Stephanie Pilk: Floral and Interior Designer

Recently I have had the pleasure of visiting Stephanie Pilk in her home studio. It all started with a progressive afternoon of studio/garden visiting with her mother, portrait artist Jean Pilk. After a wonderful afternoon of looking at gardens and studios, paintings and floral arrangements I was inspired. Stephanie is both a floral and interior designer, describing her work as "composing and transforming spaces to live in, work in, and celebrate in." These spaces all involve plant material because, as she says, "no space is complete without some botanical presence."

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Many people may remember her store, Flora Home. There she  made her reputation as floral designer extraordinaire. Now she helps Tony Elliot at Snug Harbor Farm. As Creative Project Director, Merchandiser and Buyer, or as he says "goddess of creative projects," she brings her own style to weddings, events and soon, their online presence. A wonderful partnership between these two incredibly talented plant connoisseurs!

While on a visit, I fell in love with a fabric she had on her side chairs in the living room. I had wanted to find some fabric for a small French chair that had had an unfortunate encounter with our dog. She showed me a line of fabric that she uses for many interior jobs called French Laundry. This line is exactly what I had been looking for forever! I even have made attempts to buy the actual c.1800's French fabric it emulates at Marston House in Wiscasset (but it was closed for the season!) This American company is known for their linens and uses only local artisans and craftspeople to produce their growing line.  Her eye for contemporary beauty that has one foot in the past is her specialty.

I feel distracted every time I stop by because of all the interesting things to be seen in every corner of the studio. My kind of place, where the boundaries of home and garden are blurred and it all is a feast for the eyes! Tools of the trade, including glue in the melting pot (might be a fondue pot base?), bits from past arrangements, an antique plate, and swatches of fabric, are all tucked together in surprising combinations.

For all the tangible and natural beauty that can be seen there, what perhaps I love most is what she calls the detritus of past seasons. Some will come back to life with love and care, some will be replaced with next year's new flame. I love the look of the past season's containers of all types and sizes displaying the beauty of summer past in crumbling elegance.
Keep posted for her new website and what she has going on in Spring.