How Holly Hipwell of The Flower Drum is taking the floral styling world by storm

Stylist, curator, blogger and self-styled “chief flower enthusiast” Holly Hipwell’s career is in full bloom.

Domain Prestige caught up with Hipwell to get a glimpse inside her colourful world. 

You morphed from flower-loving blogger to in-demand floral stylist at warp speed. How did that happen?

I don’t know! About seven years ago, not long after starting The Flower Drum, I would look at the stats and think, why the heck are people all around the world reading my blog? I thought it was just my mum reading.

I have definitely worked hard to continue evolving my brand and skills. Sometimes I am a little full-on, so I either give clients motion sickness with my over-enthusiasm or peace of mind that their event is in the hands of a crazy flower-wielding maniac with the perfect idea.

What’s a flower bomb. Do we need to take shelter?

Absolutely – get your helmet, kneepads and safety goggles! The flower bomb sprang from my desire to create the ultimate arrangement – not just something that would sit pretty in a vase. It was a sensory explosion, bursting with flowers.

What sorts of jobs fill your days?

Every day is so different. I love having the freedom to spend a day outsourcing flowers straight from the farm or discovering antique gems for styling jobs. Living in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, I spend a lot of time in the car.

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People always ask, “Where is your shop?” I don’t have a shop – I couldn’t stand being stuck in one place all day, every day.

Your wit shines almost as brightly as your blooms. How important is personality in your line of work?

I think in the beginning my passion for writing was a strong as the passion for flowers. I am reading Dianne Keaton’s book at the moment. At a young age, Woody Allen told her, “Don’t worry, you’re funny and funny is money.” It resonated with me because having a light-hearted approach has helped me create my own voice.

Some of those floral creations are engineering marvels. How do you get the flowers to stay where you want them?

I used to kick myself after designing concepts then wondering how to make them come to life. Over time, I have developed skills and confidence behind the scenes. I am best friends with the guys at my local Mitre 10 and I work with a lot of experienced builders, designers and steel workers to create the foundations for larger installations.

What’s next for Holly Hipwell?

I would really love to get into working with materials and concepts that don’t expire so quickly. It can be quite devastating to put so much time and effort into a creation only for it to end up in a skip bin hours after an event has ended.