There’s been a significant trend towards bringing the outdoors indoors – partly as a symptom of having less space and the instinctive need for us to immerse ourselves in nature due to the fast pace of modern life.
House plants are the simplest way to reinvigorate your interior space however an entire wall of greenery can really bring nature into your home as well as add a spectacular focal point.
In the complete transformation of our Eaton Mews North project in Belgravia, a faux living wall was constructed in the basement kitchen and dining area to give the effect of natural light and create a green, natural space.
The inspiration was taken from observations of London, specifically graffiti and wall art on the elevations on many buildings. Ros loves the creative expression, and on one particular spree around London, she noticed a green wall and loved the idea. Interestingly, London’s largest green wall can be found outside Rubens at The Palace Hotel in Victoria. Spanning 350 square meters, it contains 10,000 herbaceous plants including buttercups, crocuses and strawberries.
The initial idea was to use a living green wall however this posed several challenges in terms of maintenance as the greenery would grow quickly and would require cutting back. It would also cause sand to disperse along the floor and potentially mark the surrounding walls. Since the walls surrounding the green wall were to be painted plaster, this too would require maintenance. The natural progression was to specify a faux living wall, which would allow the same visual appeal without the arduous maintenance associated with a living green wall.
The faux green wall in the kitchen and dining area not only alludes to the idea of outside space but also creates a sense that the room extends beyond its own boundaries.