see coming in the design world?

 

Ben Brannen - I have a love hate relationship with trends.  I love to track them, but caution clients from jumping on the band wagon.  In general, brighter cleaner colors in our homes (a reaction to the excess of earth tones in recent years, and hopefully a more positive outlook for the economy).  Wood finishes are moving to finishes that are less formal and more time worn.  Patterns are being used and mixed more and more (a through back to the 70's? - not something I want to repeat, but I don't mind cleaning it up a bit)  Trends are good to look at, but I caution people to design their homes with what they love, not necessarily what is trendy.  I personally like to invest the least amount in the trendy items so you are not tied to them when they are out of fashion.  With that said, everything dates.  Design evolves and think of it as a lifestyle.  Just like a classic suit will go in and out of style, you can always change the look with the shoes, shirt and tie you put with it.

 

Interior Design by Ben Brennan

 

Iván Meade - Lastly, you have already created a stunning body of work with many mediums and styles. What would you like your legacy to be?

 

Ben Brannen -  I believe that it is a privilege to design our interiors.  With all of my clients, I want this to be a positive experience, and one that is also a learning experience.  I enjoy educating my clients through the design process and find that the more I involve them in some of the choice process, the more they enjoy and understand why they find their homes attractive and comfortable.  So while I laughed when I heard legacy, I hope that I will have met some wonderful people, made some friends and had the opportunity to make people proud of their homes and shared them with their friends and loved ones. And of course I am surged with pride when someone says I am responsible for their homes and I simply say I helped.

 

I invite you to visit Ben Brannen’s website at: