With a natural approach to floral design, Cassandra Stadnicki, who owns Exfolia Botanical in Logan Square, Chicago, has created a thriving business in a very short time.
“I always imagined owning a small business, I just didn’t know what it would be,” Stadnicki says. “When I got involved in floral, it just all made sense.” In her finished bouquets, a mix of collected elements—some from Stadnicki’s own garden—plus greens and blooms from local farmers and a few well-chosen botanicals from the flower market create a seasonal, organic aesthetic.
“I have an intuitive approach to design. When I’m collecting materials, I pay attention to what’s calling to me,” she says. “I ask myself ‘What is it going to be about?’ Is it a vivid color, unique shape or a pattern? Then I build around that and let the natural beauty of the materials inform the design.”
