FLOWERS & HOME OF BRYANT

There's a new florist in town, Bryant Arkansas that is. As of April 1st, Flowers & Home of Bryant have opened their doors as their community's premiere home decorating showroom. This isn't your typical flower shop. With it's tall, black ceilings, stained floors, vivid color scheme and cozy lighting, it's easy to see what makes it so different. Monroe Cranford, owner and high-end floral designer, has spent years mastering his craft and is now ready to show the city of Bryant just what's possible in the world of floral design. Monroe Cranford began his career as an Arkansas Master Florist (AMF), then was inducted into the prestigious American Institute of Floral Design (AIFD). He has also branched out and obtained the ranks of Professional Floral Design (PFD) and Certified Floral Designer (CFD). "In our industry, you really can't get a degree, you get credentials. And I have the credentials to back up the fact that they don't just hand these things to you. You actually have to earn them," Says Cranford. With his industry background, Cranford deserves respect, not only within the floral industry, but also in the community he serves. Monroe is a floral artist and his designs are truly something special. "I had two ladies come in today to just make sure it was really me. You know, I haven't been in the area for a while. They were excited to know that I had come back into town to do this sort of thing, because they really feel like it's something they can be very proud of when they are sending flowers and not something generic. They feel they've gotten something more artistic and something that's really thought through."

Flowers & Home of Bryant began with a bang. Their open house, held just 5 days after their opening, was wildly successful. Guests were treated to large floral displays and an open showroom as they dined on h'orderves and wine. In addition to a wide variety of fresh floral designs, Flowers & Home also offers home decor, furniture, mirrors and art, as well as a garden department for plants and accessories. "We carry a large assortment of containers. We can actually do [arrangements] that are more pleasing, versus it always being in a vase." It's all about the details with Monroe Cranford. "We really emphasize packaging. All of our packaging is copper craft paper. Our tags are copper craft paper with green lettering." The earthy colors are repeated throughout the store with everything schemed in brown and green, which matches the sign outside. "We've really made ourselves presentable." "It's about offering them something that they're not seeing elsewhere," explains Cranford. "You feel much more proud about it."