Wild Things Flowers & Curiosities
Take a look behind the scenes of this charming shop with Owner Carolyn Chen…
Filled with an air of whimsical possibilities and floral perfume, a walk through this enchanting store in Homewood, Alabama, will leave you feeling inspired in more ways than one. In celebration of their one-year anniversary, Wild Things Flowers & Curiosities owner, Carolyn Chen, sat down alongside floral artist, Erika Keel, to share with me more about life behind the boutique and bouquets.
Offering floral workshops, curated finds, private gatherings, editorial styling and floral delivery, the women of Wild Things know a thing or two about great design. And lucky for us, they love to share this passion and knowledge with others.
“Flowers are such a gift” Carolyn explains. “We love to help our customers be creative, to make people smile and be happy.”
A great example of this kindness is found during their social media event “season of giving giveaways” where a number of floral arrangements were sent to friends and families in need through nominations by their loved ones during the holiday season.
“Flowers are such a gift”
Carolyn Chen
When asked to describe the best part about the workspace, eyes immediately land on beloved shop dogs, Maple and Ginny. “They help us all” Carolyn notes with a smile. “They make the atmosphere better.”
From books to bath salts and unexpected vintage finds, Carolyn’s thoughtfully curated boutique is all about the details. As you travel past these finds to the back of the store, you’re likely to find Erika, Holly, Caroline, or Carolyn leading a workshop like “Blooms & Bagels” where you and your friends can learn to assemble alluring arrangements while sampling delicious local bagels and mimosas.
Carolyn’s advice for beginner floral arrangers? Bend the rules. “However you like [the arrangement] to look is how it should look” she explains. Often in their floral workshops, Carolyn is asked: “did I do this right!?” She replies by encouraging her students to see there are no right or wrong rules in floral design. To follow rules would be missing an opportunity to be creative. Just have fun! Sometimes the best outcomes happen by complete surprise.
What is a typical morning like at Wild Things? The day begins with a team meeting to “go over upcoming floral deliveries and a walk through the store to make sure the aesthetic and merchandise is ready for the day.” Carolyn feels it is important to have a piece of everyone on her team represented in the shop which is why she makes a point to rotate who goes to market each time.
How does she find inspiration? As a graphic design grad and art history lover, Carolyn draws inspiration for her floral designs from the seasons as well as her favorite impressionist painter, Renoir. Carolyn is responsible for the design and branding of the store, and this same creativity is made evident as she and her team infuse color and curiosity in every venture.
What’s next for Wild Things? Specializing in thoughtfully sourced materials, the team looks forward to building relationships with floral vendors in Holland this year to be able to import flowers directly from the region.
To mark its one-year anniversary, Wild Things will host a celebration where you’ll have the opportunity to meet these fabulous floral artists yourself as well as enjoy discounts through the entire store. Come explore the store yourself and find inspiration for your next gathering - and perhaps even sign up for a floral workshop!
