When you’re decorating the office with plants, it’s not about throwing an abstract combination of plants together and hoping that the end result will be something that turns heads. Taking a little bit of time to put together a plan that will help you put together an elegant, professional design can make all the difference to office morale, turning the heads of clients and generally creating a friendly and inviting office space. There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to creative expression, but a little bit of care and consideration (along with input from the broader team) can lead to an incredible result that will have you feeling proud and accomplished at the same time.
Tip #1: Factor in the Plant-Space Ratio
The amount of plants you need to get depend first and foremost on the size of the space you’re working with. In a smaller office, a minimalistic approach could be the best way to go, as you don’t want them to take up too much space in what might already feel a little bit cramped. Consider the total space that you want to fill with plants, rather than the total surface area of the entire office, before you start looking at plants of different shapes and sizes.
Tip #2: Focus on Empty Corners and Floors
If you’re struggling with where to begin in terms of where the plants you’re looking to buy should even go, start with empty corners and surrounding open floor space. These are go-to’s for anybody renovating a new space, and by placing plants here to begin with, you breathe new life into what may have been an otherwise dull and dark corner. The idea is to use these as a foundation, and to build the rest of the design plan around these “staple” options”.
Tip #3: Colour Palettes Should Be Considered
As with any renovation or remodelling job, decorating a space requires careful consideration to colour palettes. If the office design has a general colour palette already, it’s worth sticking to plants that will compliment and match this. Although most office plants are green, you can play with options for different leaf markings, shapes and designs to help match specific spaces with something aesthetically pleasing. Consistency always looks amazing, or even just adding a subtle pop of green colour (through a plant) can make a world of difference to a fairly bland working space.
Tip #4: Pots and Containers Matter Too
Although you’ll be spending a lot of time looking at the different types of plants to incorporate in the office space, getting the most out of a plant requires you to have a think about the pots and containers you want to use as well. These can not only help the plants to flourish in the office environment, but also make a design statement if you pair different ones with different plants. Pots also help you to organise plants in a way that comes off professional and polished at the end of the day.
Tip #5: Combine Plants with Existing Objects
If you have any beautiful objects around the office, including drawings, paintings, sculptures or even just a team photograph on a noticeboard, incorporate these areas into your plant design plans. This is a great way to amplify some of the more creative facets of the office space, and will take them to an entirely new level. It even provides an opportunity for individual creative expression, and utilising specific plants in order to encourage and stimulate creativity among the other members of the team. Visitors will be wowed too, with their attention being drawn to the curious combinations you and your colleagues came up with.