Fragrant flowers, coffee and bubbly all in one place? The heaven is real at Ann’s Florist in Fort Lauderdale, a family-owned bloom business that’s also a coffee shop, Champagne bar and gift emporium filled with treasures new and old. “When I’m at market, antique shows or auctions, I try to find inspiring items that make me feel something, bring back memories of a trip I loved, or make me yearn to visit somewhere new,” says co-owner Kim Fuentes, adding, “I always have a French section because I’ve been a serious Francophile most of my life and find that many people dream of being in Paris.” Fuentes also shaped the coffee bar after cafes in Paris. “I knew I wanted Carrara marble even though people tried to talk me out of it. I wanted the wear, and even the coffee marks, so it would look like it was brought from a sweet cafe in the 6th arrondissement in Paris,” explains Fuentes. “The Champagne bar, on the other hand, I wanted to be darker and sexier. We used a copper metal top that we oxidized. The chandeliers add romance.” After spotting a popular rose wall in London, Fuentes created a coveted, Insta-worthy table for guests that sits in front of a wall donning more than 5,000 roses (below). What’s she putting in vases this fall? “More free-formed and wild bouquets. Less of the tightly constructed, formal pavé styles,” she says. “And more color. Fall will not be limited to a dark palette. Instead, there will be happier shades.” annsfloristlasolas.com
