Atelier Marguerite
A design workshop, gift boutique, and event space on Main Street in Margaretville, NY. We specialize in creating impactful and visually stunning designs, inspired by nature. Designing within the mediums of fresh cut, live potted, dried, and faux blossoms & textures, we offer a rotating collection as well as custom experiences. Atelier Marguerite is committed to developing relationships with local growers and artisans to offer the finest, smartest, and most interesting collaborations that the Catskills has to offer, combining Mountain and Metropolitan styles.
partner and creative lead
Carine Bonnet
Carine began her design journey in the South of France, growing up and living above her family's flower shop. There, she discovered a passion for flowers and design that continues to grow and evolve. Over the past two decades, Carine has held and enjoyed directorship positions guiding design at two of the most exclusive florists in New York City. She has unparalleled experience from the homes of Park Avenue, through the finest restaurants in NYC, out to the Hamptons and beyond with all levels of corporate and personal events and decor. Carine keeps her eye on sustainability and stewardship of the Earth.
partner and creative lead
Selby Brown
Selby comes from home farms and gardens of the American South, learning early the excitement of nurturing plants and flowers and embracing the feeling of hands in the soil. He developed his design eye over the past fifteen years in the floral and event industry, learning to challenge the expected and embrace creative design solutions. Selby also carries formal education and training in Interior Design (NYIAD). He is a skilled developer of custom experiences and has conceptualized large-scale faux and holiday installations in both residential and destination-corporate settings. Selby believes strongly in breaking design 'rules' and creating the unexpected.
Philosophy on Sustainability:
Atelier Marguerite is committed to ethical sustainability practices. Each passing season our leadership renews that commitment, examining new ideas and updated practices. We source our blossoms and textures locally and/or domestically whenever seasonally possible. Supporting local farms is not only helpful to our communities, the flowers grown by small, ecological farmers are vibrant and diverse blossoms and textures, often too delicate to ship. We are extremely mindful and committed to seasonality and our designs reflect available seasonal blossoms. Flowers from local farms arrive in reusable buckets. No plastic wrapping, cardboard boxes or refrigerated shipping are necessary with our local stems. Fossil fuels are saved with shorter travel distances. Insecticides and fungicides required for imported flowers are not necessary with local or domestic stems.
Commitment to Locality:
Atelier Marguerite has set a goal of working with products that come from the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson Valley of New York, to work toward a true farm-to-vase structure. We are constantly working to develop partnerships with local growers, vendors, artists and makers. If you are a local grower, artisan or small business, this includes you! Please contact us to see how we can work together to show the best that our region has to offer: bonjour@ateliermargueriteny.com
The French Connection:
Carine's childhood was spent in the South of France and French influence runs deep in our design style. Importance is placed on negative space, showcasing texture and movement in a natural way. Vibrant color is important. Various shades and textures of greens are always present. Abundance is important, but we also leave some air for the flowers to breath and move. There is a relaxed quality to our work that brings both comfort and surprise.
Southern Roots:
Selby spent childhood summers on his grandparents’ farm in rural Arkansas, always helping in the garden. Great importance was placed on using what the garden was providing, which left an impression that remains evident in our designs. Selby would regularly stage flower shows for neighbors and was allowed to pick all his grandmother's flowers to play 'flower shop' with her vases, instilling a deep appreciation for ceramics and glass, and an interest in using non-traditional vessels to create. We strive to continue that farm legacy, bringing the the natural, the local, the found, and the unexpected to our designs.