Nina Kincaid is the person behind Coco Rose Design, a floral design company specializing in elegant and charming weddings. Her Instagram account is a constant feed of beautiful floral arrangements from pretty and sweet bouquets to bold and bright centerpieces. Based in Santa Barbara but also drawing from her Hawaiian roots, Nina’s work is marked by flowers and plants that are both romantic and environmentally conscious. Her floral design for a wedding at El Encanto in the foothills of Santa Barbara illustrates this aesthetic. From centerpieces in the couple’s color palette to combining Classic French Anduze pottery in a simple antiqued grey with a striking arrangement of smoke bush and liquid amber. Nina graciously answered some of our questions.

Eye of the Day: Tell me a little about yourself and how you decided to pursue a career in floral and event design.

Nina Kincaid: I have always had a passion for plants and flowers as well as a great love of art, I discovered floral design as a way to express my art while working with a medium I feel deeply connected to. I was born and raised on the Big Island and then attended UCSB. My parents had a flower farm growing bird of paradise, anthuriums and tropical foliage, so from an early age I was always around flowers. At UCSB I studied Art History and Italian Studies while working in nurseries and flower shops which eventually led to discovering the wedding and event floral business. I was immediately hooked- it was exciting, challenging, creative and I dove in.

EOTD: How does your upbringing influence your design approach? Any rules you live by in your work?

Nina Kincaid: I try not to restrict my designs to any steadfast rules, but there are patterns that I seem to follow. Color is really important to me in my work. My background in studying art influences my designs in many ways- composition, balance, depth, color theory, etc.

EOTD: Tell me about the wedding you recently worked with at El Encanto in Santa Barbara?

Nina Kincaid: This wedding was for a couple from San Francisco. The bride and I really clicked over the phone and via email. She and her (now) husband have great style and I was so happy to work with a couple that was open and excited to use bright vivid colors. We came up with this color palette that was perfect for the end of spring/start of summer- watermelon and corals with hints of peach and burgundy for drama and dimension. They were a dream to work with and not to mention the photographer they hired is one of my favorite people in the business, Mike Radford.

EOTD: Did your clients have a specific idea for the flowers and how much does your own personal aesthetic come into play?

Nina Kincaid:The client did have a specific idea for the flowers. They love loose, organic, gardenesque, seasonal floral design which plays very well to my aesthetic.

EOTD: What was it about the French Anduze vases that made you choose them? 

Nina Kincaid: I am in LOVE with the Anduze line of vessels. I think I have 3 pairs in my collection now, and use them almost weekly. The proportion of the urn, the terracotta, the glaze, the ornamental swag, everything about them calls to me. They have an understated earthy elegance that really pairs well with my designs as well as the beautiful Santa Barbara venues were my events are hosted.

EOTD: What was your favorite part about designing for this event?

Nina Kincaid: My favorite part about designing for this event was the use of bold color and the smoke bush that I got to work with which is featured in the grey Anduze urns. It is such a magical branch. It’s a beautiful deep rich burgundy plum leaf that bursts into these clouds of fluffy wine colored puffs. The season is fleeting, just a few short weeks and I was over the moon that I got the opportunity to design with them. It was super fun!

 

To see more of Nina’s work: Coco Rose Design, and follow her on Instagram!
Photo Credits: Mike Radford Photography

Q&A with Pinky Lark Farnum of Lark Farnum Floral Design

A native Angeleno with stints in Philadelphia and Rome, Lark Farnum, better known to friends and family as Pinky, has always tried to bring a calming, creative touch to the world around her.  She studied Art History at Bryn Mawr College, designed window displays at Anthropologie and started her own fashion accessories business before delving into the florist world by working with highly respected, eco-friendly Wisteria Lane.

Before leaving to start Lark Farnum Design, Pinky worked as an Event Manager at one of the most renowned event spaces in Los Angeles, Vibiana.  Pinky’s varied design and event background and warm personality make her the perfect fit for any client who wants their flowers to tell an artistic and personal story.

Suzi sits with the up-and-coming floral designer about her career and vision for the future.

SUZI:  Well.  Pinky… how did you decide on pursuing your career as a floral designer?

PINKY:   Glad you I tell people who have known me for a long time that I now work as a floral designer, they don’t seem to be surprised at all. Most say they always knew I would end up here.  They must have known something I didn’t. It’s a profession I seem to have fallen into after a few different design and event jobs.

Now, four years after starting my first floral job with Wisteria Lane Floral Design and almost two years after starting my own business full-time, I am excited to have found a way to combine my love of design and nature, while helping clients create a visual identity for what is in many cases, one of the most important days in their lives.

SUZI:  How do you stay excited about doing floral design and how do you translate your excitement into your designs?

PINKY: I try to blend my knowledge of plants, flowers, events, and design to focus a client’s vision into something that will be realistic, impactful, unique, and beautiful. In my garden-style arrangements, I like to combine fan favorites, such as peonies and English-style garden roses, with interesting foliage and unique accents like scabiosa, vegetables and fruit. I consider each event as a completely separate entity in order to make sure that I keep each one fresh and tailored to the individual client.

When you are hiring a floral designer, you are hiring someone to spend time brainstorming unique arrangements, pick flowers and plants that bring a distinctive vision to life, and create an ambiance that sets the tone of your entire event.

SUZI:  Do you find that the drought is having an impact on the way you design?

PINKY: I love that this profession allows me to constantly learn and strengthen my craft as well as change with the times.  I often think about the looming reality of climate change in terms of the future of my profession. Instead of feeling threatened, I try to think of it as an opportunity to evolve with our evolving environment.  In order to be as ecologically friendly as possible, I use locally and sustainably grown elements whenever possible. With the popularity of succulents and other water-wise flora dominating a lot of floral and event design, we can already see that things are shifting.

In years to come, I look forward to using other plants and flowers that come out of the woodwork as unique options for floral design.

SUZI:  Thanks for the insight, Pinky!

PINKY: Thanks for the questions, Suzi!

See more of Pinky’s work at Lark Farnum Floral Design and follow her on Instagram