Restaurant Design at Elegancia, Union Market| The Floral Guru, Washington DC

Project at a Glance

• Client: Elegancia at La Cosecha, Union Market, Washington, DC

• Service: Hospitality interior installation and environmental design

• Scale: Custom ceiling greenery installation, illustrated bar frontage, and feature wall design

• Studio: The Floral Guru | Washington DC commercial hospitality installation studio

When The Floral Guru was brought on to design elements inside Elegancia at La Cosecha in Union Market, the goal was clear: create a space that felt layered, intentional, and rooted in culture while supporting the experience of a high-performing cocktail bar.

Founded by Wilmer Valderrama and hospitality entrepreneur Daniella Senior, Elegancia draws inspiration from Latin American heritage, ritual, and storytelling. Every design decision was made to complement that narrative without overwhelming it.

Our focus centered on two major visual anchors: the ceiling installation and the bar frontage. Together, they shape the guest's first impression and establish the atmosphere throughout the space.

Creating an Immersive Hospitality Experience

Elegancia is more than a bar. Founded by Wilmer Valderrama and hospitality entrepreneur Daniella Senior, the concept draws directly from Latin American heritage, ritual, and storytelling. Every design decision needed to support that narrative without overwhelming it. Our focus centered on two major visual anchors: the ceiling installation and the bar frontage. Together, they define the first impression guests receive the moment they step inside and carry the emotional tone of the space throughout the entire visit. In commercial floral design, those first moments matter as much as the drink in someone's hand.

Our focus centered on two major visual anchors. The ceiling installation and the bar frontage. Together, they define the first impression and carry the emotional tone of the space.

Blending Art, Branding, and Interior Design

One of the most powerful tools in large-scale floral installation work is the overhead plane. Suspended greenery across the ceiling of Elegancia softens the architecture and lowers the visual plane, creating an immediate sense of intimacy without darkening the room. Warm pendant lighting weaves through the canopy, reflecting off the bar surface and subtly highlighting the custom illustrated wrap below. The result is an overhead environment that feels both lush and designed — botanical without being untamed, intentional without being stiff. This kind of ceiling installation does multiple things at once. It frames the bar, draws the eye inward, and creates acoustic softness that enhances the mood of the room. These are the qualities The Floral Guru brings to every botanical installation project across Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland: beauty that also works hard.

Designing Spaces That Create Lasting Memories

The bar itself tells a story. A large-scale illustrated wrap featuring wildlife, botanicals, and symbolic imagery curves across the bar face with expressive energy and a refined hand. The artwork anchors the room with color while maintaining balance against the more neutral finishes elsewhere in the interior. This kind of branded surface design — where florals, illustration, and hospitality identity converge — is becoming an increasingly important part of what clients across the DC area ask us to help create. It's not decoration. Its atmosphere was visible.

Brand Activation Florals: The Back Wall as Cultural Canvas

On the back wall of Elegancia, we leaned into pattern, color, and repetition. A tiled grid filled with vibrant illustrated animal motifs creates rhythm along the length of the corridor. The typography of Elegancia sits confidently across the installation, grounding the entire composition.

This wall was designed to function as both branding and atmosphere simultaneously. It photographs beautifully — which matters enormously for a hospitality venue in a high-visibility location like Union Market. It carries energy down the passage and gives guests a moment of pause before they even sit down, exactly the kind of brand activation that turns a space into a destination.

The contrast between the organic ceiling canopy and the structured tile grid creates the best kind of visual tension: soft and botanical above, graphic and bold at eye level.

Hospitality Installations in Washington DC

The Floral Guru designs custom hospitality installations, restaurant interiors, and commercial floral environments throughout Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland. Whether transforming a cocktail bar, restaurant, hotel, or retail space, we create immersive environments that combine storytelling, functionality, and lasting visual impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can The Floral Guru help create a hospitality space that feels more immersive and memorable? Yes. We design environments that go beyond décor, using elements like lighting, greenery, artwork, and spatial design to create experiences guests remember and want to return to.

How do you balance aesthetics with the operational needs of a restaurant or bar? Every design decision is made with both guest experience and functionality in mind, ensuring the space looks beautiful while supporting daily operations.

Can you incorporate our brand story and cultural influences into the design? Absolutely. We create custom concepts that reflect your brand identity, values, and cultural influences, helping your space feel authentic and distinctive.

Do you design features that encourage guests to take photos and share their experience? Yes. We intentionally create visually engaging moments that enhance the guest experience while naturally encouraging social sharing and organic marketing.

What types of hospitality venues do you work with? We partner with restaurants, bars, hotels, cafés, and hospitality brands looking to create impactful environments that strengthen their guest experience and brand presence.

Have a project in mind? Contact us.