THE PERFECT ARRANGEMENT
Spruce up your home with flowers
In the cool of a church hall in Clapton, East London, working their creative magic with flowers of every shape, scent and form, Terri Chandler and Katie Smyth are in their natural element. Here, in their inspirational church-hall studio – wild flowers nudging the poshest of blooms, shelves lined with dazzling vases – their creations for numerous events, fashion shoots, weddings and the small, special moments in life, begin.
‘We started on Valentine’s Day in 2016,’ says Chandler. ‘Katie was a stylist and I was an actor, so we were both working in creative jobs. After attending a basic local authority floristry course, we fell in love with making flower arrangements. As
we both grew up on the Irish coast, we’re drawn to haphazard grasses and wild flowers, so we’re in tune with each other. Our initial idea was a book-and-bunch service – we’d find out about the recipient and send flowers and a book we felt they would like. That’s where the name Worm came from: we enjoyed the play on words thinking about bookworms and earthworms!’
The business blossomed. As well as creating arrangements for restaurants and weddings, they conjured up eye-catching designs for magazines and devised stunning installations for events. ‘It was a huge learning experience,’ says Chandler. ‘We started doing photoshoots for magazines and soon realised that something that looks amazing in a vase doesn’t necessarily look good on camera.’
Chandler and Smyth’s church-hall studio is blessed with good light and a warm sense of neighbourly sentiment. The people who live locally enjoy having the buzz and colour of these floral creatives in their midst. ‘We’re involved with the church community,’ says Chandler. ‘Many of the women who attend the church are in their 80s, and they’ve all done some flower arranging. They’re delighted that we’re here and like to show us how they used to do it. It’s really lovely.’
‘We’ve done some amazing projects – there was even a shoot based on Winnie-the-pooh at AA Milne’s house, where we needed to make the Hundred Acre Wood look like it does in summer, as we were there at a different time of year,’ Chandler explains. ‘We added foxgloves and plants you’d find growing there naturally and the result was magical.’ The pair have also worked with Selfridges, Jackson & Levine and Simone Roche to create installations for events.
How do they use flowers in their own homes? ‘We love creating centrepieces for our dining table at this time of year,’ the pair say. ‘We opt for bulbs of muscari and narcissus that have just popped, or hyacinth stems. They fill the house with a fresh spring scent.’ For cut flowers, the pair suggest displaying delicate, candy-coloured flowers in small bud vases.
Early-morning visits to the market and creative hard graft lie at the heart of Chandler and Smyth’s working life, but they love the challenge. The pair particularly love Fridays, when they normally work on wedding flowers. ‘We put on some music or a movie and just get on with it – we have weddings down to a fine art,’ says Chandler. ‘Anyone who knows us would say there is never a quiet moment. We’re so comfortable with each other and our workspace. It’s like a marriage really!’
Find out more at weareworm.com
‘FOR SPRING, WE LOVE BULBS OF MUSCARI AND NARCISSUS’