As Naples design darling Kaleidoscope Floral gets ready to debut a new shop and gathering space in Naples this fall, the visionary team leads us to the lushest trend in florals: organic arrangements bursting with fresh fruits and veggies. Working with local growers, the Kaleidoscope team created four tablescapes that prove our subtropical bounty makes for the showiest centerpieces.
Cherry Red
Kaleidoscope’s master florists love drawing from local markets and co-owner Sean Stevenson’s parents’ lush property. For an inviting lunch table, they skewered a medley of sliced tomatoes to showcase the fruit’s varied textures and shades. Red flamingo flowers and poppies complement the dominant hues; spiky rambutans from Buckingham’s Tigertoes Herbs and Teas lend an edge; and yellow blooms recall the ripening Florida sun. (If your ‘maters are extra juicy, look up hacks to curb the drip.)
Photography by Anna Nguyen
Bouquet centerpiece with red and yellow flowers
Stars Align
Kaleidoscope’s free-flowing aesthetic shines through in a boisterous arrangement with star fruit from Fort Myers’ 12 Seasons Farm. Honoring the fruit’s sweetness, the team suggests using the cheery ingredient for a dessert table (perhaps with lemon bars and layer cake). Nestle the fruit in its own foliage and accent with wildflowers and yellow tulips for height and texture.
Photography by Anna Nguyen
Starry nights tablescape outdoor
Magic Mushrooms
Mr. Fun Guy Bill Nelms’ Port Charlotte-grown king trumpet, maitake and oyster mushrooms serve as the jumping-off point for a woodland-inspired cheese table. Kaleidoscope plays off the mushrooms’ velvety texture and sandy hues to create a whimsical-meets-moody scene balanced by quicksand roses, lisianthus and stately purple calla lilies. “We kept referring to it as our fairy garden,” Sean says.
Photography by Anna Nguyen
Magic mushrooms tablescape
Green Goddess
Like a jazz band, Kaleidoscope’s designers improvise their arrangements, working with what’s on-hand and their lofty imaginations. This cocktail table takes its notes from the focal coconuts, accented with avocados found on Sean’s parents’ property and at Tigertoes Herbs and Teas. The result: a jungle with bells of Ireland, avocado tree branches, snaking amaranths and zesty limes weaving around the drupes. After the party, crack the coconuts open for a hydrating sipper to toast a picture-perfect Florida night.
Photography by Anna Nguyen