THE FLOWER VAULT WILL GET YOU ALL THE LIKES. 20
When Olympic-medal-winning gymnasts Simone Biles and Ashton Locklear walked into Flower Vault earlier this month, owner Robbie Forrest didn’t recognize either one of them. It was opening day at his floral-themed, temporary pop-up in Montrose, and he was busy training staff.
Later, when Robbie’s wife and co-founder, Sarah Forrest, waved her phone to show him the Flower Vault pictures both athletes had posted on Instagram, Robbie sheepishly admitted he thought they had looked familiar, then got distracted and forgot to tell her.
Sarah assumes Biles and Locklear discovered Flower Vault on Instagram, the same way most of her customers have found out about this temporary space with five faux-flower-covered rooms designed as backdrops for social-media posts. Customers buy a one-hour, timed-entry ticket to have their run of the interactive concept.
Many customers are families, said Forrest, who before opening Flower Vault was a stay-at-home mom. In its first weeks in business, Flower Vault has hosted bridal portraits, children’s birthday parties, corporate events and, so far, one surprise marriage proposal.
Forrest had the idea when she forced Robbie to stop on the feeder road of a freeway in San Antonio, where they live, so she could take pictures of their kids in front of a colorful mural. “What if you could create a space for families to snap vibrant photos,” she wondered, “without the elements of cars whizzing by or weather?”
After a five-month run in San Antonio, the Forrests began looking for a short term lease in Houston for Flower Vault’s second iteration.
They were drawn to a space in Montrose — formerly a furniture store — because of the large windows that allow in the natural light. They installed temporary walls and got to work ordering hundreds of flowers for the rooms, which each having a distinct design.
Flower Vault is open only through midJanuary, and the Forrests have worked around the limitations of the space. For example, the temporary walls do not reach the ceilings, so that skylights allow sunlight in each room.
At the entrance, a wall covered in faux pink peonies is the most popular spot for photos, Forrest said. She calls the adjacent room, which is painted orange, Merry Marigold.
Garlands of the golden blooms hang from the ceiling in loops. Kids can stick their heads through the layered garlands to wear them like an oversize necklace or stand beneath them, creating a marigold head and human legs.
In the Fall Rainbow room, blooms are affixed to the wall in an ombre effect, with enough room under the colorful arcs for a toddler to pose.
Where’s Wallflower is an oft-posted room by adult visitors — Forrest said mom bloggers and social-media influencers who have helped drive business — who drape themselves in floral fabric that matches the fabric bolted to the wall. The effect is a dark, moody, floral camouflage. Hardback books, a chair and ottoman are also covered with the fabric, allowing a person to melt into their surroundings for an artsy portrait.
In the same room, there are floral jumpsuits you can put on over your clothing for a photo.
The final room makes use of white space with a single floral pattern along the walls. Several dogs, who have “posted” outtakes from their very own Instagram accounts, have sprawled out in this large space. (Pets are allowed for a separate entry price.)
Julianna Longoria, who lives in Palacios, doesn’t remember whether she discovered Flower Vault by way of a human’s or an animal’s post on Instagram, but she made plans soon after for a visit with her daughter Addison, 6, and son Michael, 2. Addison was instantly drawn to the rainbow room, borrowing her mom’s phone to make a video of her surroundings.
“She had never seen anything like it,” Longoria said. Because Addison has shown an interest in her first-grade art class this year, Longoria hoped the visit to Flower Vault would spark her creativity. “She has this passion and now she can see how you can be creative in a small space,” Longoria said.
As the holidays approach, there will be more. The Forrests will add a playgroundinspired flower-covered spinner you step on for a whirl.