Tropicana Jul-Aug 2018 #119 Hot Stuff

THE HOME
Let the Outside in
Aesthetically pleasing, and good for your health and wellbeing, greening your indoors
is a trend everyone should get onboard with.
TEXT BY MUNA NOOR IMAGES BY ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES
Developers are increasingly
mindful to allocate considerable
acreage to parks and gardens in
new properties and townships.
Recreational areas where homeowners
can engage in physical activities like
jogging or simply choose to relax in are
now no longer a luxury but a necessity.
Such spaces promote overall health and
a sense of wellbeing and community.
However you don’t need to step outside
to gain the benefits of green bathing.
Regardless of what kind of home you
own or rent, landed or otherwise, it
is possible to bring some of the lush
outdoors, inside.
PLANTS AS AN ID TREND
The use of indoor plants is a reemerging
trend in interior design.
A well-chosen, well-placed piece of
greenery can brighten up an empty
corner or liven up a bookshelf.
Favoured for their shape or colour,
plants can be used ornamentally to
soften a space and add personality,
even to an area already brimming with
objets d’art and collectibles.
No longer restricted to just a single
plant tucked in a forgotten alcove,
maximalism is the order of the day.
Restaurants and bars have taken to
the green trend with gusto. Thanks
to Malaysia’s tropical climate and
humid conditions, ferns – which are
able to tolerate poor light quality – can
thrive indoors and have been used to
wonderful effect in places such as Botak
Liquor on Jalan Petaling, where the use
of abundant plants has created a talkedabout
and frequently photographed
space. Similarly the bright blooms of
phalaenopsis orchids in The Majestic
Hotel’s Orchid Conservatory have
turned this beautiful space into a
dining destination.
Admittedly, plant rentals that make
it their business to green commercial
spaces such as office and retail areas are
well established. Nevertheless, plant
suppliers who curate decorative indoor
35 JULY/AUGUST 2018 | TM