July 17, 2018

Wolcott Creates a Greenhouse Vibe for Los Angeles Florist Bouqs

The reception desk is of reclaimed wood, some of it whitewashed, some in its natural state. Photography by Kim Rodgers.

It all started with Shark Tank. Founded in 2012, Bouqs is an online florist giving new meaning to the oft-bandied phrase, farm to table. In this case, it’s flower farm to cocktail table—or maybe a desk. Streamlining operations to eschew middle men gives the grower partners greater revenue.

Uprooting Venice origins for its growing staff of 60, the firm relocated to a 14,000-square-foot brick and glass bow-truss building in Marina del Rey, California. Enviable for the bones, but with inherent challenges. Ultimately, they posed no sweat to Wolcott designer Andie Chang.

Comfy furniture and rugs give a homey vibe to the mostly open 14,000-square-foot site. Photography by Kim Rodgers.

Most crucial was the ceiling’s limited load-bearing capacity. That meant tight collaboration between design and engineering teams to implement ductwork, lighting, and equipment. Full-height walls were out. So even though Bouqs is an open workplace, meeting and conference rooms were part of the program, along with a floral design lab and the obligatory pantry and play space.

Chang solved the problem with freestanding structures of glass and drywall. Most striking is the central pavilion with a trio of semi-private niches painted blush rose, daffodil, and pale hydrangea. Behind, the floral design space has a wall of wood-like plastic laminate cabinetry. Wood, the real thing, appears as a reclaimed and whitewashed version for the reception desk.

Custom tulip-inspired pendants light a trio of pastel-painted niches. Photography by Kim Rodgers.

Aside from the blooms strewn throughout the space, Chang created tulip-esque pendants for the niches and chose a floral tile for the pantry. At the entry, the chandelier casts a flowery shadow.

Furniture throughout is comfy-cozy. As for all the rugs? Says the designer: “They blanket the space with the colors and textiles of the Bouqs’s South American farm community.”

Laminate-clad cabinetry provides plenty of storage in the floral arranging area. Photography by Kim Rodgers.
A salvaged barn door closes off the staff’s lounge area. Photography by Kim Rodgers.
One of three conference rooms is named Venice in homage to Bouqs’s origins. Photography by Kim Rodgers.
Floral line drawings decorate the pantry’s tile. Photography by Kim Rodgers.

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