Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Oakes.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up on 15 acres outside Houston, Texas was the start of my exposure and attraction to nature. At 12, I took on designing and landscaping our property. I somehow convinced my mom to drive me two hrs twice a week for several months to attend a Texas Master Gardener program through Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
And that’s how it all began. Fast forward to completing a BFA in graphic design from the University of Houston, working as a landscape designer than as an experiential designer at an architectural firm. All the pieces slowly fell into place… The biggest piece of it all was meeting and marrying my wife, Jemine. She is the biggest dreamer and constantly inspires me.
Growing up in Nigeria surrounded by tropical plants and vivid colors, she also developed a love for designing with nature. In December 2017, we sat down together and started writing down our vision for our business. The Flora Culture was born.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We still have a ways to go. I would not call it a smooth road so far, but it has been fun.
Knowing what we want but not how to get it has been our biggest struggle. Once we gave our vision a little push, it seems to almost form itself. After the dust of the excitement settled and reality checked in was when our situation felt a bit overwhelming.
But in our lives, we’ve discovered that if you approach almost anything from a place of learning, then you are setting yourself up for success. And that has pretty much been our lives the last year — a constant state of learning.
Please tell us about The Flora Culture.
The Flora Culture was born with a clear vision; to develop a lifestyle that integrates nature’s beauty. Simply put, we are a Houston-based company, influenced by modern Scandinavian design that specializes in curated interior plants and floral arrangements marketed to the non-plant enthusiast and plant lover alike. Our hope is to encourage curiosity, feed creativity, and continually learn to compose with the natural world.
One of our favorite services we offer is our in-home consultation. Clients invite us into their home to create a plan for plant placement based on aesthetic, space, lighting, and other needs of our clients like the presence of children and pets. We then create a plan and execute it with the specific client need in mind. Plant placement and care guides are given to the clients.
This is beneficial for the client that would rather have a design expert to incorporate greenery into their home or work environment. This offer is extended to local businesses, hotels, and organizations. Our understanding of design in combination with natural formation allows us to let nature speak for itself. This is what separates us from the bunch.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
So many childhood memories to choose from coming from a family of ten kids. Most had to do with having the opportunity to daily explore my seemingly endless childhood backyard with my brothers and sisters by my side. Nature is the ultimate source of play.
Contact Info:
- Website: TheFloraCulture.com
- Email: info@thefloraculture.com
- Instagram: @thefloraculture
- Facebook: @thefloraculture
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