With nature on everyone’s mind right now, we thought we would take a little time to talk about how to incorporate greenery into our spaces. While there is no replacement for the great outdoors, no interior can be its best without bringing some of that inside.  

by Gianna Marzella
July 8, 2021

Greenery has so many benefits.  Not only does it please the soul, but it also cleans the air and offers a myriad of health benefits.   Did you know that green is the most relaxing color for your eye?  If you are staring at a screen for hours on end (none of us do that right?), looking out into the greenery outside has benefits for resting your eyes and recalibration. If you can’t look out, then look in.  Follow along as our designers give tips and tricks for nailing that botanical vibe.

Hope Scully of  HHS Design really brought this whole thing home for us in this knock out space in New Rochelle, NY.  The impact of the Bird of Paradise on the left cannot be denied.  It transports you to a tropical vibe far far away.  The blues continue to bring outdoor calm to the space and the thread of greenery is woven into the deeper part of this image with smaller accents in the background.  We asked Hope to tell us more about her vision here.  

“As an interior designer, I always include plants as part of an overall design scheme. Their color and aura enlighten the vibe wherever you place them. A designer favorite, shown here In this Westchester apartment, is the dramatic Bird of Paradise plant, which helps bring the eye up and out toward the water views outside. It is great at filling visual volume in corners with its shiny big leaves and swaying canopy. As with many houseplants, they help reduce formaldehyde in the air which is present in many furniture and decor items.” – Hope Scully

While potted plants are a go to for so many of us, don’t forget about your vertical spaces! Everyone loves a statement wall. This wall, by Gala Marina Design brings so much freshness and energy to the conference room. It also provides acoustical benefits to capture sound reverberation.

Moss walls are a great form of living walls.  They are low maintenance (mist every so often) and super textural and inviting.  This conference room is crisp, bright and neutral.  With the insertion of the living wall, it absolutely comes to life. The scale of this piece is important too.  While all moss art is welcome, when the scale of it is this large, it absolutely commands your attention and creates an immersive environment as opposed to a space that is simply decorated with greenery.

We asked Gala to tell us more about the use of greenery in her designs.

"Not only are plants great air purifiers (news flash! Our indoor air is more polluted than our outdoor air), but they are also an easy way to bring nature into your space. Studies show that access to nature can reduce blood pressure, stress and boost mood. So why wouldn’t you want to incorporate plants into your design? The add warmth, texture and life to a space which are all an instant mood boost." – Gala Magrina

We also love this more subtle use of greenery. The magic of this space is a balanced blend of textures and greenery. While in the last image, the living wall was truly the star of the show, the hanging plants here are more like the supporting actors. They take this bright, textural space home with their mild infusion of the outdoors. If you lack the floor space for plant stands or have children or pets that make floor plants feel like too much of a liability, hanging them is a perfect solution! It also draws the eye up to spaces that are often forgotten.

In contrast to the previously shown, very organic space, this Mid Town NYC apartment, inhabited by and designed by Ahmad AbouZanat of Project AZ exemplifies how a sleek, urban design can also benefit from the softening effects of plants and greenery. The contrast between the moody color palette of the space and the brightening of the greenery creates a balanced and inviting atmosphere. 

We chatted with Ahmad to learn more.  

“The Ficus + the Dieffenbachia (some call it Dumb Cane) are used in my 2 apartments (old and new) , I wanted to contrast the urban views outside the apartment and bring a breath of life to a space that was designed to be mostly neutral tones. Different textures and different shades of green was very important, and I wanted the plants to be distinct from each other. The Dieffenbachia was a baby plant and in 3 years has grown so much and brought a lot of joy.”  – Ahmad AbouZanat

Ahmad used the buddy system with the greenery in this West Village apartment.  We love how he paired the softness of the fiddle leaf fig leaves with the sculptural lines of the more petite snake plant, shown on the right. The windowsill comes alive with the collection of potted plants in this bedroom.   If you really want your small-scale plants to have an impact, group them together.  It is a much more polished way to display them.  This goes for so many decorative objects as well, but you will have to come back to read our future story on styling tips to learn more about that.  For now, back to the plants.  Ahmad gave us some helpful tips on selecting the right plants for your lighting conditions. 

The Fiddle Leaf tree + Z Snake plant are part of my West Village project where we wanted to add greenery but the apartment doesn’t receive a lot of light given that it’s on the 2nd floor. We opted for plants that would survive such conditions. All the small plants on the sill were purchased by the client directly as they wanted to bring color and texture to their preferred all white interior of the bedroom.  -Ahmad AbouZanat

Whether you own or rent, live solo or have kids or pets, there are ways to incorporate plants and greenery into any space.  Remember to choose plants that are compatible with your lighting conditions to ensure a thriving and healthy life.  Also select the right plants for your lifestyle and the amount of care you can commit to.  Cacti and succulents do well with very little care and watering, plants with thinner leaves require more attention (because they store less water). If you choose wisely, we are confident there are plants out there that will complement and enhance both your space and lifestyle.  We hope we have inspired you to incorporate some greenery into your space! 

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