Celebrating 20 Years of Education Reform with Beautiful Flowers at Crystal Bridges Museum
In October, we had the pleasure of designing florals for the University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform’s 20th Anniversary Conference, held at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Founded in 2005 within the College of Education and Health Professions, the Department of Education Reform focuses on advancing academic achievement and providing research that directly informs policymakers, schools, and the public. This milestone celebration was the perfect opportunity to bring a thoughtful, warm touch to their multi-day event.
The conference took place across several beautiful spaces, including the Great Hall, the museum’s restaurant Eleven, and the welcome dinner at The Hive in 21C Museum Hotel. We designed floral arrangements for every part of the event, from conference tables to cocktail hours and dinners, making sure the designs felt cohesive throughout.
We absolutely loved the color palette of peach and plum for this event. The combination felt soft, elegant, and full of warmth, and it was so fun to bring it to life with a mix of flowers.
We used plum astrantia, peach lisianthus, peach Cremone mums, plum scabiosa, peach spray roses, peach ranunculus, peach stock, peachy-tan carnations, Golden Mustard roses, and Barista roses, all layered with greenery like Gunnii eucalyptus, grevillea, agonis, and locally grown ninebark to add depth and texture. The colors and textures together created a rich, dynamic look that felt polished but natural.
With the palette in mind, we designed each arrangement to suit its space. Large ceramic compotes served as centerpieces at The Hive, bringing height and presence to the welcome dinner tables. For the conference in the Great Hall, we created medium and large compote-style arrangements to line the tables, along with large tray designs placed atop gold Harlow stands. The pieces framed the space beautifully, adding height and texture without ever feeling overwhelming. For dinner at Eleven, we repurposed the Harlow stand and conference table arrangements from the Great Hall, giving them a new home while keeping the beautiful layered designs and textures intact for the dining tables.
One of our favorite parts of the event was on the final day. While attendees wrapped up their last sessions, we turned the arrangements into little mini bouquets for them to take home. It was such a simple but special way for guests to enjoy the flowers long after the event ended.
Every floral element was designed to complement the celebratory and professional atmosphere of the conference. From the warm peach and plum tones to the thoughtful textures and details, it was an honor to help mark 20 years of impactful work in education reform with flowers that brought beauty and joy to the event.
