Design Blog

The Sketchbook-Wishing Tree

2010-05-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

Working up an idea for a modern take on a "Wish Tree"...platinum and pewter are prominent in a lot of pieces of mine lately and this is one inspired by a cool stand I just got in from Accent Decor.

...and now let's Revitalize!

2010-05-21T21:55:00.000-07:00

To get this year started with another bang! and keep the creative juices flowing, we have enlisted a group of up and comings in the industry to collaborate on a thrilling new project! Stay tuned to find out more and when we will have our "Reveal Party" to unleash the madness!

Let's Revamp

2010-05-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

Life. Challenges. 180's.

When our journey began, our founders were three: Shelly, Brenna & Marlo. Because sometimes what one plans can get flipped upside down, we take life as it comes and roll with it! Although still stepping in from time to time to assist with our extended team, Marlo has "revamped" her life to spend more time dedicated to family and her new baby Beckett (who has the bluest eyes on the block!)

Shelly Huynh AIFD (right) is now the Director of Education, working on a full curriculum for students who would like to pursue floral design as a profession. Kado Design School has a planned launch date for September, 2010. Contact us now to reserve a spot (the list is getting long!) and be the first graduates of the program!

Brenna Quan AIFD (left) is the Design Director for all Kado Weddings and Events. Eager to push the creative boundaries, she is looking for any and all brides who wish to shake it up and have a wedding that will have their guests buzzing about the event till the bees come home!

Let's Reflect

2010-05-21T21:52:00.000-07:00

Just to share a few highlights of the past year...

We've had many wonderful opportunities to get creative, without boundaries, in various issues of Utah Bride & Groom and Utah Style & Design. Brad, Tessa and Adam make up a lovely bunch to collaborate with, making for a very pleasant afternoon in the midst of a busy and chaotic work week!

Several weddings and events have given us the opportunity to explore design, challenging us to show diversity and creativity within the realms of today's tight economy budgets. With even higher expectations, some of our larger events have proven the most challenging! In the end, happy brides made for happy designers!

We also received the honor of having been given the title of "Best Flowers as Art" in the 2009 City Weekly Arty Awards. It was a pleasant surprise and we are humbled by the recognition. It truly sought out the heart of it all, "Kado", meaning "way of the flower", in it's most artful form.

Reflect. Revamp. Revitalize!

2010-05-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

Launching Kado last year sparked a frenzy of activity!

While executing many exciting projects, Shelly, along with her husband Clint, relocated their retail shop, Orchid Dynasty, to celebrate nine successful years established. Now in the heart of the 9th & 9th District, faces from all walks of life can enjoy the beauty of artfully designed orchids in a setting like no other in the valley.

On the other side of town, Brenna opened up Blooming Pearl, a retail flower and gift shop, formerly owned by her beloved friend and mentor who, sadly, lost his tremendously courageous battle with cancer. A new life though, was brought into the world and baby Jett brings a ton of fun (and energy) to the plate! With shops, kids & baby in tow, it's the promise of another exciting year for Kado!

UTAH STYLE AND DESIGN

2009-07-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

A feature in the Summer 2009 Issue of Utah Style & Design tells of a little secret about floral design: sometimes "less" is so much more! In this contemporary piece that Brenna created, a crisp, clean look was designed which could brighten up any table or entryway for a warm, summer gathering. Keeping the lines clean with fewer materials keeps the senses at ease, yet adds excitement to the environment for your guests!

AIFD INDUCTION

2009-07-21T21:19:00.000-07:00

A big congrats to Brenna, who just returned from Kansas City, where she was officially inducted into the American Institute of Floral Design!

She joins fellow member (and business partner) Shelly Huynh AIFD into a prestigious group of designers, who have actively worked towards bettering their skills to keep the industry moving forward with innovation and creativity.

A rigorous testing process consists of a 4 hour hands-on Accreditation Evaluation Session, which she attended in Chicago last year. Only an hour before the session begins, the candidates are informed of what types of designs they must complete with the materials provided...think of a floral version of "Iron Chef" or "Chopped" on Food Network if you will!

The "AES" coincides with an annual National Floral Symposium, the "Oscars" of the floral industry they say, where there are incredibly inspiring demonstrations and presentations that would blow your socks off! All with a passion for this industry should be encouraged to attend this summer convention held in a different city each July. We are already looking forward to Boston next year!

For more info on the American Institute of Floral Designers, check out www.aifd.org.

UTAH BRIDE AND GROOM WINTER ISSUE

2009-07-21T21:15:00.000-07:00

If you've flipped through the latest Winter 2009 Utah Bride & Groom Issue, then you'll have seen a unique Kado floral design in the "In the Details" article.

Inspired by a traditional, fall wedding palette, we added a twist by creating a very organic and earthy piece using reclaimed wood, adding sculptural elements with exotic blooms.

If this tempts your palette, keep your eyes peeled because we've got a lot more up our sleeves! All of you planning an upcoming wedding or event should definitely call us up for a free consultation to share ideas and get wrapped up in the excitement of our visions!

ART IN BLOOM

2009-05-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

After three years of anticipation for the next Art In Bloom Exhibition, it finally came! This show was open to the public at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts May 15th through 17th where designers expressed their own interpretation of a piece of art using materials such as cut flowers, plants, fabrics and other organic materials.

Each of us chose our own piece that either sparked us with an emotion, visually inspired us or simply gave us the sheer challenge of bringing a piece of art to life! Thanks goes out to the museum's staff that was most accomodating and pleasant to work with over the weekend!

KUTV News at Noon

2009-04-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

Noon lunch hour this past Thursday turned out to be a blast, hanging out with Casey and Camera-Guy-Ryan from KUTV News! They took some time out to visit our studio and talk with us during Channel 2 News at Noon, learning about Kado and the kind of work we like to create.

Casey was a great sport, wearing the "floral fashion" pieces we designed and "feeling very pretty"! Remember that you can learn all of these techniques at our "Floral Fashionista" class coming back again this summer!

Check back for the video footage, as we're waiting for it to post on the news site!

Design Class

2009-04-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

Showing off in our design class are some first-time designers who produced some wonderful pieces! The energy was buzzing with enthusiasm, oozing creativity and even a few laughs. Spending an evening at Kado is a way to escape into the beautiful world of floral artistry as well as taking a few skills home to turn plain ol' blossoms into a stunning piece of art! Classes are Tuesday and Thursday evenings - check out the design program page for class themes and prices.

HITOMI DEMONSTRATION

2009-04-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

At the end of March, we had the privilege of attending a demonstration by keynote lecturer and internationally known floral artist, Hitomi Gilliam AIFD. (Hitomi is a longtime member of the highly acclaimed American Institute of Floral Designers)

We braved the wild snowstorm that day to make it up to Callister Imports in Brigham City, the host of the event attended by over one hundred other floral professionals.

As front row enthusiasts, (what can we say...we're really passionate about flowers!) we had the opportunity to further our floral education, enabling us to apply it to future projects for our clients, as well as pass on more tricks of the trade to our very own students. Our ongoing goal is to expand our knowledge in our industry to keep the boundaries endless!

Behind The Scenes

2009-04-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

Reminiscent of the streets of New York City, here we are loading up an event to be transported up into the mountains to a fabulous, luxury cabin, to create a rustic ambiance for the hosts and their special guests.

Our studio houses an area perfect for designing events of all sizes. This space doubles as our classroom with custom made tables we can wheel around to use for designing on as well as scootin' them back and forth as some good lookin' push carts!

Kado Launch Party and Floral Exhibition

2009-01-25T18:47:00.000-08:00

On January 31st, 2009, Kado was off to a blazing launch with the onset of a great party! Catered by Cuisine Unlimited and with the attendance packing the 1800 sq. foot studio from wall to wall, we all had a great time that was worth all of the hard work to get there!

This doubled as an opportunity to exhibit a few art installation pieces, inspired by our theme of the night, "Journey". Each piece incorporated raw materials, including fresh cut flowers. We even had live models wearing flower art creations! This is only the first of many so do check back for future shows!