How To Revitalize Your Space by Introducing Foliage

Originally posted on Pophouse.Design

It all started when…

With the New Year upon us, welcoming plant life into your space can be a refreshing and effortless way to amplify your work and home environment. Despite any preconceived notions that incorporating plants can be cumbersome and challenging, there are several ways to populate foliage that can work for all types of interior settings and varying light or humidity levels. Even spaces with low indirect light can accommodate the right types of plants. Encouraging plants in your commercial or home environment provides many benefits to health and well-being (beyond what is already known about plants).  

Our inherent need as humans to seek natural attributes and environments fueled the monumental movement for integrating nature into the interior spaces we frequent. Living walls, house plants, and landscape artwork are all examples of integrating nature into our interiors. To name a few, plants have the following positive and evidence-based effects on us: 

Providing a sense of cleanliness in the space

Plants naturally work to cleanse the air and the combination of a visual of a plant with the inherent knowledge that they are improving our air quality contributes to the sense of safety and well–being for those who are experiencing a space. As companies begin trickling back into their offices, incorporating plants can help heighten a sense of safety for team members. 

Providing visual restoration breaks

A lot of us have worked from home this year and may have had the opportunity to integrate moments of break or restoration throughout our workday. We have found that accessing those restoration breaks may be more challenging to do upon reentry into the work environment. Integrating plants provides the individual with an opportunity to reduce stress, refocus, and realign by simply providing visual access to foliage. 

Accelerating healing properties

Many studies have shown that our cortisol levels have skyrocketed during this time of high stress and fear of the unknown. While the initial pilgrimage back to work may feel overwhelming or intimidating, providing greenery can help ease team members and work to aid in accelerating the body’s ability to heal and increase soothing of generalized inflammation in the body.  

Forge a sense of purpose for the team

By creating a living environment, you are allowing team members to feel a sense of connection and solidarity with each other. With many companies allowing work from home to be a permanent option, providing a living environment can help the workspace become a destination and place of sought-after human connection for team members. In addition, a sense of connection amongst team members drives retainment. A few initial questions can be asked to understand what plants and biophilic elements would be appropriate to incorporate into your space.

Understand light levels

There is a spectrum of plants you can consider no matter what type of light you have in your workspace. Initial questions to ask include: 

How many windows are in the space?
What direction do the windows face?
Is there indirect or direct light in the space?
Is there any natural light penetrating the space or is it entirely artificial?

Understand the level of commitment and care

A lot of trendy plants have temperamental tendencies regarding their environment. For example, the ever-popular Fiddle Leaf Fig is a beautiful plant, however it requires consistent and elaborate care to maintain a level of health. Is there a dedicated team member that will be looking after the plants? If not, minimal maintenance plants would be the best option. In addition, there are several companies that will maintain live foliage. An additional and ultimately lowest maintenance option is pursuing faux greenery. Faux greenery available now has evolved into high quality replications that even the keenest and well-trained foliage lover can have trouble distinguishing. The positive benefits of biophilia do not stop with real plants; the rewards are reaped with the incorporation of faux greenery too.  

Understand key placement

To maximize the positive benefits resulting in integrating plants into the space the placement should be thoroughly thought through. This will vary space by space. We encourage locating plants in social & innovative spaces in particular. Social spaces allow access to plants for most if not all team members. When provided in innovative and collaborative areas the maximum psychological effects of biophilia can occur, resulting in higher outputs of productivity, innovation, and collaboration. 

Understand the bottom line and initial investment

The bottom line and initial investment will indicate which direction is best to pursue for an individual. If minimal maintenance and low investment is a goal, faux plants, or hearty plants like Sansevieria or Zamioculcas are excellent options. Sansevieria and Zamioculcas are both low light level, minimal maintenance plants, those of which have thrived even in our basement office.  

Whether it is your home, your office, or any supplementary space you encounter, you can adjust and enhance your well–being and environment by providing plants. With the research and data of the positive effects of nature and biophilia becoming more prevalent and widely acceptable, incorporating plants into your space has never been easier and is a simple addition to providing comfort, safety, and can act as a catalyst for innovation incubators. Whether you have a brown thumb or a green thumb, we can work to integrate this accessible consideration to improve team member morale, well-being, and productivity and provide a refreshed environment to start the new year.  

The Pophouse team can provide consultation services to gain a better understanding of your organizations needs and desire to integrate foliage into your space and provide recommendations that best suit your culture. If you would like to talk to us about designing a space that works for your needs, please contact me.