The Philosophy of Interior Design and Plantscaping
At the intersection of eye for design and green thumb, you’ll find indoor house plant design– or interiorscaping as we like to call it. House plants can be used to enhance your personal style, no matter what it is, but they’re also mood boosters and stress reducers!
If you’re new to interiorscaping, maybe you’re an aspiring plant designer or are just looking to add more life to your home, it can be difficult to know where to start. So here are some tips on how to think like a house plant stylist– from house plant stylists!
Know thyself
Before plantscapers start a new design project, we identify our client’s personal style, space, and plant care experience level. Is your space whimsical and eclectic? Modern and minimalist? When the plants and planters you choose play on your space and decor, your design feels cohesive and intentional.
It’s also wise to read up on the care requirements for any plant you’re considering bringing into your home to be sure it will thrive in your space– nothing says disappointment like investing time and money into a plant that’s doomed from the start.
Here are a couple plant and planter suggestions for popular design styles to illustrate how we think about design:
For organic, modern spaces with lots of natural textures, we might suggest airy, branching trees like Ficus audrey or alii to blend the out and indoors seamlessly. Neutral, stone pots or ceramics are perfect for these spaces!
Pro tip: resist the urge to buy that olive tree for your indoor space, as they often don’t thrive indoors– instead, you could opt for a ficus benjamina.
Image from pinterest.com
In southwestern, bohemian inspired spaces, we might recommend plants like a whimsical Dracaena marginata, wall climbing Hoya, and Euphorbia tirucalli (pencil cacti). Terracotta pots, wicker baskets, and colorful ceramics compliment this space well!
Image from ointerest.com
Some green friends that would make your eclectic, maximalist dreams come true include Pothos and Philodendrons that vine up your walls or doorways, wispy Asparagus setaceus, and massive Monstera. Seek out handmade or antique pots that are just as unique as your space.
As above, so below
A design principal we always utilize as indoor plant designers is levels and layering. Variety of height creates visual appeal and can draw the eye to focal points in your space. Incorporate shelving, hanging plants, and tiered plant stands as well as floor plants to fill the negative space in your home.
You can even incorporate plants into artwork and decor by hanging propagations or weaving vines around accent pieces and furniture.
Seek togetherness
Plant grouping is the perfect way to blend form and function. This can be achieved by taking a page out of the levels and layering book– bring plants with complimentary textures and heights together to create plant groups around your home. Place the tallest plant in the back, medium sized plant in the middle and smaller plants in the front to create visual interest that draws the eye upward. Plants actually thrive when in close proximity to each other, so this technique is both aesthetically pleasing and practical!
By group plants with similar care requirements, the watering and lighting needs for multiple plants becomes easy to keep track of.
Pro tip: add ‘dramatic’ plants to each group– such as Fittonia– they’ll noticeably wilt when it’s time to water them and thus indicate that the other plants in its group may need their soil moisture level checked as well.
Image from pinterest.com
As always, if you’re looking for a professional touch for your house plant interior design and care, reach out to us. We’d love to help!
Happy designing!
Kelly