Is your flower shop in need of a makeover?

By Kat Castagnoli, AIFD

For florists, the shop space is more than just a storefront—it’s a reflection of their creativity, brand identity and values. A well-designed floral studio invites customers in, enhances workflow and sets the tone for everything from casual walk-ins to major event consultations. Two florists who have reimagined their spaces with great success are Amy McManus of Baltimore-based Crimson & Clover Floral Design and Stephanie Thi of In Flower located in Sioux Falls, S.D. Here’s how their experiences offer a blueprint for flower shop owners looking to revamp their retail space.

Create a Space that Reflects Your Brand

For McManus, renovating her shop after 15 years in business meant aligning the space more closely with her design philosophy. “I chose to go with a much more utilitarian look in just black and white, allowing the flowers and plants to bring in the color and movement,” she explains. “Black and white never gets old!” The neutral palette also gives her flexibility to change decor and displays seasonally.

Meanwhile, Thi approached her renovation as a blank canvas. After working from a home studio, she opened In Flower—a 1,400-square-foot shop—just one year ago. “I knew I wanted to showcase my design style and the vibe of our brand with the interiors of the shop,” says Thi. “We did pretty much everything ourselves with help from friends and family.” The result? A space that’s “super cute and cool” and resonates deeply with her clientele.

Function and Flexibility Matter

In a busy shop, beauty should never come at the expense of functionality. McManus invested in custom worktables with built-in storage and wheels. “They’re functional for staff and look beautiful in our space,” she says. The tables can easily be rearranged for large design projects, classes or events, providing both style and adaptability.

Thi also continues to refine the layout of In Flower to improve efficiency. “To this day we are still coming up with new projects and ways to make the setup more efficient,” she shares. Starting from scratch gave her the opportunity to build systems tailored to her workflow—something that makes a huge difference in a small but growing operation.

Budget Wisely and Be Resourceful

Makeovers don’t need massive budgets to be impactful. “We are still a very small operation, so we didn’t have a big budget to work with,” says Thi. “I dream of the day I can design something with a bit more wiggle room, but I’m super proud of what we came up with.”

Likewise, McManus made smart design choices—like maximizing her 20-foot ceilings for vertical storage and creating a loft over the flower cooler to house rental inventory. These improvements elevated both aesthetics and storage capacity without major renovations.

Consider the Customer Experience First

A thoughtfully designed shop draws customers in and keeps them coming back. “I want my clients to walk in and immediately feel impressed,” McManus notes. Her goal? To present Crimson & Clover as, “a small business with a lot of personality but also very professional and dedicated.”

Thi has seen similar benefits. “It is such a delight to be in our space, and people are in awe when they come in for the first time,” she says. “We live in a smaller city, so something like this doesn’t exist and it is exciting to be able to bring that to people.”

Make it Personal—and Keep Evolving

Neither shop’s renovation was about perfection—it was about progress. McManus still updates decor with the seasons and uses design as a living expression of her floral artistry. Thi notes that In Flower is “still evolving,” with constant tweaks and improvements. “We weren’t completely finished [with renovations] but enough so we could open,” she says. “It’s been awesome to be able to share the space with folks.”

Whether you’re refreshing a long-standing storefront or launching your first retail location, take a cue from McManus and Thi: design your space with intention, work within your means and always keep the customer experience at the heart of your renovation. When your shop reflects the beauty and care you put into your floral designs, your customers will feel it the moment they walk through the door.