Sun is shining through my window, and I feel a slight discomfort in my home. I'm noticing the little bit of dust on the shelves, the art on the walls isn't speaking to me like it used to, and maybe that couch would look better on this side of the room. And then it hits me, it's time for spring cleaning!
Aside from an expensive and time intensive home renovation, how can you maximize the value of a space, of your space?
Plants and flowers are the ideal interior decorating solution. Plants, blooming plants, and flowers add a living element to the look and feel of your home or office that is portable, dynamic, and vibrant. Interior design is the marriage of form and function, and plants satisfy both sides in a beautifully effective way.
First and foremost, what's your personal design style? Does your home have a modern, minimalist feel? Then a large plant such as a ficus would draw attention, as its large foliage spray would add a splash of life to a clean colour palette. Also, its braided, twisting stem would nicely contrast linear elements such as glass, metal, or granite. If your home leans more towards a rustic design style, succulents come in such a wide variety of species and styles that their features and tones act as a bridge between various other pieces in your home. Picture a lush dish garden, sitting on top of a distressed wood mantle, on top of a red brick fireplace.
Plants also serve a space functionally, as they can frame or screen a view. Two tall snake plants, which are also very low maintenance to care for, placed on either side of a window or doorway, create an expressive frame for that entrance. On the other side, placing a row of your favourite plants: geraniums, jasmine, citrus, eucalyptus for example, in front of a fireplace during the warmer months will create a fragrant and elegant green area in an otherwise underused space.
Another key design element is the use of colour. What colour are your walls? Drapes? Furniture? Take a look around the room and write down the colours that pop the most. These colours have a direct impact on your emotional state and the day to day feel of the space. Do you want a calm area to relax in? Or would you prefer to feel more revitalized and energetic? From there it's time to use the colour wheel to decide what colour of blooming plant is needed to achieve your desired feeling. Yellows, oranges, pinks, and reds are warmer more energetic colours. Choices that we love for warmer toned blooming plants are: kalanchoe, clivia, hibiscus, amaryllis, and bromeliads. For cooler and calmer tones: blue, purple and green are the blooms you need. African violets, orchids, desert cacti, and hibiscus plants will all suit perfectly.
Plants can also alter the perception of space more dramatically. High ceilings can often be imposing and isolating. By adding a row of tall plants, or placing them in corners, you can create a canopy, which acts as a false ceiling that creates a more intimate and cozy area to work or relax within. Palms work perfectly to achieve this affect, while adding a sense of luxury as well.
No room in the house will benefit more from the addition of plants than your kitchen. Borrowing from the Feng Shui design philosophy, the energy that living plants bring to the kitchen area is vital in maintaining a fresh and well-balanced place to spend time in. By choosing warmer colours that activate and refresh, the practice of cooking is imbued with more flow, ease, and enjoyment. Not to mention, green plants add tremendously to air quality levels. And don't forget, herbs, spices, edible flowers, and citrus plants can all be grown in the kitchen to become fresh ingredients to the dishes prepared. A perfect example of form meeting function.
Bring your ideas to your florist. Your photos of your home or work space, and we can customize advice and solutions for you to get the best out any space. Come into the shop for a consultation and browse the hundreds of plants we have on display for you to smell, see, and touch. We live to be inspired at Ottawa Flowers, and we want to help the spaces you care about blossom.
