THE HISTORY OF OUR BRAND
2005
What would later become Artful Decor, started as a Decor rental company in Crystal Lake, IL specializing in celebrations. Advertised largely by word of mouth amongst family, friend and acquaintances, we are proud that the quality and care we place into our designs allow our inventory to last for years to come, and much of our original core inventory is still is use today.
2007
Quickly growing from there we added Design and Linen to our offerings, which required a larger warehouse space, expanding our capabilities from centerpieces to full scale structures, which would soon become a hallmark of our company.
2011
Expanding our offerings in complete room designs, we added Drapery to our event services to provide our clients with greater opportunity to incorporate structures into our designs.
2015
A decade after we began, we continued searching for ways to create greater depth within our design work, and added Fresh Floral to our range of services, requiring us to move to a larger warehouse space.
2017
Several years after we began our adventure in small business, our company rebranded Artful Decor as a luxury design and production brand offering everything from weddings to celebrations and corporate, with a signature style which would become instantaneously recognizable within our industry.
2019
We began offering special occasion arrangements with home delivery to the public and direct business to business sales for corporate gifts. Continuously growing, at this time we moved into our fourth and largest warehouse space to date.
2022
Continuing to grow our brand and reevaluate our current Design offerings to fit the changing needs of our clients, we unveiled the latest edition to our company by offering custom fabrication to our Decor offerings at the beginning of the year.
• OUR LOCATION •
Private Warehouse & Design Studio
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Delivering breathtaking designs throughout Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, our company currently operates out of a 2000 square foot Private Warehouse and Design Studio, we are proudly located in Crystal Lake, IL.
Our standard delivery radius is 50 miles from our location, with further distances by special request.
IN THE DESIGN STUDIO
With numerous things occurring behind the scenes at our Private Warehouse and Design Studio at any given time, we thought it would be fun to take you on an exclusive tour of our design process which we loving call our branded Design Experience.
When we advertise that our clients receive Wedding and Event Week Exclusively, we truly mean it, and with the amount of detail and care we place into each design, averaging 245 hours of staff time, you'll easily see why we always say you’ll, "Experience The Difference".
PRIMARY DESIGN CONSULTATION - 2 Hours
The task for designing your upcoming wedding, celebration or corporate event often begins a year and half from your event date. This is when we schedule a time to chat with you and your planner during a complimentary consultation, outline potential design ideas, and provide an Estimate for our services.
SECONDARY DESIGN CONSULTATION - 15 Hours
Prior to scheduling your Design Consultation, our Creative Team is already at work gathering potential color spectrums, inventory samples, floral varieties, and any other details to help further outline the design ideas for each line item on your Estimate. By the time we reach your Secondary Design Consultation, this is when the fun truly begins, as we work together to get to know you as a person, find what inspires you, and best aligns with your vision, investment and expectations with guidance by your planner. Afterward, a working draft of your Design Proposal is provided.
FIELD & TERTIARY DESIGN CONSULTATION - 25 Hours
Prior to scheduling your Field Consultation, our Creative Team has been in contact with your venue or planner to put together all of the pieces of the puzzle in preparation for your appointment where we will take additional measurements, confirm logistics and timelines and make design suggestions. This is followed by a Tertiary Design Consultation where we will finalize the design elements for each line item on your Design Proposal.
DESIGN WORK - SOURCING - 45 Hours
Three months before your event we take all of the components of your design and begin purchasing all of the wholesale fresh products and supplies we will need for your event. This includes fabrications and allows our Creative Team enough time to find alternative routes if needed due to disruptions with manufacturing and trucking within the supply chain. As new inventory arrives we check each item for condition and do some arranging in the warehouse to stage everything in an area just for your upcoming event. Not to mention this is also the time we remove all of those dreaded labels, clean the oily residue off of pressed glass and complete all of those glamorous activities to prep our latest inventory!
DESIGN WORK - IN PROGRESS - 65 Hours
One month we confirm fresh product arrival and make changes as needed on a weekly basis, based upon updates from our manufacturers and suppliers regarding growing conditions, industry demand and overall market value. We also begin to craft your custom tables numbers and personal floral tags, open candle and other consumable packaging, reload our event day emergency kits, and look over your client file to ensure every detail has been accounted for.
DESIGN WORK - CREATION - 145 Hours
The first few days during the week of your event, is the time we receive the most client phone calls. This is also our busiest time to prep for your upcoming event, as the fresh products arrive and we begin our exclusive continuous cold process hydration and care methods based upon the needs of each variety. Each day leading up to your event we monitor each of the varieties to ensure blooms are properly opening and greens are holding firm, changing our care methods and performing a little magic to adapt each of the varieties needs throughout the week. At this time we prep steam the linens and drapery to ensure larger creases are removed. Later in the week, we begin greening centerpieces and larger arrangements, following the next day with blooms.
The day before your event we create all of the personal floral designs according to your specifications, from the shape and size or your bridal boutique to the ribbon used in your corsages. The evening before your event we pack the truck with all of the supplies and inventory for our Decor, Linen and Drapery services.
DESIGN WORK - INSTALLATION - 205 Hours
The morning of your event we add the ribbon to your bouquet and our custom personal floral tags, load the truck with all of your fresh floral designs and head out on delivery. It's important to note that this is the most we will sit throughout the day. Between the Ceremony Installation, Flip, and Removal we are always on the move averaging more than 15k steps per Creative Team member!
Once the truck is parked it's officially hustle time as we unload and install everything in double time. Often times we have already met you at a second delivery location to deliver personal floral display for pre-ceremony photos, and if event dates weren't already crazy enough, it truly takes a village of extra talented hands during those short installation times ceremony designs. With about 15 minutes to spare before guests begin to enter, our team takes a few photos to share for our Artists Journal.
Once the ceremony installation is complete and the ceremony begins, we sneak off to the truck to begin rearranging inventory, loading carts with reception supplies, and getting a much needed drink of water. If needed for those large crosstown classics, a second time has already been hard at work at your reception venue, steaming linens for 15 to 30 minutes per table, setting votive candles and table numbers, and awaiting our fresh floral designs and inventory for the Flip.
Once the ceremony is over and family photographs have been taken by your photographer, we swoop in and flip with lightening speed, transporting, trucking, decorating tables and lighting candles. With about 15 minutes to spare before guests begin to enter, our team takes a few photos to share for our Artists Journal.
Now the rest period for our team begins. Our installation team departs and we await the arrival of our removal team. After dinner and dancing and the final call is given from the music production company, we swoop in again clearing spacers with even the largest guest counts with speed and cleanliness according to our company's highest standards.
Yet the fun has only begun as our removal team assists with loading the truck in back alleyways and outside of bars in the middle of the night. Once we return back to our Private Warehouse and Studio, our Creative Team unpacks the truck, pre-soaks all of our linens in buckets overnight, and we finally call it a night typically around 4AM!
DESIGN WORK - CLEAN UP - 245 Hours
Over the next week, our Creative Team is busy cleaning, organizing and returning supplies and tools, cleaning wax off out candelabras, downloading photos of our work to share with you and moving inventory within our Warehouse.
The week after your event, we follow up with a personal thank you, and begin editing our room photos and blogging about the details of your event in anticipation of receiving professional photos from your photographer.
Four weeks later we upload everything to our website, including our favorite highlights from your photographer, and release our One Month Reveal which shares our latest Artists Journal entry on our website with our social media followers.
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