Livia Cetti

Meet Livia Cetti, the artist behind The Green Vase, her paper flower studio redefining what it means to bring nature indoors. Inspired by the organic world around her, Livia founded her studio in 2005, creating entirely hand-crafted paper botanicals from her Bronx studio alongside a small team of skilled artisans. Each piece is an impressionistic gesture - delicate, expressive, and intentionally imperfect. No two are ever exactly alike, and that’s exactly the point.

When did you first start working with paper as a medium, and what drew you to flowers in particular?

I’ve always loved flowers, their delicate beauty, vibrant color, and quiet fragility. I’m drawn to their fleeting nature. From my childhood in Santa Barbara to my travels in Mexico, flowers have been a constant source of inspiration. I’ve long been especially captivated by paper flowers. Combined with my love of crafting, my passion evolved into something lasting and artful.

What inspired you to start The Green Vase back in 2005?

I wanted a business that was mine and I wanted to do something that would allow me to be closer to my kids and work from home at least part of the time.

Is there a particular flower that you find yourself returning to again and again?

I love making roses. They are diverse in form and color and still look like a rose.

What does a typical day in your studio look like?

I start my days early, usually with a walk. It’s an important ritual for me—not just mentally, but physically too. It helps manage the repetitive nature of my work and gives me a quiet moment to reset before the day begins. I then gather inspiration from my garden before heading into the studio. That connection to nature forms the colors and continues to shape everything I create.

Once at work, I spend most of my time assembling the pieces we produce in the studio. While I also handle emails and oversee the day-to-day operations, my hands are almost always in the work itself. I’m supported by a talented team of seven, each specializing in different aspects of the process, and together we bring each project to life.

No two days are ever quite the same. Some are spent fully immersed in production, while others take us out of the studio, installing large-scale pieces, teaching classes, or traveling for new projects and inspiration.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

I find inspiration in nature, especially in my own garden. I’m drawn to plants in their most honest forms—nothing too fancy or ornamental, their shapes, textures and subtle color variations-just the quiet beauty of everyday greenery and blooms.

Your book was published in 2014, how do you feel it’s translated to your customers over the years?

It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how my work has helped others create my flowers at home. Knowing that people are using my techniques to make something beautiful with their own hands is deeply meaningful to me.

Who are the women that inspire you?

When I was young of course Georgia O'Keeffe, Frida Kahlo. As I got older Louise Bourgeois.

What are you most excited about for The Green Vase this year?

This June, we’ll be remaking one of our iconic installations at Astier de Villatte in Paris—a project that feels both familiar and new each time we revisit it.

As our Asian following continues to grow, I’m also looking ahead to the possibility of traveling to South Korea.

If you were a color, what color would you be and why?

I guess I’ll have to say green. It is the color of life.

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