You know we love talking up our incredible team here at Element! We’ve so far done profiles on Nikole, our Director of External Communications and Abby, our Director of Production. Today, this write up will look and sound a little different because we’re talking about the writer of this blog! It’s me, hi, I’m the blog writer, it’s me! My name is Phaedra and I’ve been the writer for Element Design Co for many years, though my main role is as the Senior Design Specialist. I’m so excited to introduce myself, and share some of what makes being a part of the Element team so special. 

Phaedra the Designer

I’ve worked with Element as a designer for nearly five years, and have gotten to see the business grow and change so much. One thing I have loved is learning more about the florals I work with, and watching trends change over the years. Part of my role as senior designer is to chat with our clients who opt into the Peony (Proofing) Experience. During those consultations, I get to go over the flowers in the bouquet and talk about the client’s vision for their preservation pieces. I truly enjoy working on Peony orders, because I love hearing directly from the couples who will be admiring the frame and resin artwork I create for them. As a romantic, it’s wonderful to get to hear the personal stories of some of these clients and the whys behind their flower choices. 

When it comes to designing, I love to work on bouquets with rare flowers, or with smaller arrangements like flower crowns or pocket squares. I love all of our design styles, but the Field Style has to be my absolute favourite, especially a vertically oriented field style in our flagship 16x20 floating frame. That’s actually how I designed my own wedding flowers, most of which my mom grew in her garden. I also love designing display trays, coasters, and ring dishes. I get excited about the challenge of packing a lot of detail into a smaller space. I love pieces that are unique and fun and when I get to play with different shapes and colors. 

Phaedra at Home

Outside of Element, I spend a lot of time reading, cooking, and playing with my two cats. My husband and I enjoy road trips and trying local restaurants here in the Lehigh Valley. As you may have guessed from some of our past blogs, I’m definitely the resident Swiftie, due to taking my cousin to the Eras Tour in Philadelphia. I’m usually designing with my headphones in, dancing to Midnights or reputation (though I’m truly an folklore/evermore girlie), or listening to books from the library. One thing I love about being at Element is all the book recommendations we pass along to each other. We all loved reading and discussing the A Court of Thorns and Roses books (and are eagerly awaiting the next ones!) and we even assigned some designs to the leads of that series (spoilers within that post!). I also love classics like Pride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, and The Great Gatsby. 

I have always loved flowers and making arrangements. I have been picking bouquets from my grandmother’s garden since before I can remember. I applied to be a designer by showing our CEO Amelia some of my collage artwork, which is my main creative avenue outside of work. I also love writing poetry, and studied Creative Writing at a tiny little college in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I go back to that area often to visit. 

My favorite flower is the daffodil, and I love seeing it in the springtime bouquets that come through. I am also a huge fan of anemones, dahlias, zinnias, tweedia… I could probably go on all day! I am partial to spring and fall flowers, as they are usually so colorful! 

I can’t wait to see what this year brings here at Element! I love what I get to do, and who I get to do it with!

Written By: Phaedra, An Element Designer