Our Story

Learn about Urban Earth Studios.

Team Urban Earth Story

We are in our 25th Year of Designing, Creating, and Producing Custom Special Events, Floral Designs, Furnishings, and Props for those truly looking for a memorable and impressive, one of a kind experience.

Founded more two decades ago in the Garden District of New Orleans with One Month’s Salary in Pocket and a lot of Big Dreams, Phil McKinney and Roland Montealegre went in “All or Nothing” and opened the doors to Urban Earth, “Flowers, Pottery, Plants and Other Things for Your Space.” Our original Flowers & Greenery Shop occupied 1,100 square feet and our design table literally doubled as our office desk. Yeh – Not the best idea…. but make it work…. #GoBigOrGoHome – which it very much was for us at the time. LOL

Do to the Increased Demand for our Event Design and Production services, Less than two years later, UE expanded across Jackson Avenue into a 1850s beautiful historic property with more than 6,000 square feet of space and more than a dozen team members. In keeping with our “Art Room with Flowers” environment and always supporting other local artisans, the studio also hosted popular monthly art exhibitions.

Abruptly, Hurricane Katrina unexpectedly forced us to quickly uproot and relocate off the beaten path and into the Irish Channel Warehouse District into an incredible Historic Legendary Warehouse – the Old Dixie Web Printing Company building located on Terpsichore Street. Sadly Katrina put and End to our Treasured Old Retail Location, Monthly Art Exhibits and Retail Shop. Maintaining our botanical “roots” and Artisan Crafted approach – our Event Design and Production gained even more traction. Whew….. Boy – Those were a few real rough years of recovery… but like most New Orleanians we are Resourceful and Resilient.

In 2015, Once Again Opportunity Knocked on our Door and Urban Earth answered – by joining forces with the largest Creative Film Production and Prop House Consortium in the Gulf South located just across the other side of the Mighty Mississippi in Gretna. Fortunately, UE still calls the Lower Garden District of New Orleans Home by offering client consultations at our home office – right back off of Jackson Ave – right where we first got our start in 1997.

UE continues to be the country’s most creative event and floral designers. We’ve expanded over the years to complete event design, production and creative collaborations – offering one stop shop – full or partial event services tailored to each individual client’s needs. UE offers a wide range of services – Flowers + Lounge Furniture + Decor + Backdrops + Bars + Branding + Graphics + Custom Prop Production + Luminary. And with our Consortium of Film Collaboration Partners – we offer over 100,ooo square feet of film prop house rentals for just about any theme or time period. AND we are more than happy to assist you with anything else we can do to make your life easier. We Love Creative Challenges, Travel, and meeting Diverse Interesting Clients – Check Out Our Portfolios or Contact Us and see Why.

Our Mission

The team members of Urban Earth dedicate ourselves to bringing our clients incredible service, the most intriguing products, our diverse style range of artistic floral arrangements, unexpected furnishings & decor, creative props, custom graphic solutions and event design collaborations. We continually strive to develop our unique sense of style, to maintain and grow our solid reputation, and to set a new level of excellence in the National Wedding and Event Design Industries. How can we Help You?

BIZ New Orleans Article

Meet Our Team.

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