In Bloom with Grace Fuller Marroquin

3-2-2020

I’ve known my fellow gem-lover Grace since our days as jewelry editors (she at Vogue and me at W), but it wasn’t until the sparkling baubles on her Instagram started to be replaced by gorgeous, real-life blooms that our common interests were even more apparent.

After several years spent in the fashion industry, Grace found herself miles away from colored cocktail rings and in the garden. For her that meant reconnecting with a childhood dream to be a landscape designer—something she sort of flirted with before taking a plunge that involved going back to school and launching Grace Fuller Design in 2019.

Her career jump isn’t a trendy side hustle—she’s truly committed. On a typical day you might find her at home sketching at her drafting desk, discussing ideas with a client, reading about the history of gardens or venturing to a favorite nursery in Connecticut to see what’s in season. At each point, those years in the jewelry world are closer than one might think, as an appreciation for design and an eye for aesthetics are qualities that travel across industries. If anything, it’s given her a fresh perspective.

Read on to discover how she finds nature in urban New York City, what she would suggest to budding entrepreneurs and more.

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Tell us about your career journey

I was a jewelry editor for several years at Vogue followed by W Magazine. I always wanted to be a garden designer but I didn’t know the best route to do it especially after I chose NYC as home. After finally deciding it was time, I bit the bullet and enrolled in school for Landscape Design.

 

You’re a garden lover, but you live in NYC. How do you get your garden/nature fix?

I experiment on my roof garden—the small patch is home to my diverse range of species (all subject to their survival, of course).

 

You’re now on your second career path. Any tips for budding entrepreneurs looking to change careers and start something new? 

What they say is true: Life is too short. If there is a curiosity you have, you must fulfill it. Wasting time on the wrong thing can be like eating when you’re already full, it’s the worst.

 

As a mother (with one more on the way!) and entrepreneur, I’m sure you’re always juggling a million things. How do you maintain the balance between work and family? 

One does what they have to in life. I incorporate landscape design and horticulture into my whole life. My husband, a lover and patron of architecture, is constantly expanding the dialogue with me, too. Today it is so important to be conscious of what it means to be a landscape designer. When done thoughtfully, design can save energy, materials, and resources. I hope my daughters grow to also yearn for nature and learn to respect it.

 

Do you incorporate plants into your daily wellness routine?

I try to stick as close to the original ingredients as possible, particularly when it’s going on my face! I love natural oils (I have a dryer skin type/ lips). I use the Vertly’s CBD infused Lip Butter religiously! It works better than any other chapstick I have found. Also, when it comes to muscle soreness, Vertly’s bath salts work a miracle.

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