It’s not unusual to get stumped during the interior design process. When knickknacks and wall hangings aren’t bringing you the joy you hoped for, try something a little different. Amy Pigliacampo of Amy Pigliacampo Interiors talks about the benefits of using plants in your home décor and the ways to incorporate greenery without distracting from the room.
Where do I start?
“I think the most important thing is to feel something physically in your body when selecting plants or anything else for your home. Really pay attention to your reactions—mind and body—when you look at plants and what shapes, sizes, and colors resonate with you.”
How do I make it work?
“I always set out to ‘subtract’ or clean up spaces when designing. I think about what is most important functionally and visually and then try to exercise a lot of restraint when I add pieces back into the mix. When designing with plants, my goal is most often to add interest with color and shape while keeping spaces clean and minimal. The beauty of plants is that they can add a lot of warmth, texture, and unexpected moments by nature of being alive. It’s as if our brains don’t categorize them in the same way as ‘stuff,’ so they can be very helpful in filling in awkward spaces without disrupting a minimal aesthetic.”
“Plants really go with anything. It’s nice to have contrast among your plants and create groupings where you have some nice juxtaposition in terms of size, shape, color. And the planter itself needs to complement the style of the room, otherwise it can feel distracting and unintentional.
Complementary colors are an easy win; red and green go well together, so I love all shades of pink with vibrant greens and deeper darker shades of red with lighter softer plant tones (succulents provide great softer tones). If I’m working with lots of yellow or brown tones, I would seek out deep greens or plants with blue undertones like rubber trees or certain cacti. When working with cooler blues and purples, I would seek out plants with bright yellow undertones to keep some nice contrast and balance.”
Why plants?
“Biophilic design is something that I was incorporating before I realized that it was ‘official’ and studied. I love to work with natural materials in all projects, and the combination of those elements with living plants always yields beautiful results. Sometimes it’s hard to convince homeowners that they are capable of taking care of plants (even easier than a cat!), but after we get past that, they are usually ready for more.
There is something joyful about watching plants grow and evolve in your home. Since they depend on us to survive, you have to carve out time to care for them and in doing so you gain these very simple moments of presence where you can simply stop to appreciate how much a plant has grown and changed and sometimes overcome the odds of surviving (we’re all busy, right?). Plants can surprise you with their resilience and also teach you how to be patient and slow down.”
Your home should make you feel happy and comfortable, encouraging mindfulness and relaxation. With Amy Pigliacampo’s advice, plant life could be just what you need to turn a room into an oasis.
Find more inspiration from Pigliacampo at https://www.amypigliacampo.com/.
