This Valentine's Day, Waterford joins Chicago-based floral studio epoch.floral and its co-founder and creative director, Mike Hines, to explore how intentional design shapes meaningful moments.
Epoch's work features a considered and bespoke approach, known for sculptural compositions that respond to space, light, and architecture. Mirroring Waterford's own philosophy of craft—rooted in patience, precision, and an understanding that beauty lives in the details—it's a process perfectly suited to the romance of Valentine's Day.
As a starting point, the collaboration found inspiration in the Lismore 14" Vase to create a contemporary tablescape that's intimate, yet impressive. Whether shared with someone you love or as a moment to give yourself a gift, taking the time to craft a space with intention makes all the difference.
For Mike Hines, every design begins with the vessel itself, letting form shape feeling.
“My floral designs begin with the vase. A vase that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional catches my eye. My flowers follow the character of the vase and, when the design is complete, the entirety of it is cohesive in both design and style.” — Mike Hines, Epoch FloralIn creating a Valentine's Day centerpiece, the Lismore Vase takes central focus. With Waterford's signature crystal clarity enhancing the color and presence of the arrangement, the silhouette takes shape. The florals rise with purpose against the architectural cuts, anchoring the table.Paired with Lismore Toasting Flutes, the scene is pure romance. A quiet invitation to linger and mark the moment together.
To capture the Valentine's Day ambience, Mike Hines selected each stem for what it contributes to the overall composition: movement, tone, and atmosphere. It’s this balance that gives the design its strength.The foundation comes from magnolia branches, chosen for their graphic lines and gentle buds. They bring height and architecture to the final look, framing the design. Each stem is added slowly, with pauses to consider height, spacing, direction, and negative space in conversation with the Lismore Vase. As these form the visual bones of the piece, it’s critical to get the scaffolding right to establish proportion and create a sense of intention from the outset.
A mix of soft greens layered throughout introduces lightness and rhythm to round out the structure. Ferns, viburnum, and delicate green textures are introduced to cushion the mechanics and begin shaping the silhouette. The fine, airy fronds cushion transitions and carry the eye through the piece. Generous without losing discipline, the form widens and lowers organically. What might appear effortless is, in reality, carefully constructed. Throughout the process, Mike edits constantly. He rotates the piece, removes stems, adjusts placement, steps back, and refines again. This allows the composition to take shape organically and create a foundation for bolder-colored buds.
The floral body consists of a couture mix of ranunculus, garden roses, lisianthus, and viburnum. In close, considered groupings, they achieve fullness, warmth, and depth through variation in scale and hue, with lighter blooms that seem to hover between the others. Placed low and near the rim, they create a lush crown that contrasts with the vertical branches while keeping the crystal visible and central. The blooms never overwhelm the vase; they respond to it. The palette remains soothing with blush, apricot, pale pink, and fresh green notes. By finding balance from every angle, the flowers feel alive and expressive, rather than ornamental. A sculptural, yet soft, reminder that the most compelling moments come through patience and purpose.
Valentine’s Day calls for gestures that linger: flowers chosen with care, a table for two, and the act of making someone to feel loved.
In this collaboration with epoch.floral, the beauty of floral design offers a language to communicate intention. Through movement, texture, and color, each element adds to an environment where composition matters. Because at its core, February 14th isn’t about objects. It’s about the feeling they help create.
The shared glance across the table and the memories that stay long after the flowers fade and the candles have burned low. That’s the enduring power of gathering with intention on Valentine’s Day, and on every day that calls for connection.
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