Blooming Artificial Plants Review | Photography by Fran Minifie Photography
When I opened my coworking space in Totnes for female entrepreneurs and women in business back in 2020, I designed it with the principles of biophilic design in mind. I wanted to use an earthy colour palette, texture, natural materials, organic shapes, and incorporate lots of plants. I wanted the users of the space to feel good in the work environment and wanted it to be a space that supported their mental health and physical wellbeing.
We moved into a new space last summer and our new female coworking space is so much more biophilic. It is a converted barn with vaulted ceilings and huge roof lights so it is flooded with natural light. It also has lots of exposed brick and textured walls and there are expansive views of the countryside on all sides. Our neighbours are cows and pheasants, we have a little bird who comes and knocks on the windows and we’ve had visits from squirrels and regular fly overs of geese. It couldn’t be more perfect. So bringing in the principles of biophilic design has been a breeze.
When I took over the additional studio space upstairs, the previous tenant had some huge plants that they offered to sell me for many hundreds of pounds. Knowing myself and how bad I am at looking after plants I knew that this would not be a good investment for me. So instead I opted for faux plants and I knew exactly where to get them from. Blooming Artificial is a company I have used for many years when it comes to artificial plants and trees. I’ve already featured a Blooming Artificial review years ago when I got some faux houseplants for my home and then again when I used their plants in the first coworking space.
Why I Chose Faux Plants for My Workspace
Photography by Fran Minifie Photography
But what I really love about having faux plants is the lack of guilt. I never have to feel bad for not remembering to water them. I never have to watch them wither and droop because they are not getting enough light, or they are getting too much. I never have to watch them slowly get pot-bound because I am seemingly incapable of repotting my plants. Plant care is something I find extremely overwhelming. I try my very best, but it is just so hard to know what plants want and need. Online advice provides very little clarity. The very same symptoms could be a sign that you are not giving your plant enough water…or that you are overwatering. I feel so bad when a plant dies because I have neglected to meet its needs.
Luckily, over the years, I have learnt to buy super hardy plants that thrive on neglect, but even those plants grow and need some ongoing maintenance, and I am just not nurturing enough for this. So faux plants have become a staple in my office. They look wonderful, give us all the good feels and I do not end up crushed under the cripling weight of guilt.
That’s why I wanted to share this Blooming Artificial review—because these plants have solved a problem I didn’t even realise could be solved so beautifully.
What I’ve Learned Since Discovering Biophilic Design
Photography by Charlie Flounders Photography
I have been writing about biophilic design since 2019, when I first became aware of the concept and wrote my first article on the topic for designer magazine. Back then, it wasn’t such a hot topic but since then we have seen the emergence of more human-centric design and a willingness to put the needs of people first when creating spaces. We now recognise that biophilic design has an important role to play in counteracting some of the more negative impacts of urbanisation and the persistent disconnect from nature that many of us are experiencing. With the rise in mental health problems and the prevalence of stress in our modern society, biophilic design and its associated benefits are one of the most powerful tools at our disposal to counteract the worrying developments we see in society.
The Wellbeing Benefits of Plants in the Workplace
Photography by Fran Minifie Photography
Biophilic design gives us the opportunity to support and nurture one another in a way that reduces stress and increases productivity. According to the report Human Spaces: Biophilic Design at Work prepared by environmental consulting and strategic planning firm Terrapin Bright Green for Interface, environmental psychology research tells us that being connected to nature actually assists with, psychological restoration. It also states that biophilic design supports multiple organizational outcomes, including
well-being, productivity and creativity.
Key global figures that were gathered in the report found that:
- A third (33%) of office workers say that the design of an office would affect their decision to work at a company.
- Two-thirds (67%) of respondents report feeling happy when walking into bright office environments accented with green, yellow or blue colours.
- 58% of workers report having no greenery, in the form of plants, within their work environment.
The research also identified that visible connections to nature can have a positive effect on an individual’s reported stress levels. Further analysis showed that perceptions of well-being can increase by up to 15% when people work in surroundings that incorporate natural decor elements, providing a connection to nature, in contrast to those who have no contact with nature in their workplace.
I feel so lucky that I knew all of this before I decided to open my coworking space. I had previously worked in a unit on an industrial estate when I first graduated, and I was selling metal alloys to the French aeronautical industry. There was no natural light in that unit because there were no windows. There was nothing natural about that place and my well-being took a nose dive. I can’t tell you how unhappy I was spending eight hours per day in that kind of work environment. Needless to say, I didn’t stick around because my wellbeing and mental health mean too much to me. I need light and views of nature to do my best work.
Creating a Coworking Space That Feels Good
Photography by Fran Minifie Photography
The coworking space I have created is the office of my dreams. Every day I come to work and am overwhelmed with gratitude that I get to work in such a beautiful space that makes me feel so good. It is flooded with natural light, has beautiful views of the landscape outside, and the biophilic office decor incorporates natural materials and earthy colours, and I have filled it with a mix of real plants and artificial plants.
Blooming Artificial Review: Real-Looking Faux Plants
Photography by Fran Minifie Photography
I understand that even the most realistic faux plants don’t offer quite the same benefits as living plants, but I have found that mixing the two provides a great balance for me with all the wellbeing benefits I need, minus the guilt.
The faux plants I have both downstairs and upstairs are primarily from Blooming Artificial and the reason I get my faux plants from there is because the quality is incredible and they actually look real. I swear if you didn’t know they were faux and you were looking at them across the room, you would have no idea. I would even go as far as to say you probably wouldn’t guess they were unless you reached out to touch them.
They have brought so much joy, colour and texture into our coworking space and they really are the star of the show in all my photos as they bring the space to life no matter what the season. Writing this Blooming Artificial review has made me appreciate just how much these small touches have contributed to the feel-good atmosphere of our coworking studio.
As for whether they are worth the money. It’s a resounding yes from me. Whilst these large artificial plants aren’t cheap, they actually cost roughly the same price as a similar-sized real plant. Considering the huge potential there is for a real plant not to survive my neglect, I would much rather spend that kind of money on a large faux plant knowing that it is guaranteed not to die. So given that the costs are comparable, the benefits of artificial plants actually make them the better investment for me. And I would gladly pay that money to alleviate myself from the guilt of being a plant murderer!
