KW: It’s a really special, personal spot in the neighborhood.

MG: Yeah, when I decided (on a whim) to open my own shop, I didn’t have savings for a big renovation. I also didn’t want an architect to style it, because that just doesn’t feel like me. So I pretty much decorated it myself. It’s full of second-hand treasures and little vintage trinkets, and I kept some of the original details, for example a part of a black-and-white checkered floor. It’s a bit of a beautiful mess, and it reflects who I am and how I work. I think that’s why people connect with me and the space – it just feels genuine. Locals started coming in, and little by little, I became part of the neighborhood’s daily rhythm.

KW: How did you know how to put it all together?

MG: Friends often ask how I know which colors go together, and honestly? It’s mostly instinct. I don’t have an art degree, but I’ve always loved art and surrounded myself with it. I’ve always had a thing for beautiful objects, bold colors, and playful forms. I’ve always been expressive – I spent years doing theater, making collages. That creative energy is still with me, and I use it every day.

KW: Your bouquets feel like collages too-eclectic and unexpected.

MG: Exactly. I break a lot of the traditional rules, mostly because I never learned them! There are these formal guidelines: bouquets should be round, you shouldn’t mix different colors of carnations in one arrangement, stuff like that. I don’t really pay attention to any of that. I love mixing things that seem like they shouldn’t go together. I mostly use seasonal flowers, so my bouquets are always changing. That keeps things exciting and gives me the chance to teach my clients, too, that it’s worth waiting for peonies in June, just like we wait for the first strawberries.