Aberdeen’s Oh Wreath proves that wreaths aren’t just for Christmas

Wreaths aren’t just for Christmas – Aberdeen-based Gosia Gagalska proves that wreaths can add a pop of colour to your cosy abode all year round.

Encouraged by the positive feedback received by her friends and family, Gosia set up her business Oh Wreath when the UK went into lockdown last March.

She said: “I used to only decorate my front door for Christmas, but I always loved the idea of how Americans decorate their front doors and houses depending on the season.

“I would love to see more colourful decorations in Aberdeen.

“Looking at social media, I see that all year round wreaths are more popular in England than in Scotland and it’s time to change that.

“I think that most of us still associate wreaths with Christmas, but wreaths can make beautiful decorations not just for the festive season and not just for front doors, but also for our gardens, lounges, kitchens as well as conservatories.

“Everyone loves an original wedding, birthday or even housewarming present and in my opinion, a unique wreath would make a great gift.”

Gosia is known for creating “perfectly imperfect” modern wreaths.

She said: “I like to mix different flowers, leaves but also rattan balls, wooden beads and butterflies to create original, interesting designs.

“My top seller since last year is still a full lavender wreath. I’ve made a few as birthday presents this year already.”

Gosia decided to use hot glue and wire to make her wreaths “Scottish-weather proof”.

She said: “You can keep my wreaths outside on the front door, however, to keep colours vibrant for longer, I would recommend keeping them away from direct sun and rain.

“I’m using good quality flowers for my wreaths so they’re very long-lasting decorations.“

And they are also suitable for both indoor and outdoor displays.

“That’s what I love about wreaths – they’re perfect as both indoor and outdoor decorations,” said Gosia.

“I had a few customers who ordered wreaths from me for their front doors but they decided to keep them inside as a decoration for their lounge.”

While she was worried coronavirus may influence her wreath sales negatively, Gosia said she may have benefited from people spending more time in their homes this past year and taking the time to redecorate.

She said: “I’m really new on the market so can’t compare this year’s sales to previous years.

“But when I launched my business I thought that lockdown restrictions may affect orders but at the same time, we all had more time to spend on redecorating our homes.

“For me, the last year was all about researching the market and observing home décor trends – I’m happy with how my business grows at the moment.”

And Gosia is also delighted she already has a few loyal customers despite Oh Wreath being a relatively new business.

She said: “I have a few customers who ordered Christmas wreaths from me and new spring ones are now hanging on their doors.”

Gosia, who is a full-time mum but also works as a weekend assistant manager, said that Oh Wreath is her “third job” and it’s also her creative outlet.

She said: “The thing I love the most about my job is how creative it is and I also like that every day will provide a new learning opportunity.

“If you run your own business, you’re six people in one body. I’m a photographer, project manager, customer service assistant, social media manager, postwoman and product designer. I’m still trying to improve in each of these fields, so I’m learning a lot.”

In the future, Gosia would love to have the opportunity to create extra-large hoops filled with flowers for wedding ceremonies.

She added: “I would also love to have a little studio somewhere in Aberdeen.

“I’m using a spare room at the moment – I’m trying my husband’s patience in my house.”

Visit www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OhWreath and www.facebook.com/ohwreath for more information and to place an order