Every year, summer arrives in timeless wonder. A season unmatched in its easy pace, it offers us a chance to slow down and enjoy each moment as it comes. This year, we’re accepting that offer wholeheartedly at Magnolia through our seasonal theme of savor.
One of our favorite ways to showcase the theme of each season is inside Magnolia Market through life-sized displays handcrafted by our Visual Team. Here, we’re sharing a look at how they put savor on display for summer.
The Inspiration
Savor. It’s a word we often associate with taste first. Think about a refreshing bite of a big, juicy peach or the richness of homemade ravioli. For our Visual Team, hand-picked strawberries from a summer fruit stand came to mind.
“As a kid growing up in southern Ohio, my family owned an RV and every summer we’d take a big trip; sometimes it was cross-country to see Mt. Rushmore or Yosemite, but often our smaller trips would take us a few hours up I-75 into Michigan, which has a beautiful cool summer with lots of clear lakes and roadside stands of fresh produce and homemade pies and jams.
Those humble little trips are more visceral and memorable in some ways than the big ones out west; the cool sand of the dunes, shady trees, and taste of berries from a random roadside all feel imprinted on my childhood. I wanted to bring this same feeling to the market, to remind our guests of a simpler time and beautiful place,” said Hilary Oswald, our Visual Display Director.
Those roadside berry stands, reminiscent of slow summer days and spontaneous pull-offs, served as the inspiration for this season’s displays.
The Vision
First, our team sketched out four installations to be placed throughout the Market: a gingham wall blossoming with oversized strawberries, a wicker-canopied garden cart overflowing with strawberry baskets, a display of stacked wicker baskets, and a wicker wagon underneath a hanging sign.
Take a look at some of their sketches here:
The Final Displays
Once the sketches were drawn up, our team started crafting. Here’s how they created each piece:
Blossoming Wall
As soon as you step inside Magnolia Market, you’ll notice huge strawberry blossoms protruding from a gingham-painted wall to your left. The words, “A Summer to Savor” are crafted from stained wooden letters against the backdrop—a nod to our seasonal theme.
The oversized strawberries were carved from foam blocks, then finished with a joint compound mixture to give them their subtle terracotta coloring. Berry seeds were made from molded epoxy clay dipped in the same mixture, then attached using hot glue and sewing pins. Fabric-wrapped petals made from heat-moldable plastic and stiffened fabric leaves mimic the appearance of a real plant.
Berry Cart
Straight ahead, a custom-made industrial cart is filled with faux strawberry plants spilling from small terracotta planters.
The team created the plants using hundreds of premade plastic strawberries by adding wiring and priming them to be refinished with the same joint compound mixture used on the oversized strawberries. Each individual berry was given a new top crafted from dyed coffee filters. Leaves and white blossoms emanate from a painted foam core center, brought to life with layers of petals and leaves made from crepe paper. Once all the pieces were assembled, the finished berries found homes in baskets and aged terracotta pots.
The final result: a fruit cart just like one you might encounter on a summer’s day on a roadside in Michigan.
Wicker Baskets and Carts
As you walk throughout the Market, you’ll notice many wicker baskets and carts. Most of this wicker work was completed by Diane Rausch. A member of the Central Texas Basket Guild, Diane is an expert weaver with over 20 years of experience. She meticulously wove the Berry Cart awning, over 20 baskets, and four basket wagons for our summer displays. We’re thrilled to include her work in this installation.
Basket Display
Pulling from our spring display, a terracotta pedestal table is stationed towards the back of the shop. On the left side of the table, a tower of vintage-sourced baskets artfully displays our candle tins.
Summer, All Around
Along with the beautiful handcrafted displays from our Visual Team, our summer collection of decor and apparel also gives the Market a cheery disposition. Here are a few more snapshots from around the shop:
Shop Magnolia Market
The way our Visual Team infuses our seasonal theme into one-of-a-kind displays is part of what makes a trip to the Silos so special, and we hope you'll come experience the beauty of what they create for yourself.
In the meantime, usher the season into your own space with our summer collection, full of pieces made to help you savor the months ahead.
P.S. If you love seeing how our team transforms the Market each season, take a look at what they've created for previous summers:
