MODESTO — Things are in full bloom for Reg and Rebecca Merritt. Twigs and Stems, their floral design studio on McHenry Avenue in Modesto, has been growing by 25 percent despite opening in a down economy four years ago. Their team-up as life and business partners gelled into a balance of yin and yang.
With Reg’s distinctive artistry and Rebecca’s business savvy, Twigs and Stems has carved a niche for itself. The studio’s custom arrangements heighten the elegance of high-end homes, physicians’ offices, upscale restaurants and the Gallo Center for the Arts.
“We’re specialized, so we don’t compete with Costco, grocery stores or ordering the number 4 online,” Reg noted. An arrangement from Twigs and Stems is as branded as a Tiffany box, Rebecca added.
The studio is a living gallery of Reg’s mastery of color, line, form, texture and technique. Visiting it is like stepping into a sophisticated fairytale, a play of whimsy expertly lit to great effect.
“This is our floral theater,” Rebecca said.
On opening day May 1, 2010, the bare-bones studio prompted a customer to ask, “Are you opening or closing?” The onslaught Mother’s Day orders a few days later was their baptism of fire. When they recovered from that, the studio space began to take shape.
“We built it up into a reflection of us,” Reg said.
Striving to create an experience, not just a product, Reg pays intense petal-to-pedestal attention to detail.
“Flowers are a luxury, so we want them to feel good from start to finish.”
He buys directly from growers, picking out every single flower. Having secured the freshest material, he focuses on bringing the client’s vision to life.
“You only have a few minutes to get in their head,” he said. “A picture is a starting point, but I ask, ‘How can we make it better?’ I want them to be in awe.”
Clients emphasize the uniqueness of design and impeccable customer service from Twigs and Stems.
“They are extremely talented floral designers with a great disposition and capacity to please all my clients’ needs,” remarked interior designer Chris Reed. “I enjoy their originality and ability to work in different designs befitting my designs for homeowners and the corporate world. I recommend them always.”
“The reason why the relationship between Mike’s Grillhouse and Twigs and Stems is in place is because Reg has nailed the industrial chic ambiance we’re trying to achieve,” said owner Mike Nelson. “He used our wine crates to create very unusual fruit and vegetable arrangements with local produce. Our claim to fame is to support local agriculture and breweries, and Reg is so in tune with what we need.”
Like many artists, Reg is at his best when clients provide initial direction then let him run with it.
“We wrapped our newborn in a papoose,” Reg said, arms held tight to his sides. “I don’t want to be swaddled. We have a great client list, solid and loyal. They know I’m going to make it happen.”
“People trust Reg now,” Rebecca observed. “Word of mouth is how we’ve been growing.”
Reg studied metal casting at San Francisco State University and earned an associate’s degree in Visual Merchandising from Modesto Junior College. While at MJC, he met Alx Lazano, who now also creates floral design at Twigs and Stems.
Twigs and Stems occupies the same fig-covered building where Reg’s father, renowned designer Michael Merritt, owned and ran The Thoughtful Flower for many years before selling it.
Of course, the most notable thing Reg received from his father was incomparable on-the-job training.
“That’s how we played catch; how we went fishing,” Reg recalled.
Eventually Reg struck out on his own. Michael Merritt continues to distinguish himself in floral design from his studio in Carmel.
“I grew up in the flower business and felt like I needed to get out and feel different mediums. I’m more contemporary in style,” Reg said.
“They’re cut from the same cloth,” Rebecca remarked. “They’ll see something and go, ‘Oh, man!’ They can visualize it. They bounce ideas off each other. It’s neat to watch Mike and Reg.”
Reg’s work has been featured in floral publications such as “Flowers &” as well as in the prestigious Bouquets to Art at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. He gives presentations and offers classes in the studio, such as creating a garland for the holiday table, and private classes such as how to create your own birthday bouquet.
“Reg has fun making everything,” Rebecca said. “He nurtured this studio and it’s growing. It’s his other baby.”
The post Modesto’s Twigs & Stems specializes in unique floral design appeared first on Central Valley Business Journal.