Integrating biophilia with planted furniture

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An ode to planted furniture

Planted furniture essentially marries the beauty of plants with innovative furniture design and can be used not only to enhance spaces, but to actually create living retreats that people want to spend time in, whether for focused alone time or creative team activities. It can be used as a screen to provide privacy or hide unwanted views or simply to break up large open plan spaces. Its modular nature makes it great for reconfiguring spaces and it’s an excellent way of bringing biophilia into the office without taking up too much valuable floor space. An impressive array of planted furniture options are now available – smart, sophisticated, beautifully designed and multi-functional. Here are a few of our favourite designs that we enjoy working with.

Screening with soft boundaries

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Vantage Spaces – Hevea modular planting system

Our Hevea modular planting systems are statement furniture pieces that also provide decorative screening, as well as enabling the creation of tranquil corners within larger areas. For instance, combined with seating and soft furnishings, they are ideal for creating a seating area within a larger reception space. The modular system comes in multiple colour options and makes zoning easy, whilst allowing views in and out.

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Spacestor – Palisade grid

Spacestor’s Palisade Grid is a modular zone divider with a midcentury modernist vibe. It is fully customisable in terms of colour, material and size and allows for the curation of ‘spaces within spaces’ without building walls. It naturally combines well with planting, lighting and display items, and enables valuable integration of biophilia without introducing additional furniture to contain it.

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Display and divide

MF Design Studio – Space-shifter range

The Space-shifter range from MF Design Studio combines display/storage space with biophilia and can be used to zone and define interior spaces without the need to build static inflexible partitions. Each component has been designed to be connected independently so the frame, planter and shelf sections are interchangeable. They can also be refinished as space is updated, extending the life span of the unit and making it an economical and sustainable option. We were delighted to collaborate with MF Design Studio on the biophilic element of this design, ensuring that living planting can be housed in optimal conditions.

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Personal storage

Bisley – Pren range

We are now in the era of hot-desking, where desks are shared and therefore have to be kept clear of personal belongings. Locker space is no longer the preserve of the gym or swimming pool, because it’s important to have personal comforts close at hand in the workplace. Bisley’s Pren range is an invaluable three-in-one solution – a collection of wooden freestanding lockers, cupboards, and wardrobes that work as space dividers, space enhancers and storage – and have the option of planter tops to incorporate biophilia into the overall configurations.

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Made to be moved

Vantage Spaces – EnviroZone

Our very own EnviroZone planter is a versatile statement piece that can be tailored to any office environment. Made in the UK, EnviroZone has natural wooden slats and a stylish metal frame, and is available in various finishes. It can be moved easily to create flexible zones or simply enhance a space.

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Cascando – Patio planters

Cascando’s uber-modern mobile patio planters offer the option of either a top rail with hanging planters, or rows of small troughs. Set on castors with brakes, each screen can be easily moved around at any time, effortlessly adding greenery to a space whilst providing extra visual and acoustic privacy for hybrid workspaces.

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Allemuir – Furrow planters

The visual appeal of acoustic panelling has taken the design world by storm in recent years and the Allemuir ‘Furow’ planters echo this with their curvaceous wooden pleats. Taking inspiration from the linear forms found in nature, the Furow design creates a beautiful focal point, softening harder architectural features, and is available as both a circular planter and a mobile rectangular planting trough.

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Innovative ideas

Allsfär – Blom range

Planting is known for its ability to reduce noise levels, so why not take this further and fashion the planters out of acoustic materials to create an even calmer environment. Made from Allsfär’s Öra PET acoustic felt, the Blom range is available in a range of 26 vibrant, natureinspired colours and a variety of sizes, making it easy for interior designers and specifiers to introduce biophilic design elements to commercial interiors. We love the combination of acoustic properties with design aesthetics.

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Frövi – Relic cloud table

People come into the office to connect and bounce around ideas. The Relic cloud table encourages teams to gather together by transforming a large table into an inviting space. It can be tailored with hanging planting or a planting trough, as well as individual lighting choices, turning a simple table into a creative collaborative space.

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A room with a view

Vitra – Dancing Walls

Vitra’s Dancing Walls are agile organisational structures set on castors. Reminiscent of flexible theatre set furniture, they enable countless flexible office configurations. Dancing Walls can incorporate bookshelves, multimedia units, coat racks, removable magnetic whiteboards and pinboards, and, of course, planted walls.

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Icons of Denmark – 4T Walls system

Icons of Denmark have produced the 4T Walls system to provide endless opportunities to divide space, provide privacy and create rooms within rooms. A scalable kit of parts, the system offers components such as booth seating and planters, as well as practical solutions such as whiteboards, pinboards and acoustic panelling.

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Connection – Harp range

Connection’s Harp range is an innovative design using unorthodox bungee cords stretched between steel frames to construct reconfigurable ‘walls’. The walls allow for the evolution of a space to accommodate emerging workplace trends, and enable the occupier to build a space which best suits their requirements. They come with built-in planter options, as well as an array of other accessories.

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Inspiration for your space

We hope we’ve given you some inspiration for your space with this dip into the world of planted furniture. Planted furniture has the power to integrate biophilia into the very fabric of the workplace – plants are literally part of the ‘furniture’ and employees are exposed to the powerful beneficial effects of being close to nature, boosting creativity and productivity. Be sure to explore the online configurators that many of these manufacturers offer to envisage how planted furniture can truly transform your workspace.

Vantage Spaces provides living plants that incorporate within all types of planted furniture, advising on ways to ensure that maximum enhancement is achieved with integrated biophilia. And with our rental plans that incorporate maintenance, the enhancement is guaranteed to last.

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Get in touch to discuss your biophilic plans with our consultants and explore the most creative ways to incorporate biophilia within your workspace plans.