Element Design Co would not be what it is without our Founder, Amelia Kovacs, or as we affectionately know her around here, Amy. We wanted to take a moment to reflect with Amy, and hear from her about her goals and hopes going into 2026.
Amy started Element as a hobby that grew into a small business. She started out in her home, before moving on to larger and larger commercial spaces that we’ve been able to make our own, as well as hiring on a small but mighty team of preservation specialists. She taught most of us how to press the flowers and create intricate, balanced designs. We love what we do because of her infectious passion. Amy’s vision for preserving flowers and making memories last a lifetime for our clients has never wavered, though each of the six years we’ve been operating have brought new ideas and innovations. You can read more about our history as a company by checking out this article.
When it comes to 2026, Amy and the rest of us at Element have big goals! We will always stay true to our mission of providing a unique, luxury wedding service that you get to enjoy for years to come, but we can’t wait to introduce even more progress for our small business. Amy and her team are always looking ahead at how Element can grow and adapt with the world.
We also want to take the chance to look back at 2025. Last year, we pressed thousands of petals, created designs that we’re proud of, and made changes that excite us. We’re ready to reflect with you, and then share all that we’re looking forward to for the new year! You will get to hear from Amy, as well, as she thinks back on a great year and ahead to an even better one.
Looking Back at 2025
When it comes to the business, 2025 was not without its challenges. The changing landscape of the outside world meant Amy and her team had to keep up with the shifts. There was a keen focus on honing the talents of everyone within the company. Our production team broadened their skillsets, being able to move from one department to another with ease. This allows the business to thrive, because our resources can be spread out as needed. When it’s October and a hundred bouquets of flowers come in after one busy wedding weekend, we know that there are hands to press those petals, while others create the designs. In the winter months, the team members work hard to get as many finished preservation pieces out of our doors as possible. This ebb and flow of our team has served us well and allowed us to focus on creating pieces of art for you, from your mindfully preserved blooms. We hope these changes will allow us to shorten our turnaround time (currently 6-12 months from when the flowers arrive) as much as the pressing process allows, as well as give our team opportunities to learn new skills.
New Beginnings in the Old Year
Last year was a special one for Amy. Outside of the business, she welcomed another little one into her family. Amy prides herself not only being an incredible entrepreneur, but more importantly a mother to two boys, who are what light her life. She balances motherhood with running her business by setting herself up for success in both realms.
Amy shared this with us on the topic of running a business and a bustling household:
While this is certainly not easy, it is beyond rewarding to (attempt to) balance both worlds. It is important to me that my family and work boundaries rarely cross paths, although as an entrepreneur it is occasionally inevitable. These days, I often trade rest for reflection and deep work on Element, but because the business was my first "baby" I truly do not mind. I enjoy the pressure of limited time to allow myself to truly focus on the important tasks, and delegate items that do not need to be completed by me.
Expanding Element's Scope
This year, we also began sharing our incredible space. When we moved into 915 Northampton Street, we knew we were moving into a thriving neighborhood, as well as an incredible and historic building, and we wanted to find ways to share in that. After hosting some events and workshops of our own, we opened the doors to folks who have hosted birthday parties, baby showers, photo shoots, and even a winter market! When we started doing this, Amy got to do one of her favorite things— a bit of DIY! She and the team hung up curtains to block the production areas from view, making the space equally lovely as it is functional. She spent a Saturday with the kiddos painting the entry way walls and adding pops of faux flower stems from our sister brand, Silk + Stone, to a beautiful effect. The whole place has slowly been transformed beyond a studio to a space that can accommodate the community and create memories.
Speaking of Silk + Stone, Amy launched a new project last summer! We’ve shared an article introducing this new addition to the Element family, which you can read here. Silk + Stone was born from Amy's consistent drive to create new beauty in the world. Introducing unique decor that is rooted in the Element ethos of preserving beauty and creating moments of reflection within a home.
Amy told us a bit more about Silk + Stone:
Moments are fleeting, it is very rare that there is permanence with anything in our world. Although colors fade in pressed petals, the idea of preserving florals is truly creating a sense of "forever" from a living moment that would otherwise wilt away. Silk + Stone was born from the same idea, the desire to hold onto moments of nature, in an artful and realistic way. The luxurious look and feel of the thoughtfully curated stems and vessels of Silk + Stone allows decor enthusiasts to pause and sit with more moments of nature, without the need for the sentimental tie to a significant life event.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Amy loves new beginnings. Mondays are sacred to her, and she loves when the first of the month coincides with one. She has spread that enthusiasm for the chance to get motivated throughout the team. The studio always feels particularly buzzing on those starting days, and January’s first weeks are a time of reflection and planning. The new year offers her a moment to both look back and look forward. Naturally, she loves it.
Amy’s thoughts on new starts:
As cliche as it is, humans crave a designated "restart" to allow refocus and centering of the self and the work we create. For me, I look at time as an elongated oval. In my mind, it is not linear. The days of the week and the months of a year, I visualize them all in a way that allows me to know a new moment is just around the bend. These restarting moments ground me and allow me to get clear on my priorities, my goals, my wins, and my learning opportunities. Monday morning moments of reflection are especially non-negotiable for me.
A Refreshed Shopping Experience
Amy and the team of directors that run the show at Element are always working to figure out new and exciting ways to make the flower preservation process even better for our clients. At the end of 2025, they introduced our Packages, a new way of shopping our products. We are excited for what this experience will mean for our 2026 brides! These packages allow our clients to make the most of their preservation. Having the ability to create your own unique combination of our framed floral art and functional resin items will allow our clients even more freedom to have the preservation of their dreams. This will be exciting to see unfurl in the new year, and we can’t wait to see what our clients choose!
From Amy:
Prior to packages, we focused on curated "bundles" of some of our most popular products, sold as a set. While they served their purpose, we were constantly asked for customization of these curated sets- ultimately opening our door to packages. We worked to classify all of our preservation offerings into three sizes, Small, Medium, and Large- and each package allows clients to order based on what best fits their unique preservation desires. With this, we hope that our clients continue to fall in love with the idea of gifting preservation. The idea that sentimental blooms, from both weddings and memorials, hold a special place in the hearts of the loved ones who took part in the event. Often gifted as ring dishes, ornaments, or small frames- family gifting is a beautiful way to say "thank you" or give a final bloom to the loved ones of a passed family member.
Going Beyond Bouquets
Amy’s goals for the new year are all about making the business into something that runs even more smoothly, as well as branching out beyond wedding florals (rest assured, we will always be preserving special bouquets!). She and the team hope to see our floral designs in our local Lehigh Valley shops and beyond by creating wholesale products, custom and well crafted pressed flower art installations, and any other commissions clients could bring us. She’d also love to work with anyone with spaces to fill with beautiful, useful resin items or decorate with our frames. We’ve had the opportunity to do work with places like the W Hotel in Manhattan, creating a stunning display for their lobby.
When we were asked by an interior design team to create an art installation for a popular luxury hotel in NYC, our hearts immediately said yes- but our minds got to work. We had never done such a thing, creating apprehension midst the excitement. The project was nearly 10' wide, well over five times the size of most designs we typically create. Aside from the scale, the product itself was brand new to us. We had worked with resin for years prior to this project, but always as small-scale pieces, not 20" wide and 1" thick tiles. However, after months of planning we were able to get to work. During this project, our team learned so much that we fell in love with the idea of creating custom art installations for even more commercial spaces. If a brand is interested in creating a unique art installation for their space, we encourage them to check out our W Hotel Lobby Project and hop on a call with us to chat through the possibilities of bringing nature into your space.
New Year's Wishes
Between new ways to shop, new places to find our pressed flowers, and new opportunities to gather in our space, we hope you keep following along with us into the new year! Want to chat about any of these? Get in touch with us at hello@elementdesign.com. For preservation, schedule a complimentary consultation here to discuss your florals with our team.
All of us at Element are looking forward to seeing the results of our 2025 efforts blossom into 2026 successes. We can’t wait to see all the flowers that are to come in the new year. Thank you to all of our clients, past and future, for trusting us with your bouquets!
We will close this first article of the new year with a final word from Amy:
At Element, we are always evolving. From new products, to new business ventures, to education, and more. If you are looking for something specific, curious about our brand, or simply want to chat- our communication is always open. This year, it is our goal to better foster conversation and grow and expand to be a brand that truly serves our local community and the nation-wide community of pressed flower lovers in a way we can all appreciate. Happy New Year, all. My best wishes for a beautiful one are with you!
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