We have been working together with Dutch interior decoration brand ESSENZA over the past year, decorating rooms and scenes together for their campaign photoshoots. It has been a really wonderful experience for us to create unique and powerful spaces that fall within their unique design aesthetic. There is always such an eclectic mix of colours, prints and styles - from the demure through to the highly patterned florals which we have come to adore, and also draw our inspiration from.
Whether it be kimono-style nightgowns, pillows, bed linen or even porcelain - everything about the ESSENZA brand is delightful. And so much has been photographed since 2019, that it’s a tough job choosing the favourites. For everything we couldn’t fit here, you can see on the ESSENZA website.
Ok let’s start with the first location, the beautifully historic mid 18th-century manor named Sparrendaal, located near Utrecht, where ESSENZA allowed us to be expressive and bold in our approach to the florals. Interestingly, this location had graced the likes of Napoleon once upon a time, so we had our work cut out for us, to live up to the grandeur that once was… and still is! Let us begin with the blues of ‘L’ Océan’ collection.
We hand-dyed hydrangea with an iridescent blue and combined them with surprising ingredients of pitcher plants, tillandsia, delphinium and grasses. You will also see cabbage and strawberries as a bold feature in the still life arrangement!
Upon closer inspection of the florals, you will see insects were used as decoration, such as these gorgeous butterflies. Back in the 17th-century, Dutch flower still life paintings contained insects, as these often had religious symbolism, or were added to portray rarity and visual complexity. An example of this can be seen in the beautiful painting ‘Still Life with Flowers and Fruit’ by Rachael Ruysch (dated 1703!). Many floral still life made in this period, were in fact fictional, as a tulip and a rose, for example, would never have been able to bloom at the same time, within in a single arrangement.
Luckily we don’t have that problem these days, with flowers being more accessible than ever from around the globe, so that our arrangements can have a beautiful amount of floral diversity!
Next, we enter ‘La Flamboyance’. Hints of the forest, combined with the ornate and classical. We loved the combination of mustards, whites and botanicals, with a subtle hint of hidden artichoke.
There were two locations for this series, the second being Villa Nicola, a luxury bed and breakfast in the heart of Amsterdam. So many secrets were hidden behind the walls of this charming facade, as the beautiful Felice Fleur and Anna Arendshorst graced the finery that lay within.
‘Le Jardin’ collection was a combination of soft nudes and luxurious browns, through to pinks and lilacs - creating a moody, sophisticated and romantic palette of colour.
Thank you ESSENZA!
Credits
Client ESSENZA
Photographers Nine Ijff (campaign) & Alexander van Berge (mood)
Flowers A.P Bloem
Models Anna Arendshort & Felice Fleur
Makeup Peter Dekker
Locations Buitenplaats Sparrendaal & Villa Nicola