Contemporary rules at Colleyville shop

A leap of faith was required to start a contemporary floral design shop in a former bank building in Colleyville during a recession, Lisa Pritchett says.

But following her passion for flowers has paid off. A little more than four years later, Lilium Floral Designs has grown from a staff of two — Pritchett and one designer — to employing six people full-time with five more working part-time as needed.

The bank building has a charcoal gray exterior bearing the white Lilium sign, and an interior once filled with teller windows and customer service cubicles has been turned into airy, clean-lined spaces whose crisp, modern colors echo the company's nontraditional floral designs. Shop dog Winston, a Wheaton terrier, shares the office space in back.

"This is my midlife crisis," says Pritchett, who trained sales employees at Fortune 500 companies in her previous life.

She and her husband, Ron, had talked about wanting to own a florist shop when they first were married 30 years ago. After years of following careers across the country, the Dallas natives moved back to Texas 11 years ago, making Colleyville home.

Pritchett was ready for a change about seven years later.

"I got really tired of flying on airplanes. I was never home," she said.

She used her well-honed business acumen to put together a plan for the shop, and they financed Lilium themselves.

"The banks thought we were crazy," Pritchett said.

They gutted the building, which had housed first Bank One and then Chase Bank.

She had a natural affinity for contemporary design, and incorporated it.

"What I wanted to do was find a way to differentiate ourselves from the marketplace," Pritchett said. "I was going after a really polished, clean look."

Today, Lilium has filled that niche as a full-service florist.

SERVICES

'Tis the season

• Christmas tree decoration
• Entryways
• Tables
• Holiday greetings

All year

• Corporate
• Weddings, funerals, other events
• Hotels
• Gift baskets

PRICING — All work is custom, so prices vary according to space and the types of flowers used.

Lilium Floral Designs, 4800 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville, 817-481-1565, www.liliumflorals.com