Parrot Figurine
Kat Flowers Design & Decor
Katerina Allotey
2022 installation
2nd Floor - English Drawing Room
The Inspiration
Both parrot figurines on the marble-top console tables were made in Dresden, Germany, late 19th century. Among the original furnishings, they reflect Isabel’s affection for her longtime pet macaw, Anna.
Artist/Creator: German
Date of Creation: Late 19th century
The Flowers
Florist’s inspiration: For my floral design I will be doing a colorful and vibrant representation of a parrot. I chose the parrot to represent Larz and Isabel’s love for all things grandiose. Their home was meticulously built to distinguish themselves as DC’s premier hosts and charm visiting dignitaries. The aviary full of tropical parrots was not only built to impress but it became synonymous with Isabel and her known love for her pet parrots.
THE DESIGNER
Katerina Allotey
Kat Flowers Design & Decor
Katerina of Kat Flowers Design and Decor started her floral design journey in her home Country of Belarus, where she launched her own business in wedding and event designs. She started small, but even before she created her own company she had big dreams. From a young age, she was arranging flowers for her family’s dinner parties and standing out from the rest of her home town in Belarus with her unique and colorful designs.
Katerina came to the US a little over five years ago and immediately was eager to work as a florist, despite the language barrier she faced coming into the country. Her determination and courage propelled her to flourish at one of the most reputable shops in DC, where she was able to learn and grow even further; reflected in her designs.
Though she is always adapting her artistic style, her work is recognizable by its compelling European romance, which she elegantly twists with modern charm: from intimate, vintage designs featuring old fashioned English roses, peonies, sweetpeas and lilacs made historic in their antique-inspired containers, to sleek and contemporary designs featuring calla lilies, exotic orchids, succulents and unusual textures allowing the eye to gaze appreciatively.
Katerina’s business is characterized by her recognizable youthful passion, a passion she is ecstatic to have unearthed early in her career. She sees every new client’s order/idea as a window for creativity and possibility, which helps her bridge the gap between imagination and real-life floral art.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
Aimee Custis
Aimee Custis is a wedding and portrait photographer based in Washington DC. Her rich, luminous, and emotive style draws artistic inspiration from classical painters, street photography, and storytelling. Her inclusive, client-centric approach to wedding photography is informed heavily by a background in hospitality, non-profit event planning, and college summers as a camp counselor. Aimee's wedding work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Washingtonian Weddings. Her non-wedding clients include non-profits, hotels, and elected officials. Aimee (she/they) lives in a rowhouse in Washington DC’s U Street corridor with her husband Greg and golden retriever Whiskey.
