Nature: it is the natural environment from which we draw life. This fact may sound obvious, but in the modern world, we have become more disconnected than ever from our natural surroundings. Our disconnection is most evident in our homes and workspaces, which tend to have become stripped of any connection to the natural world.
But it need not be this way. With a little imagination and ingenuity, the natural world can become a practical, visually enriching and healthy addition to our living and workspaces.
At Angus & Celeste, we have long been interested in how much the addition of plants can change-up the way a room or space feels. We also understand, from firsthand experience, the positive impact plants can have upon us in our daily lives. This thinking is at the forefront of our design process, and vital to our love of filling our head office, showroom, and design studio with a myriad of plants. Well, that and the fact that plants are beautiful.
Why are they so awesome? Plants produce a whole host of health benefits that help to improve worker’s health and increase productivity. A 2010 study by the University of Technology in Sydney, found that the introduction of plants to workspaces decreased instances of stress amongst workers. The study also found that there was a 37% decrease in reported anxiety; a 58% fall in reported feelings of depression or anxiety; and a 38% decrease in fatigue. From such positive effects, it has been reported that productivity may improve by up to 15% amongst workers. Woah! Go plants!
How do plants do all this? Well, that’s a great question. It could be that the varied and vibrant beauty that Mother Nature has bestowed upon the natural world has a myriad of psychological and physiological effects on us that we are yet to understand fully, or it could be that plants are just plain awesome (probably both). But it could mainly be due to their effectiveness as air purifiers. In the 1980s, NASA discovered that plants are amazing at removing chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the air. As you can imagine, this is pretty great for us humans. Studies have also shown that indoor plants help reduce carbon dioxide levels in the home and office spaces. Jeez, all this awesomeness makes you want to hug a plant and say thank you, doesn’t it?
Indoor plants also help to reduce background noise. They do this by absorbing, diffracting, or reflecting background sounds. Such a reduction of noise can make your home or workplace a more comfortable environment to be in.
The introduction of plants into our homes and workplaces has such a wide range of positive effects, from the emotional to the economic, that it seems silly not to have them around. With a little imagination, any office can become a greener space. Succulents in pots for desks, cascading Rhipsalis plants in hanging planters, Rubber plants in pots around the home or office, the options are endless. Let nature guide you along the path to a greener space, and enjoy the benefits of becoming a little closer to nature. We here at A & C can attest to the soothing nature of plants, and we hope that you will join us in our endeavour to greenify the world a little more.