Flourish Collective's new Jackson Ward showroom
“A rising design tide floats all beautiful boats,” says Stevie McFadden, the principal of Flourish Design Studio and founder of The Flourish Collective, Richmond’s newest design destination.
The recent loss of two of Richmond’s premier home furnishings retailers motivated McFadden to create a showroom where individuals and design professionals alike can find inspiration and access to a broad range of resources. “I have always enjoyed the process and the hunt,” she says, “but it frustrated me that as a retail customer I couldn’t gain access to some of the wallpapers and fabrics I was interested in without enlisting the help of a professional. I think that there are lot of people who are in that boat right now.”
In addition to McFadden’s Flourish Design studio and libraries — now located on the building’s second floor — the first-floor showroom will feature furnishings, artwork, accessories and textiles created or represented by the collective members in vignettes of room settings.
The founding members of the Flourish Collective include (from left) Wendy Umanoff, Whitney Forstner, Jamie Coffey, Stevie McFadden, Alicia Conrad, Diana Matthews and Sarah Rowland.
The founding members include Umanoff Design, Wendy Umanoff’s bespoke light fixtures; Art for the Home, art and art curation by Whitney Forstner; XOJ, designer Jamie Coffey’s furnishings and linens; Sarah Rowland, custom wall coverings and textiles; Jason Lefton’s dimensional wall murals; and Devon Cushman’s tablescapes and holiday decor.
“I want [to create] a place that feels like an immersive, integrated experience, where people can come in and imagine their spaces in a different way,” McFadden says. “If there are more places to get people inspired and to really show the value of what we do in the design community, I am also happy to share in that.”
The Flourish Collective, 221 E. Clay St., is open by appointment.
