UK DIY News
How The Humble Houseplant Has Become A Must-Have Home Accessory
The humble houseplant has become a must-have for a new generation who believe they instantly make homes more stylish.
Over half the nation (55%) now cite it as their main reason for snapping one up, new research by Dulux has revealed.
Two out of five (42%) say plants are a perfect way to add an instant splash of colour to their homes, while three percent say they buy them specifically to show off on social media.
The findings come as Dulux launches its Greenhouse Palette from its ColourFutures 2022 collection, which brings the benefits of the great outdoors into the home through its fresh natural tones inspired by nature.
The nine shades are made up of light natural tones of green, grey and blue and have been specifically selected by Dulux design experts to compliment the bright, airy blue of Bright Skies, their 19th annual Colour of the Year. The shade for 2022 perfectly captures the hopeful mood of the moment and along with its accompanying palettes provides a springboard for people around the world to bring a breath of fresh air into their homes.
The research from Dulux also highlights how important the humble houseplant has become for the nation’s mental well-being with 63% saying they positively boost their mood, with a quarter (26%) of us admitting to regularly talking to them.
One in five (19%) have such a deep bond with them that they worry about them when we’re away from home, while 16% go so far as to give them names.
It comes amid a boom in interest in houseplants, which has been helped along by an influx of plant influencers like Joe Bagley, who has been enlisted by Dulux to help tell the story behind the Greenhouse Palette to his 57k followers on the @UKHousePlants Instagram.
He explains: “Social media has played a huge role in the increasing popularity of houseplants.
“For me it was really instrumental in showing me that there were other people out there who shared my interests and had large quantities of plants in their homes.”
Joe’s home contains 1,500 plants and he spends £200 a month on upkeep and adding to his collection.
His interior design ethos is rooted in biophilic principles of giving nature more prominence in interiors, which in turn benefits building users.
He adds: “Being with nature provides a really welcome escape from stress - it helps you forget all the troubles of the outside world.
“We all spend so much of our daily lives glued to screens for work and for leisure, that enjoying the natural world at home is the perfect way to detox and unplug.
“I use a lot of my plants to soften up my home by breaking up the rigid, right angles you find in most interiors.”
Joe says the Dulux Greenhouse Palette provides a deft backdrop that allows the natural beauty of plants to shine through.
He says: “I really resonate with the palette because of the perfect backdrop it provides for greenery.
“The last thing you want to do is to paint a wall dark green, as all the plants would get lost. This palette, with its harmonious mixture of blues and greys, really allows foliage to shine creating a peaceful and tranquil space.”
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux UK says: “How we choose to decorate our homes is constantly evolving.
“The humble houseplant was once derided as a naff moving-in present, but that’s all changed.
“Now they have become a really important element of many people’s interior design schemes - helping their homes look good and improving their well-being into the bargain.
“The shades of our Greenhouse Palette have been specifically designed to bring the positive effect of the outside in with tones that echo the colours of nature, allowing us to enjoy all the benefits the outdoors brings. It’s a fresh and tranquil palette which makes the perfect backdrop for furnishings in natural materials such as wood or rattan and lots of greenery”
The Greenhouse palette consists of: Bright Skies™, Moon Cloud, Rich Earth, Tranquil Dawn™, River Valley, Fresh Foliage, Cardamom Pod, Fossil Hunting, Calming Meadow, Denim Drift™.
For more information, visit: dulux.co.uk/COTY22
Source : Dulux
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