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 lants
can be a very important and fairly inexpensive accessory to any
decor. They can add light and liveliness to a dull exterior, or
tone down a bright one, as well as create a look that is soft and gentle
or bold and dramatic.
Plants can be useful for a number of specific purposes:
as space fillers, special design effects, line balance and architectural
effects, to name a few.
1. Space Fillers - This is perhaps the most
common use of plants. Fillers work well in dead corners, under
stairways, on shelves, tables or groupings to simply fill empty
spaces. A dead corner is a place in which no piece of furniture
can or should be placed. Tall shrubs or trees such as a ficus on a
small stand or in a large pot work well for these spaces. To
prevent accessories from looking too skimpy on tabletops of shelves,
plants can add fullness for line balance without distracting from the
accessory's beauty.
2. Design Effect - Special design effects can be
easily enhanced or created with plants. Plants used for design
effects should have a definite style. They should stand out enough
to hold their own as a piece of sculpture would. These plants are
often colorful and may have definite forms or line values. To
achieve the greatest design effect, a plant should be displayed without
any visual distractions near it.
Here are a few pointers when creating a special design
effect:
- Use solid colored plants for contrast where you have patterned
backgrounds, such as wallpaper.
- Use colorful plants with unusual design characteristics for neutral
backgrounds.
- Use pale, even white foliage against vivid backgrounds.
- Use containers that are fairly plain in color and design. The
plants should provide all the decoration needed for that space.
- Allow sufficient room so plants will not appear crowded.
- If creating a grouping, consider mixing shiny foliage such as a rubber
plant with a lacy fern or a velvet textured plant, or you may want to
combine light and dark foliage.
- For effective line value use a variety of plant heights. By
surrounding a tall plant by two short bushy ones and another medium
height creates a grouping that acts as a single unit.
- For a splashy look you can mix colors, though be
careful to not use too many as this could make the grouping too strong
and take away from the balance of the room.
- To subdue bright flowing plants, combine them with green or white
foliage.
3. Line Balance - Just like furniture, plants
must be selected according to their line value as well as scale to
properly fit their immediate surroundings. If working with a
curved line value, such as a round or oval table, the plant should be of
straight line value or square in order to provide a pleasing compliment
and balance. Here are a few examples of proper line balance:
- A curvy fern can balance a straight row of books on a shelf.
- A straight lined plant in a square corner can be placed on a round
table (curved line value) with a lamp that also has a curved line value.
4. Architecture - Plants are a very important
part of architecture. They can provide a small but effective
architectural accent such as room dividers, half walls or screens.
Also, plants can help visually raise or lower a ceiling by accepting
either vertical or horizontal lines. Here are a few hints to
provide architectural balance:
- A grouping of airy plants in front of a window that overlooks a
parking lot will let light in, while still screening out an undesirable
view and increasing privacy.
- Plants can hide an unsightly crawl space or camouflage defects in a
wall.
- Trailing vines can soften brick planters.
- Vines climbing trellises or other supports can turn plants into a
screening wall: very effective between a living and dining room.
- Rooms with high ceilings allow the opportunity to use wide plant
groupings and trees.
Plants can be a very useful accessory when
decorating. Whether selecting live or artificial plants, they can
add the finishing touches to a well planned interior.
To determine what will work best for you home or
office, contact us and have a
professional help you plan spectacular landscapes.
(Back to Design Tips)
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