So I had to post about Split-Flap displays after seeing the amazing one in this generally amazing signage-themed post on Design Crush. I would looove to incorporate this type of sign in the design of my shop, although I'm not sure how exactly... maybe with one line that would always display the shop name and other lines that could change... but not to anything advertising the goods directly because that would be kind of tacky.  

Although they are rare now, I remember the sheer magic of watching (and hearing!) the split-flap arrivals sign at 30th St Station turn over on the very special days when my mom would take me to New York on the TRAIN to see a matinee. I wonder if my children will find the current LCD signs quaint and charming in comparison with their modern four-dimensional holographic displays or whatever star trek shit they have by then. 

Despite the fact that I have much more flower arrangement content waiting in the holding pen, tonight I feel motivated to talk about my plans for a Mother's Day weekend sidewalk flower stand, which will most likely be located at Broad & Main in Riverton, NJ. I was thinking for a minute to forget about it but after my fabulous flower class this weekend (which I swear there will be pictures from), I feel re-energized for the project. 


My plan is to have a sort of miniature version of the aesthetic of my shop interior right there on the sidewalk, allowing me to hopefully draw unsuspecting passersby into my little world of flowery bliss. So as for my set up, here's some stuff I have planned:

 

images via True Value, Wholesale Flowers & Supplies, billyBoards, Dick Blick, Studio Calico


As I'm looking over these, I feel the conspicuous lack of color, a hole which will hopefully be filled with lots of beautiful, colorful flowers. I want to have a mix of flowers, but I may have to make some choices. There will definitely be pink, because I think its good for the wife and mom/grandma/etc. since, unlike red, it could be romantic or just sweet, although some less femme women may not like it so I hope to have some distinctly non-pink options available as well. I will definitely have either garden roses or peonies, if not both, and hopefully some delightfully free flowering branches and hydrangea filched from my own mother's garden. 


I will also need to finish my logo and print up some business cards (or maybe some kind of little post-card sized flyer with info instead), as well as design some nice little tags to hang on the bouquets that my customers can write messages on or have me do right there, if they prefer. Steve thinks I should commandeer some little children from a friend to boost sales, but I think that might be too distracting from the point of me getting my name out there. Maybe I'll settle for bringing the cute little pup along... at least no one will think he did the arrangements.

Instead of the flowers I promised, due to technical difficulties today we will be having a look into some of my plans for the aesthetics of the interior of Hellebore and the Swan the shop edition, which I have been thinking of just calling Helleborus, since I think it will look better as the type of sign I have been thinking about (more on that later).

First up is the fan favorite, chalkboard paint (in particular as juxtaposed with wood floors and other wood elements). I imagine the space as more or less a rectangle, although I guess it's only realistic not to be married to that idea, since I don't know where it will be yet. At any rate, I think it's important to limit the amount of wall covered in chalkboard since it is a flower shop and it's important for it to be bright. I was considering painting the walls light blue, but looking at some of these pictures, I'm loving it with white. I extra-especially love that little bit of floral paper on the back of the chair in the first picture. I wonder if that's wallpaper or decoupage or maybe drawer-liner? I think little touches of floral print would look so cute in a shop full of flowers!

images via the style files


I also have been toying with the idea of having a giant marquee light style sign. I haven't found much in the way of places to actually purchase such a sign, but since they have the sign below available at Urban Outfitters, I'm sure a professional lighted sign guy could handle it, no? I love both the old-fashioned script and the san-serif, though I think I would probably choose the latter.

images via Urban Outfitters, Lincoln High 1960

Lastly, though I realize certain flowers will be in the cooler, I think there is nothing more lovely than walking into a shop full of flowers out in the open. I hope to be able to facilitate buckets of flowers all about with strategically placed air conditioners or something of that sort. Oh, and lots of brown craft paper and baker's twine to wrap them in... can you see where I'm going with this?

images via Simply Chic, Once Wed