What architects, designers, and developers can expect from working with Urban Spikes

What architects, designers, and developers can expect from working with Urban Spikes

by Courtney Goldberg in News

Plants and botanical touches are more in-demand than ever in interior design. And as an architect, designer, or developer you want to incorporate greenery to meet your clients’ expectations.

But if you don’t have significant horticultural experience, you can end up in a bind:

  • Unforeseen costs pile up, and you have to cut back on what you’ve presented because you didn’t scope botanic costs correctly, and the trees you promised were over-budget. 
  • Leaving procurement of plants too late leads to delays and redoing work because details like container size and lighting weren’t taken into account. 
  • Your client is surprised by maintenance costs from a third-party vendor they hired to take care of their design, and feels blindsided by you. 

Working with a professional partner can prevent these problems, as they improve your designs, help create better flow and purpose in your space, and even provide a much wider set of plant design options than you had initially considered.  

We at Urban Spikes are proactive horticultural stylists who deliver excellent work and prevent design headaches. Today, we will walk you through what a collaboration with Urban Spikes looks like by going over our process and what we recommend to ensure success on your development, architectural, or interior design projects. 

Step 1: Consultation and Budgeting

When you reach out to us, we will go through an extensive consultation process. During this phase, we’ll look at every part of your project to understand your vision, the space, and your client’s needs and budget.  

While we can come in at later stages on projects, best practice is to consult with a plant designer as early as possible. This way, we can scope your project correctly and give you valuable advice early on to help you craft a transformative plant design that elevates your space, rather than making the mistake of working in plants as an afterthought.

For example, some partners have come to us after doing all the wiring, only to realize that they don’t have the proper lighting for all of the plants they want in their space. Meaning that costs will either skyrocket as you redo work or you will have to significantly change your design.

“By bringing Urban Spikes in early, you can avoid doing your clients the disservice of presenting them horticultural features that are over-budget or impossible to upkeep in their space.” - Courtney Goldberg, Founder

We can also open up your designs to new ideas, from tabletop pieces to moss walls. For example, we often see architectural planning that exclusively uses real plants because people think faux will look cheap and plasticy. But we can show you faux models that would absolutely surpass your clients’ high standards and open up the option of mixing real and faux plants for more innovative and cost-effective designs.

At the end of this step, you will have:

  • A concrete idea of what is possible within your client’s budget
  • A ballpark timeline for how long interior plant design for your size and scope of project will take to procure and install
  • An understanding of how Urban Spikes approaches clients and how we can help your project

Step 2: Designing, Presenting and Educating

Once we have completed consultation, it’s time for us to collaborate on designs to make sure all of the details work. With Urban Spikes, there are two ways we can collaborate. If you already have extensive renderings and design, we can let you take the lead. We will meticulously go over every detail of your plans and provide suggestions or modifications that preserve your design while making it actually feasible to execute.

We can also provide full-service, site-specific design. To us, that means we will provide a full botanic treatment that includes:

  • Inspiration and moodboard pictures, including pictures of our products, for you to use in creating client presentations
  • Good, better and best options so you and your clients can choose the elements that match their needs, brand and budget priorities
  • Consideration for factors like traffic, lighting, HVAC and air systems, window and door placement, built-ins, and more
  • Revisions based on client feedback and requests

Finally, we will also ensure that you have all the knowledge you need to walk your client through our design. Education is a key part of what we do –– as our founder Courtney says, “We empower our partners with knowledge.”

“A lot of people come in with big dreams,” she explains. “It’s our job to make them a reality, which includes myth-busting and showing people the true potential of their space. We can tell you an olive tree won’t work indoors, or that there are luxury faux options you would never know aren’t real.”

This means you can go back to your client and explain exactly why you’re offering certain design features or choices and not others. For example, we can make sure the highest-impact plant features are present when a building opens, and suggest additional touches that a client can add when they have more budget down the line. 

We can also help educate your team on how plants improve a space, increase productivity, relaxation, improve return visits, boost employee morale, and more. 

At the end of this step you will have:

  • A full interior plant design, including budget, or our modifications and approval on your renderings 
  • Materials to supplement your architectural or design plans that show the specifics of your botanic elements
  • Knowledge of what the good, better and best options are for your client’s space, and why, so you can confidently present your full interior design to your clients
  • An understanding of how plants can affect the people in a space, not just the look of a design

Step 3: Creation and Installation

Your client’s approved everything and they’re thrilled with your design! Ground has officially broken, and the project is underway… with a dozen or more vendors and thousands of details to execute. 

To make things as easy as possible, Urban Spikes provides a seamless experience behind-the-scenes. “We work with you as a designer or architect, but also with all of your vendors,” explains Courtney. “We can take care of coordination and communication to eliminate any roadblocks or delays for you and your clients.” Especially for designs that need built-in features or special lighting considerations, this ensures things are done right the first time without you having to worry about collaboration or execution.

We will provide all things plants, which includes not only the varieties themselves but dressing, additional elements like wood, crystals, sand, gems, and any freestanding containers. We work with specialist suppliers to get the highest-quality materials available for real, faux and all decorative touches, sourcing something from our partners around the US, Europe and beyond.

When the space is ready for plants, we will load things in on your timeline to make sure that all of the finishing details are absolutely perfect by the conclusion of your project.

At the end of this step you will have:

  • A trusted partner keeping your project moving forward through collaboration and organization
  • Peace of mind that your plans have been executed well
  • A gorgeous design in your client’s new space

Step 4: Seamless Maintenance

While many architectural and design projects are fully finished once your work is done, plants are living things and they need constant care. Plant design is a long-term investment, and providing an easy transition into maintenance keeps your clients happy with your overall design. 

“Your clients won’t need to find a new vendor for plant upkeep when you use us as plant designers. With Urban Spikes, they also get maintenance from a trusted partner who understands the totality of their design and why every choice was made,” explains Courtney.

If you do not provide a maintenance option for your clients, they may end up working with an interior plant company you’ve never met. Unfortunately, they may not be able to upkeep your design to excellent conditions, or may even persuade a client to change their plant design down the line.

Engaging Urban Spikes for upkeep also means you can create a design that fits the budget of your clients, not just in the initial instance but for the life of their space and their plants. “We can provide accurate costs for maintenance based on your design, so your clients know exactly how to prioritize their spending, rather than being surprised by maintenance quotes after the fact.”

At the end of this step you will have:

  • Provided a trusted partner to your clients to keep your design looking its best
  • Ensured that your designs will stay as awe-inspiring as they are at the close of your architectural or design project

Architects, designers, and developers: we would love to help you

Building, remodeling and decorating are complicated processes with a lot of moving parts. Our aim is to provide exemplary services as an expert partner that makes executing plant designs easy, so your projects stand out in the best way possible. 

We are always happy to hear from architects, designers, and developers and to explore professional connections whether or not there is a project you need immediate help with. Our team would love to connect and discuss all that we can do for you. 

Contact us today if you are ready to explore our plant design services. 

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Tags: biophilic design interior plant design

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Real and Faux Plants: How to Utilize Both in Commercial Biophilic Design

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While biophilic design rests on our connection to nature, that doesn’t mean all the lush greenery you bring into your commercial space has to be real. Faux plants can be a great option to add life and freshness to your space. And using artificial plants isn’t drawing a line in the sand. You can still use real plants, but by mixing in faux, you get more options.  Many of our clients don’t realize that many commercial spaces are already using faux and don’t know how to use both faux and real plants. If that’s you, this post will get you started in the basics of thinking about incorporating real and artificial plants into commercial design.  Designing with Real and Faux Plants for Exteriors No matter what your business, your ambitions or your budget, designing with plants always starts with three core considerations: how is your space used? What is the aesthetic? And, what are the growing conditions? How is your space used?  Real and faux plants can both provide privacy, shade, and barriers. They can both decorate entranceways and patios. They can both be used as tabletop plants (for example, in restaurants), window boxes, centerpieces, and more.  So knowing how your space is used, what is missing, and what could be improved will guide your exterior plant design. Maybe you just need more ambiance and elegance poolside, where display pieces between hotel loungers will give a big lift. But if you need structure and purpose in your space, maybe container plants can help create paths and privacy between patio tables.  What is the aesthetic? Both real and faux plants can look great, but not all varieties are going to give you the style you want. As we start a design with a new client, we take the time to get into your current designs, whether that’s architectural plans and moodboards or your ‘finished’ space.  Aesthetics are also important for containers and styling, because plants aren’t the only element that creates a cohesive plant design.  What are the conditions?  Unless you are doing significant renovation or building from scratch, you can’t change the conditions of your exterior. That makes outdoor conditions a key difference-maker in your design choices. Real plants need specific conditions to grow well, and may change throughout the seasons. They also require maintenance including watering, trimming, rotating and more. You simply may not get the look you desire if the plants you want aren’t suited to your plot’s features.  Faux plants can be placed anywhere regardless of conditions and aren’t going to change for the lifespan of the product. And with the sophisticated artificial plant offerings we have today, they can withstand harsh conditions and full sun without losing lustre.  Mixing real and faux plants outdoors Crafting a design with both real and artificial plants gives you flexibility and continuity. You can choose from a wider mix of plants, and keep the same look through variable conditions, different seasons, and different locations.  Especially in a commercial setting, having a consistent design and aesthetic is something that communicates who you are to customers and employees, so this can help you make the most of your space. Mixing the two can also decrease your overall maintenance needs, while keeping the extra biophilic benefits real plants provide. Designing with Real and Faux Plants for Interiors Like with exterior plant designs, we also look at the use, aesthetic and conditions of your space when taking on interior plant designs.  How is your space used? Typically in indoor spaces there are plenty of different reasons to use plants in one business space, especially in multi-story buildings or anywhere with different rooms.  For example, you may want plants for their attractiveness at reception, for their sound-absorbing and air-cleaning qualities in your office areas, and to provide interest and texture in a corporate lunchroom. In retail, you are directing a customer’s eye to different parts of your store, for example towards a dressing room entrance or to a “new in” display, without overwhelming how merchandise looks. Using real and faux allows you to fulfill different needs in different spaces, or to provide continuity in the same space. What is the aesthetic? From lighting, fabrics, mixed flooring, different paint colors, to wallpaper and more, we take every interior décor choice into account when designing with plants.  If you are in a ‘finished’ space, we can enhance what you already have. If you are refreshing or decorating from scratch, we can work with your design team to find the right mix of plants, real and faux, that will give you the décor of your dreams.  Not being limited in real vs artificial plants means you can have a more thoughtfully curated space that can bring even very ambitious visions to fruition.  What are the conditions? Especially in a variable climate like Texas, indoor temperature and humidity is often highly controlled in commercial spaces. There can also be a big variability of light indoors within one office, dealership, retail space or other business, as one part of your building might be south-facing and the other, north.  Traffic is something that is especially important to consider when choosing plants, as busy areas like hallways, reception, entryways, lobbies, and more can pose a problem for real plants. And, most challenging of all for real plants, commercial spaces often have rooms without windows, including bathrooms, meeting rooms, storage and break rooms, etc. This is one place where faux has an undeniable edge over real plants, and can be a very valuable addition to a design that otherwise features real greenery.   Mixing real and faux plants indoors Designing with a blend of real and faux gives you opportunities to use real plants thoughtfully indoors where they will thrive and invest in faux as an option where they won’t.  It can help give you continuity throughout your space and mitigate unfavorable light conditions and challenging locations for plants like anywhere in proximity to an air conditioning vent. And it can lower your maintenance requirements vs using only real plants.  Thinking carefully about mixing plant types in your designs can mean you make the most of your budget, for example using faux for long-lasting greenery while supplementing with a rotating custom plant arrangement for the best of both worlds. Busting Artificial Plant Myths  Faux always plants look fake and outdated False. This is probably the biggest misconception we hear about faux botanicals. People imagine dusty silk arrangements and generic office décor from years ago, but the industry has evolved dramatically.  High-end faux botanicals today are incredibly realistic thanks to major advancements in materials, texture, color variation, and manufacturing. Many now closely mimic the movement, irregularity, and detailing of real foliage in a way that simply wasn’t possible even five years ago. You can always tell when a plant is faux False. When clients walk through our studio, one of the most common things they ask is, “Wait… what’s real and what’s faux?” Whether it’s orchids, succulents, cacti, or larger plant material, many people genuinely struggle to tell the difference. When faux botanicals are thoughtfully sourced, professionally installed, and layered naturally into a space, they can feel incredibly believable. This holds true even when they’re placed next to live plants, meaning you can mix both in without people immediately spotting the difference.   Faux plants are only for people who don’t want maintenance False. Maintenance is definitely part of the conversation, but the decision to use faux is often much more design-driven than people realize. Faux botanicals allow for consistency year-round, installation in low-light or difficult areas, dramatic scale without irrigation concerns, and more control over shape, color, fullness, and placement.  Faux also perform especially well in hospitality and commercial environments where lighting, HVAC systems, and heavy traffic can make live plants difficult to sustain. A lot of clients choose faux not because it’s easier, but because it best supports the overall design intent and long-term aesthetic of the space. Faux plants don’t belong in luxury spaces  False. If you still believe this, know that many luxury hotels, restaurants, retail stores, and corporate environments now incorporate faux botanicals because they provide consistency and durability while still creating warmth, atmosphere, and visual impact.  Hospitality spaces especially have embraced high-end faux greenery for areas exposed to challenging lighting conditions, heavy traffic, or extreme temperatures. When used intentionally, faux botanicals can feel elevated, immersive, and completely aligned with luxury design. I can’t get high-quality faux and real plants from the same supplier  False. While it is true that there are some places that only do real plants, many plant designers today, including Urban Spikes, are using and sourcing high-quality versions of both. We do this because it gives our clients the widest range of options and brings the best design possibilities forward.  Working with Urban Spikes At Urban Spikes, we offer a variety of real and faux plants, as well as our specialty cut succulents, because we know that our clients benefit from both in many great designs. We go out of our way to get the best of everything, whether that’s containers and top dressing, preserved and decorative elements, real and faux plants.  We are capable of designing for commercial in- and exteriors, from offices to retail parks, healthcare settings to upscale hotels. And we give each project a completely bespoke design that makes a genuine difference to not just how your space feels but how it performs.  If you are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and ready to explore your options for real, faux and everything in between, contact us today. 

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10 Years of Urban Spikes

10 Years of Urban Spikes

The Early Days Ten years ago, Urban Spikes looked very different than it does today. What started as a passion project in my home has evolved into a full interiorscaping company creating large-scale botanical installations for commercial, hospitality, and residential spaces. In the early days, customers would come directly to my home to pick up arrangements and have to dodge barking dachshunds and kids. My dining room and living room were filled wall-to-wall with succulents, vessels, sand, driftwood, and product. It was messy, exciting, creative, and completely consuming. Because Urban Spikes started in my home, my kids have always been deeply intertwined with the business. They helped staff farmers markets, create designs, unpack shipments, and, admittedly, waste plenty of product along the way. They grew up around creativity, entrepreneurship, and controlled chaos. Even today, one of the reasons I chose our studio location was because of its proximity to my children’s school. It allows me to be present when needed, and they still often stop by the studio after pickup. I love that they’ve been able to witness the evolution of something that started at our home and slowly grew into a real company. Before we ever had a studio, most of our sales came through Instagram, home shows, and farmers markets. 2017 and 2018 were especially filled with several-day home shows and weekends spent at markets throughout Dallas. We would rapid-fire design arrangements leading up to events, then carefully load my SUV to the brim, strategically packing each piece in hopes of a successful sales day. Those weekends were exhausting, but they were also foundational. They taught me how to connect directly with customers, refine our aesthetic, and build Urban Spikes one conversation and one arrangement at a time. At the time, Urban Spikes was heavily centered around low-maintenance tabletop designs and cut succulents. I was fascinated by the idea that plants could feel artistic, sculptural, and elevated without requiring constant upkeep. The ability to create layered sand designs, texture, and clean compositions using cut succulents opened up endless creative possibilities for me. That design philosophy—creating botanicals that feel intentional, approachable, and visually impactful—still sits at the core of the company today, even though the scale and complexity of our work has grown dramatically. The Studio Years A major turning point for Urban Spikes came in 2019 when we moved into our studio. Having a dedicated creative and production space completely changed the business. For the first time, we had room to truly build, experiment, collaborate, and grow in a way that simply wasn’t possible working out of my home. The studio became more than just a workshop—it became a place where customers could experience the brand firsthand, shop designs, gather inspiration, and create. It elevated Urban Spikes creatively, operationally, and professionally, while also helping shape the community aspect of the business that has become so meaningful to me. Over the last decade, Urban Spikes has grown alongside me. What began with tabletop arrangements slowly expanded into moss walls, large-scale plant installations, maintenance programs, hospitality projects, and full biophilic design strategies. Along the way, I’ve learned far more than how to design with plants. I’ve learned how to run a business, lead a team, navigate uncertainty, advocate for myself, manage people, and build relationships within an industry I’ve come to deeply respect. Building a Team and Culture One of the things I’m most proud of is the team we’ve built over the years. Some of our employees started working with me when Urban Spikes was still operating out of my home. We’ve always been small but mighty, and I think that’s helped create a culture where people genuinely know and care about one another. In a small business, everyone has to be willing to wear different hats at times, and our team has always embraced that mentality. Whether it’s designing, loading trucks, helping install projects, organizing product, assisting customers in the studio, or jumping in wherever needed, there’s a shared sense that we’re building something together. That flexibility and willingness to support one another has been a huge part of our growth. We also genuinely enjoy being around each other, which I don’t take for granted. We celebrate birthdays, work anniversaries, engagements, babies, and major life moments together. There’s a lot of hard work behind the scenes, but there’s also laughter, creativity, collaboration, and a real sense of connection. I’ve always believed that if you want people to invest in your business, you need to invest in them too. As Urban Spikes has grown, it’s been important to me to offer real opportunities and meaningful benefits to our team members—things that are often uncommon for a business of our size and within our industry. We provide PTO, health benefits, and 401K matching because I want employees to feel supported, valued, and able to grow within the organization long term. Building a healthy company culture has become just as important to me as building beautiful spaces.  Milestones and Industry Evolution There have been milestones over the years that felt especially meaningful because they represented how far the business had come. In 2024, Urban Spikes completed its first out-of-state project—infusing faux botanicals throughout a three-story sports and agave bar in Detroit. Seeing our work expand beyond Texas and contribute to such a large, immersive hospitality environment was an exciting moment for both our team and the evolution of the business. Other milestones have been equally rewarding in different ways. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach continuing education classes on biophilic design and speak about the growing role plants play in architecture and interiors. We expanded into dedicated plant maintenance programs, allowing us to care for and sustain the environments we create long after installation. We’ve also had the chance to work on highly creative projects, including designing botanicals for a birthday celebration for a local celebrity—moments that remind me how versatile and experiential this industry can be. Building relationships and partnerships within the design community has also been an important part of Urban Spikes’ growth. Collaborating with businesses like Stanley Korshak and Scout Design Studio has been especially meaningful, allowing us to align with brands and creative teams that share a strong appreciation for thoughtful design, aesthetics, and customer experience. Personally, I’ve continued investing in my own education and growth within the interiorscaping industry as well. Attending trade shows, participating in industry organizations, and joining membership committees has exposed me to incredibly talented leaders and deepened my understanding of both horticulture and business. The interiorscaping industry is constantly evolving, and staying connected to that evolution has been invaluable both personally and professionally. One experience that was especially meaningful was traveling to Holland to visit the farms and growers we purchase from while scouting new vendors, product, and pricing opportunities. Seeing the horticulture industry at that scale firsthand was incredibly inspiring and gave me an even greater appreciation for the craftsmanship and logistics behind the products we work with every day. It’s also been incredible to witness the evolution of the interiorscaping industry itself. What was once primarily viewed as a business centered around maintaining accent plants has transformed into an industry that actively influences well-being, experience, and the overall aesthetic of a space. Plants are no longer treated as an afterthought or accessory—they’ve become a focal point in architecture and design. Today, botanicals help shape how environments feel, function, and connect with the people inside them. They soften architecture, create visual rhythm, improve atmosphere, and influence the way people move through and experience a space. Watching that shift happen while Urban Spikes was evolving alongside it has been incredibly rewarding. The Reality of Entrepreneurship Being an entrepreneur is incredibly rewarding, but it’s also incredibly hard. There have been moments where I’ve felt frustrated that the business wasn’t where I imagined it would be by now. You pour enormous amounts of energy, time, creativity, and emotion into something because you believe deeply in what it could become. The dreams are big, and the sacrifices are real and in front of you. There are times entrepreneurship has left me feeling depleted, especially knowing how much time building a business pulled me away from my young kids and their milestones, playdates and volunteer opportunities. And then there are the mistakes—countless large and small mistakes along the way, more than I could probably count. I’ve hired both incredibly helpful and completely unhelpful consultants, but every experience taught me something about myself or about the business. I’ve invested in technology that improved operations and technology that ended up being a waste. I’ve had incorrect pricing models, had to rewrite contracts after being stiffed by customers, created plans and processes that were never actually utilized, and gone into years without a clear budget or roadmap. I’ve ordered product I couldn’t sell because the quality simply wasn’t there. Entrepreneurship has forced me to learn constantly, adapt quickly, and become more resilient than I ever expected. Over time, I’ve realized that every mistake—no matter how frustrating in the moment—has ultimately made me a better business owner. Usually because once you make a painful mistake, you work hard not to make it twice.Ten years ago, I measured success mostly by growth. Today, I measure it just as much by the people, relationships, culture, and opportunities we’ve built along the way. Because despite all of the challenges, what Urban Spikes has added to my life is immeasurable. I feel incredibly lucky to have built something that has connected me to so many talented people, meaningful relationships, and creative opportunities. This business has challenged me, humbled me, inspired me, and shaped me in ways I never could have anticipated. Gratitude and Looking Ahead What has meant the most over these last ten years are the relationships that have come from building this business. Many of the customers and partners who supported Urban Spikes in its early years are still with us today, and I never take that loyalty for granted. Every purchase, review, referral, collaboration, and recommendation has helped Urban Spikes continue to grow and evolve. Our customers are so much more than clients—they are part of the Urban Spikes story. Community involvement has always been an important part of who we are as well. Over the years, we’ve proudly donated products and support to local schools, educators, nonprofit organizations, and community events. Whether contributing to silent auctions, school fundraisers, or charitable initiatives, it has always been important to me that Urban Spikes gives back to the community that has supported us. Finally, I want to acknowledge the interiorscaping industry and the leaders within it who have been generous with their knowledge, encouragement, and support over the years. This industry is filled with incredibly talented, hardworking people who genuinely care about design, horticulture, and creating environments that improve how people live and work. I feel fortunate to be part of it and grateful to have grown alongside an industry that continues to evolve in such meaningful ways. Looking ahead, I’m excited for what’s next for Urban Spikes. We remain committed to creating spaces that feel thoughtful, inspiring, and connected to nature while continuing to strengthen the relationships and community partnerships that have shaped who we are today. To everyone who has supported Urban Spikes over the last ten years—thank you for growing with us. Your encouragement, trust, and belief in our vision have made this journey possible, and I truly cannot wait to see what the next chapter holds.

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Why Every Office Space Needs Plants (And How to Do It Right)

Why Every Office Space Needs Plants (And How to Do It Right)

Plants have become a defining element in commercial interior design - not an afterthought, but a strategic layer that shapes how a space feels and functions. At Urban Spikes, we see the difference between simply adding greenery and thoughtfully integrating plants into your work environment. When done well, plants soften interior spaces, create visual rhythm, and influence how people move through and experience a space. They bring warmth, clarity, and a sense of intention - elevating workplaces, hospitality settings, and retail environments where your employees and customers spend their time. Why Office Plants Matter If you’re thinking about office plants you probably already believe that they can make your commercial space a better place to spend eight hours in. But as you prepare to invest in office plant design, it’s worth knowing exactly how much more than “brightening up your space” you are actually doing. Recent research shows that indoor plants and plant design directly contributes to:  Increases in happiness and self esteem  A more attractive workplace 6% more creativity and 15% more productivity for office workers Improved immunity for employees Better air quality indoors Bringing plants indoors and using natural materials, light and other organic elements to create a space that humans flourish in are the foundations of biophilic design. Today biophilic design can be brought into everything from building materials to container plants and even to programs such as LEED certifications.  But these ideas are nothing new –– an Architectural Review archive article from 1952 notes that some of the earliest English-language references to houseplants date to 1608. Even then, it was recommended “that pots of sweet Marjoram, Basil and Rosemary should be brought indoors,” and noted that plants, both “useful and decorative”, included “vines, apricots and plums growing on the outer house wall be allowed to wander indoors and crawl over the ceilings.” So when you invest in office plants, you follow a long history of human intuition that is now backed by research: plants make us happier, healthier, and more comfortable indoors.  Low- And No Maintenance Indoor Office Plants Maintenance is a big concern for many office managers and designers working on office spaces. But one of our first questions if you came into a consultation with this worry would be: why is it important that your plants are low-maintenance?  We often hear people are short on time, staff don't want to or can’t care for plants, and that businesses are worried their investment will be short-lived if plants die. These are great reasons to speak to plant design professionals. But while there are some lower-maintenance plants (if given the right environment), their solution is not the “right type” of plant.  If what you want is to improve your commercial space without upkeep, here are some considerations: A commercial plant maintenance service makes any plant design hands-off. When horticultural professionals come in to do upkeep for you, green thumbs, vacation schedules and other roadblocks disappear.  Faux is the only truly “no” maintenance option, and incorporating artificial plants can give you great interior plant design without the responsibility of live plants. If you have discounted faux because you are worried it will look cheap, know that artificial plant options can look elevated and hyperrealistic when sourced properly Think about using planted designs, which are a bridge from complete DIY and full plant services. Urban Spikes offers thoughtfully curated plant pieces with an add-on refreshing service for those that want smaller biophilic touches. How to Approach Small Desk Plants, Big Floor Plants and Everything In-Between Plants are a core design element, not an afterthought. That means you can approach them the way you approach lighting, seating or any other décor: they have to look good and improve the function of your space.  Small office plants including desk plants can be great for a lift in smaller offices, but can also work well as a consistent design element that brings a larger space together.  Large potted plants can fill a space and bring dynamism in bigger offices, but may also provide a single focal point in a smaller space without adding visual clutter or taking up valuable desk space.  Desk plants and floor plants aren’t the only options. You can mount plants on the wall in a living green wall design, use them as desk dividers, and even hang them from the ceiling.  Faux brings flexibility and mixing faux and real plants allows you to create a cohesive design that spans both your sunny, south-facing rooms and darker, interior spaces.  And plants are only one part of biophilic décor. Whether you want a sleek modern style or something classic and elevated, you have many container choices beyond plastic. Top dressing and added elements like wood, moss, crystals and stones take plants from feeling fresh out of the garden center to being a thoughtful design element.  These options create a world of opportunities. For example, at Urban Spikes we’ve created many tabletop pieces for board rooms and conference rooms that are long, statement arrangements that match the gravitas of the space. Our custom plant arrangements create real impact in how much of a departure they are from a few potted plants, whether for lobbies, seating areas, or executive offices.  If You Can Buy Office Plants from any Garden Center, Why Invest in a Plant Designer? We often see clients who have tried to DIY plants make one of two mistakes. The first is leaving everything up to an office manager. We love working with office managers, many of whom are rockstars at their jobs: managing an office and keeping business going smoothly. Not interior biophilic design.  The second is leaving desk plants up to individual employees themselves. This can lead to clashing décor, conflicts between coworkers, allergy concerns, water damage from improper pot drainage, and care questions when an employee is sick or on vacation.  In the same way that anyone can buy a desk and a chair from IKEA, but not everyone can lay out a stylish, functional office, it’s clear that the best way to invest in plants is through a designer.  Plant designers offer expert guidance tailored to your context: your design sense, your business goals and your budget. We also offer more and better options for everything from plant selection and quality to containers to maintenance. Most big box garden centers (and even some independent stores) are not going out of their way to find the absolute highest quality, which may even mean importing from hand-picked boutique suppliers – we are.  To reap the benefits of biophilia in your office, work with a professional. Higher quality plants and expert interior design will give you the best return on investment.  Office Plant Ideas You Won’t Find Anywhere Else Moss art  Moss art puts greenery on your wall therefore saving square footage, and is a genuinely no-maintenance option. Made from real, preserved moss, you can get benefits such as relaxation and sound absorption with pieces that fit your space perfectly.  Cut succulents Urban Spikes loves to work with succulents, and specializes in cut succulents, which are real plants in unique, sculptural arrangements. Because they are cut they require no maintenance, but still live for several months. The same design can last for years with refreshing of succulents. Or, we can do rotating designs and even seasonal touches.  Working with Urban Spikes on Your Office Plant Design in Dallas-Fort Worth If you need help incorporating plants into your office space, we would love to hear from you. We service companies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and can occasionally accommodate outside of this range for larger commercial contracts. We also collaborate with architects and interior designers. If you are a working professional in the Dallas-Fort Worth area who wants to add biophilic touches through custom plant designs, we can help with your project, whether you are in the planning phases or already furnishing your designs.

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