RIYADH: Kholod Abughazalah, a Saudi florist, gets into the zone for each of her floral arrangements by turning on her favorite music, to create elaborate floral centerpieces for her clients.
Her flower studio, KAG, is based in Jeddah and is known for its creative contemporary designs that blossom with color.
Speaking about her process, Abughazalah said: “I just turn on jazz music and pick the flowers, choose the right vase then it goes like that. I focus mainly on how to display each flower and stem. When my design is finished, I imagine a big smile on the customer’s face.”
She added: “Flowers are basically beautiful on their own … I am using both monochromatic and polychromatic colors. I don’t restrict myself to any rules when using colors.
“I truly love dainty accents and color, and each stem has a unique shape. These elements are what inspire me.”
Abughazalah’s method of designing is inspired by the “delicacy of the flowers so that each branch and stem appears in its natural way.” She added that her clients often describe her arrangements as a “mini garden in a vase.”
The florist has developed a method for creating the perfect, organic arrangement, and the shape of the vase also plays an important role: “Whether it’s a vertical or horizontal shape, I start with larger flowers like dahlias, then smaller ones like ranunculus, and finish with airy flowers like clematis, so that the arrangement gives a natural organic look inspired by a garden.”
She describes her sanctuary as “a small studio based in Jeddah yet full of colors. I call it my ‘happy zone’.”
To ensure quality and attention to detail, Abughazalah says the studio “creates limited quantities to make sure each arrangement meets our standard.”
Before pursuing her career as a florist, Abughazalah worked as a supply chain lead for 13 years. But she opted to be in a career that allowed her to dive into her creativity.
Reflecting on the change in her path, she said: “I recognized that I was looking for a new adventure that challenged me and fed my creative soul. Since flowers had a big impact on me, embarking on a floral design journey naturally felt like the right journey.
“Simply, looking at the flowers makes me happy and smile. That’s why I decided to explore this path.”
She attended floral workshops in London and said she “felt inspired by other flower designers around the world. I believe that highlighting the nuances of nature allows each design to tell a unique story, and elicit a feeling.”
Abughzalah hopes to expand her project in the future by collaborating with her husband to make handmade vases. “I am planning with my husband to build a small pottery studio, then we can try our creativity in making pottery vases.”
She also hopes to expand to other parts of the Kingdom, especially as she gets a lot of customer requests from Riyadh. She added: “Because of the fact that I only use fresh imported flowers, it’s quite difficult to ship the arrangements outside Jeddah. So, that’s why I only serve in Jeddah. Hopefully, in the future, a new floral studio will be launched in Riyadh.”
