Nikola - July 1, 2025

Setting The Summer Table 

A Conversation With Floral Designer And Interior Stylist Teressa Johnson 

Teressa Johnson, a powerfully intuitive floral designer and interior designer, and I set out to chat about the perfect summer tablescape… Although, as our conversation unfurled much like this season’s peonies, petal by petal, I found us talking like old friends about our fondness of nature’s perfect timing, the importance of relationships and how essential it is to be present.

When I asked Teressa to introduce herself and her breathtaking craft to our readers she lit up as she intimated to me what drives her creations; celebrating nature’s abundant beauty and honoring her front row seat to people’s most cherished moments. Whether it be a wedding, a dinner party or any number of creative endeavors Teressa finds herself collaborating on, she carries attentiveness and sincerity to each occasion. She also expressed a love of surprise which clearly manifests itself in her work as she uses the unbridled and unpredictable current of nature as inspiration. Her affinity for a good surprise was the seed of Teressa’s relationship with us here at Greentree! Teressa painted the scene for me, meandering through a cozy shop and being struck by a display of candles with the intriguing patina of natural beeswax bloom on them. Ever since that first encounter she has been pairing our candles alongside her gorgeous table settings and our collaborations continue to blossom!

Teressa Johnson, a work, setting a beautiful table in Itlay 

As we made our way to the topic of the summer table, Teressa’s deeply intuitive essence put the whole idea of seasonal design into a very zen context. Instead of listing off the ‘must haves’ for this season Terressa illustrated that her approach to design remains anchored in the present regardless of the season. She says, “Every week is different and [I design] based off of what is really singing. [I am] bringing into arrangement that which grows wild and free”. As she described finding something worth admiring at markets, in the wild or at the edge of a parking lot in the middle of a city I could again see her love for surprise woven into her craft. From there she likes to once again plant herself in the present with the materials and space she is designing and let the momentum of combining these things take hold of her. It was undeniable in each iteration of Teressa’s method that intently listening to her surroundings strengthens her ability to create elegant, serene vignettes that are just right for each person she is creating for.

Equal with the joy Teressa finds in nature’s everchanging gifts is an obvious sense of duty she feels to serve others. I was leveled by the reverence in which she spoke of the people she works with and just how valuable relationships are to her. I asked if she could describe what went into the making of a particularly dreamy tablescape she designed using our taper candles tucked away in the hills of Italy… The table itself was simple; grounded sangria tapers and fresh local produce but what really moved Teressa as she spoke was the elation of the guests. They made their way through the property’s vast tunnel system and out to where her table setting sat mounted in front of sprawling views. It was endearing to hear just how happy Teressa was to provide not necessarily the centerpiece but the foundation for such a memorable evening. Wherever you may be hosting though, Teressa’s advice to those looking to set a memorable summer table is “to always keep in mind who is at your table”. She continued “I don’t want to contribute to the idea that everything has to be perfect… [but] if your guests are important to you then there really is no substitute for real; real candle light, real flowers, real food”. As we mused on this notion of realness being a form of care, it became evident just how intangible the ‘perfect’ table setting is. This reminded me of our own practices at Greentree as we handcraft each candle serving the natural material, leaving room for deviation in color and accepting that no two candles will ever be identical. When it comes down to it, “grabbing whatever is in bloom” and adorning your table with it is a simple act of caring for your guests that will honor the magic, ephemeral memories made at the dinner table.

-But if Teressa had to pick a couple key additions to her table setting this summer she says any taper candles in our Natural or Terra Cotta colors are her go tos! We certainly agree with such classic picks! From her ethos of taking nature’s lead to her astonishing arrangements and designs we absolutely love collaborating with Teressa Johnson Studios. She left our conversation with a heartwarming sentiment that relationships like these are the whole reason we create and that by simply continuing to share our craft with each other we can uplift the quality of everyday life.

Visit Teressa's web site to learn more about her work, services, projects and offerings.