Michael Dariane, Kowalski’s business partner, also attributes his love affair with florals to his childhood.
He says, “I grew up in the Lebanese Mediterranean mountains in swelteringly hot summers and freezing winters, where the extreme mountain climate created the perfect conditions for all flora to thrive.
“This set the seed of my unwavering interest in planting vegetables and growing flowers, which I would always overwater as a child, fearing they would dry up.”
“I just close my eyes for a second, and I can still visualise the delightful colours and smell those magical flowering aromas…”
Dariane continues, “I loved the beautiful palette of colours in different seasons – of irises, anemones, poppies, wild thyme, hyacinths or crocuses covering fields.”
My overriding childhood memories are filled with apple-picking at my grandma’s, and the enormous rose bush that still grows next to her wisteria-covered pagoda. After all these years, it still continues to bloom every spring and summer. Even today, Grandma’s pagoda is the central point for every family meet up on Sunday afternoons”.
“I just close my eyes for a second, and I can still visualise the delightful colours and smell those magical flowering aromas. My obsession with planting, not surprisingly over the years, developed into a deeper interest in the environment and creating green living spaces.”
Michal Kowalski
Given their childhood nostalgia for flowers, it’s not surprising that Kowalski and Dariane are determined to incorporate sustainable practices within Blooming Haus. This includes tree planting partnerships with the likes of the National Forest, Woodland Trust, and Trees for Cities; composting all organic waste (not sending to landfill); and powering the studio through 100% green energy.
“Success means nothing to our team if it’s detrimental to our communities, environment, and workplace,” says Kowalski. “By actively minimising our environmental footprint, we’ve fostered a culture of sustainability at Blooming Haus that’s mindful of both people and the planet.”
Blooming Haus was recently awarded a B-Corp certificate, which means the business is recognised for meeting high standards of “social and environmental performance, transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.”
Bloomin’ lovely, we reckon.
For more from Glamour UK’s Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.