Sunday, October 3, 2010

The Importance of GREEN Things In the Home||||||||


Ever walk into one of those places where everything is perfect; the architecture, the furniture, the art, even the resident dog looks manufactured for this space…but something is clearly, eerily missing? You can’t quite put your finger on it but it’s almost like a pulse is absent, some palpable expression of life.

House Plants do more than just brighten up a room with color and living energy. Along with being pleasing to the eye, they bring real health benefits to your body. Not only do complaints about headaches, stress, heart/circulation-symptoms and colds decrease when indoor plants are present, according to Dr. Leona Rogler in "The comprehensive office series," but also richly decorating a room with plants can help to keep the air clean. If you read Self-Assessment to Determine if You May Have Biological Pollutants in Your Home, then you know how important indoor air quality can be, and how widespread indoor air contamination really is.



When it came to the importance of green, its life and death. Day and night. The Case Study Houses were big on nature’s role in softening industrial materials. How cozy is the use of green texture in this room? A wall of green not only softens the hardness of this furniture but creates a sanctuary-like atmosphere. There are so many styles going on in this room but don’t you think the plants help combat the confusion? Focal plants are a must, especially in large open spaces where they bring drama and intimacy.



The mass of dracaena trees provides dramatic height and exciting lines (even in a smaller space like this). Graphic, earthy textiles add further warmth and interest.


It’s fun to play with rhythm when plantscaping, which is created by repetition. And employing some slight variance helps reduce randomness. Line up 3 to 5 pots in a row, evenly spaced. This can also be achieved by using the same plant or varietals of the same plant, grouped together. I like to group things in odd numbers but that’s just me.


When it comes to shades of green, nature is the ultimate mix master. Green occupies more space in the visible spectrum than any other color, it is the most dominate color in the natural world but is also a neutral color, meaning, you technically cannot clash the green of your greens. But if you want to geek out a little, group greens by warm (deep shades such as red, pink, and purple) or cool tones (lighter shades like gray-green tints or white variegation). Or do a simple combo, as in the photo above.



Nothing soothes the soul like a soft, airy palette grounded with deep greens.

A little bit goes a long way, particularly with sculptural or otherwise-striking botanicals. Imagine this room without nature’s presence (OK, it would still be cool but you get the point).

Also, proper illumination of plant life showcases it as the living art it is. up-lighting or other spot lighting brings plants out of the night time shadows and casts exciting shadow play against your architecture.

Plants are the essential element for transforming any space into a sanctuary. often brought in at the end of a project, as a mere after thought (tisk tisk, you’ll never make that mistake again!), greenery is the deep, cleansing, and utterly satisfying exhale at project completion; the one that says, “You’ve made it. Welcome home.”

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