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From cleansing the air to aiding concentration, the presence of houseplants is thought to have numerous benefits. Regardless of where you live, or if you have a garden, surrounding yourself by nature has never been easier thanks to affordable, innovative and aesthetically pleasing indoor planters.
Working this botanical interior trend couldn’t be easier. One effective example of a design that defies gravity is Boskke’s upside-down Sky Planter – available from Edited. This recycled plant pot is not only stylish but also enables homeowners to get back to nature without sacrificing floor space. The innovative self-watering design features a ceramic reservoir to drip feed water to the plant and uses plastic mesh and a locking system to keep soil in place after planting. It even has a green water indicator to point out when your plant needs water and comes with two different lengths of wire and a hook for hanging.
Ikea is another company that is constantly striving to come up with better ways to help nature thrive. This much-loved Swedish brand has a number of clever planter designs that do everything from working as a room divider to self-watering.
Clotilde Passalacqua, Interior Design Leader at IKEA UK & Ireland, shares some expert advice for bringing the outdoors in: “When designing a small space every inch counts so plan carefully. Make sure the scale of the planting is appropriate to the size of your overall space. Decide on a theme and stick to it. A mish-mash of colours and designs makes areas look smaller, whilst focusing on one trend creates the illusion of more space. Lots of people think they need to fill areas with plants, but just a few select pieces will work wonders without overcrowding the space.”
Life on the edge
If you have a balcony, no matter how small, there are many clever designs that hang and balance to bring botanical bliss to your home.
Deb Wood, Outdoor Sales Leader from IKEA UK and Ireland, comments: “If you have a paved front garden, or a balcony, you can create a jungle of pots, shrubs and herbs which will turn any space into an outside oasis throughout the summer and in to winter. Different height levels add interest, so if your table and chairs are high then look to include lower shrub plants and decoration. If the main furniture is low invest in climbing plants that will add to the space.”
If you are working within a small space, clarifying your priorities will help with the overall effect – for example, are plants your first love, do you want to sit and enjoy a view or is dining your priority? Clotilde continues: “Design the space with your priority as your focus, and then add other aspects for aesthetic touches rather than trying to fit it all in.”