The World's Best Chocolates (and hostess gifts)

A few weeks ago I fell in love with a box of chocolates....beautiful chocolates....

It started out innocently enough when I went to photograph Ashley and Robert's beautiful home. Robert and Ashley are the creative young couple behind Fleurir hand grown chocolates which you might be familiar with if you live in Northern Virginia and frequent the Old Town farmers market on Saturday mornings. Meeting them was totally inspiring. It's a huge undertaking to be basically just out of school and starting your own company on an uncertain economy, but they are doing it! I love their entrepreneurial spirit and their creative approach to design which is evidenced in their chocolates as well as their home (the tour went live today on Apartment Therapy).

 I love all the homes I visit, and theirs was no exception. Each room had

 When they moved into their rental, their kitchen was a dingy yellow room with a whole host of competing woodtones and beiges. I love how they transformed it just with paint. They painted the dark paneling white and the mustardy yellow walls a fresh blue. The colors lent it such a fresh airy vibe.

 Ashley added these Anthropologie brackets to spruce up their expedit bookshelf.

 A lot of people might have walked right by this loud green velvet beauty, but Ashley and Robert have made it the centerpiece of their living. It sets the vintage vibe, and all the rest of their accessories tie into it.

 

They have a tiny little porch outdoor room right of the living room, which they've turned into a cozy lounge spot with a beachy vibe.

 And this beautiful box was waiting for me when it was time to tear myself away. As I mentioned in my house tour write up, its contents disappeared at an embarrassing rate. I love chocolate, so maybe that's not totally surprising, but this really wasn't anything like eating other chocolates. Their flavors are so creative and unique, really unique, like lavender shiraz and pink peppercorn! This is chocolate art, and I couldn't really wait to see what the next one tasted like. Plus they didn't leave that usual saccharin taste in your mouth. A great experience!

I met Ashley and Robert just in time too. During this season it seems like we are always invited to special things that I feel deserve something more special than the usual hostess gift, but I'm a last minute kind of person and I never remember anything cool at the last minute. BUT, this year, I'm already planning on relying on these guys for host gifts and Christmas treats, and even if you're not in DC you can do the same. They ship nation wide, and I promise that you won't be disappointed. They have some great plans in the work for their expanding line, so check in frequently. Here's their website.


Image Credit:

1: Christina Bernales (a totally fabulous photographer who has taken all the beautiful photos for Fleurir's website. She's still a student, but you'd never know it. I spent a long time pouring over her website last night and was totally awed. Her wedding photography is amazing!!!)

All the rest of the photos are mine! Check out Ashley and Robert's full house tour on Apartment Therapy, here.