How Urban Spikes consults with clients to craft residential plant designs, with a personal touch

How Urban Spikes consults with clients to craft residential plant designs, with a personal touch

by Courtney Goldberg in News

When we work on residential designs, we know everything is personal. Your home is where you are most free to express yourself, where you spend time relaxing, hosting and entertaining, and being with your family. 

Residential design is where founder Courtney got her start, as she was looking for something to improve how her own home felt. Plant arrangements became a key element of her interior design, as something beautiful and unique that elevated her space. 

We know what a difference the right plant designs can make, and approach every residential consultation with intention and attention to detail . We spend our time getting to know you, your aesthetic and your home to create a distinctive design vision that transforms and elevates your space. Here’s how we approach residential plant design consultations to create beautiful, tailored spaces for our Dallas clients. 

Initial Consultation & Defining Your Design Goals 

The first thing we do after potential residential botanical design clients reach out is set up a complimentary, initial consultation. We want to understand who you are, and we also want you to get to know us and what we bring to the table. 

Finding the right fit between client and designer is an essential part of the process, particularly in residential design, where each space is deeply personal. While our work spans a wide range of styles and botanical design possibilities, the initial consultation gives you an opportunity to explore our approach, get to know our aesthetic, and determine whether our design expertise aligns with the vision you have for your home. 

As we conclude the initial consultation, we dedicate time to addressing any remaining questions and ensuring there is a clear understanding of the project scope, design objectives, and overall process. Should you choose to move forward, we will provide a detailed outline of the next steps and what to expect as we transition into the design phase. 

Visiting our Dallas showroom and gathering inspiration

Once a residential client begins working with Urban Spikes, they are welcomed into our Dallas showroom for a personalized design experience. This provides an opportunity to explore our work firsthand, discuss the creative direction for their home, and experience a curated selection of planters, plants, materials, and botanical design styles in person.

Throughout the showroom consultation, we guide clients through a variety of design possibilities, demonstrating how different vessels, plant varieties, textures, finishes, and botanical elements can be thoughtfully combined. This collaborative process allows clients to gain inspiration, refine their preferences, and better visualize how each element can be integrated into their home to create a cohesive and highly personalized design.

This is also an opportunity to spark new ideas and explore possibilities that may not have been considered.For example, while we work with live plants and have plenty in our showroom, we can also walk through faux options. Our clients are often surprised by how difficult it can be to tell what’s real and what’s faux when walking through our spaces, giving them a firsthand look at just how far the faux industry has come.

Clients can explore a variety of completed designs and curated examples to better understand the range of possibilities while giving our team valuable insight into their personal style and preferences. Because our Dallas showroom features both ready-made botanical arrangements and custom pieces currently in development for other projects, it also offers a unique opportunity to experience our craftsmanship, materials, and design approach firsthand. 

By the end of your visit, you’ll have a deeper understanding of the possibilities within botanical design and custom plant arrangements, a more defined vision for your space, and a clear understanding of how our team can bring that vision to life. 

*Our commercial clients are also welcome to come to our store for design consultation. 

Visiting your home

The next step is an in-home consultation, allowing our team to experience your space firsthand and better understand its architecture, lighting, scale, existing furnishings, and overall design aesthetic.

With extensive experience designing for residences throughout Dallas, we bring a thoughtful, experienced eye to each home—identifying opportunities to elevate the space through carefully considered plant selections, placement, scale, and botanical design. Our goal is to ensure every element feels intentional, cohesive, and naturally integrated into your home.

During the site visit, we’ll provide thoughtful, transparent recommendations based on the unique characteristics of your home, including what will work best within the space and any practical limitations we identify. We consider every detail—from how you naturally move through and use each area to natural light exposure, architectural features, existing furnishings, and décor—to ensure our recommendations are both visually impactful and thoughtfully integrated into your home. 

If you’re working with an architect or interior designer on a new build, remodel or home update, we can collaborate directly with your design team during this phase to ensure our approach aligns with the broader vision for your home. By reviewing architectural plans, mood boards, material selections, and other design concepts, we can develop a cohesive botanical plan that thoughtfully complements the architecture, interiors, and overall aesthetic of the space.

Solving problems with plants

As we move through your home, we take the time to identify not only your design style and design sense, but what you like and what works for you as well as what doesn’t. At Urban Spikes, during this early phase, we have always an eye on two factors:

  • How can we improve existing designs and highlight the best of what is already in your space? For example, adding strategic colorful accents with plants that support larger neutral design choices like furniture and wall color. 

  • How can we solve problems in your home with plants? For example, maybe you want to camouflage plug sockets on the patio, or brighten up an interior room with low light. Maybe you just don’t know what to do with that awkward corner by the entryway - plant design can help.

As the consultation phase comes to a close, our team will have already begun translating everything we’ve learned about your home, style, and vision into thoughtful design concepts. From there, we transition seamlessly into the design phase, where those initial ideas begin to take shape.

Transitioning to design

After taking the time to understand you, your personal style, and the vision you have for your home—and experiencing the space firsthand—we transition into the development of your custom design proposal. This is where everything gathered throughout the consultation process begins to come together into a thoughtful and cohesive botanical design plan. 

If you’re interested in working with Urban Spikes, start by visiting our gallery to explore more of our work and get a sense of what’s possible. Then, reach out to us to schedule a complimentary consultation and take the first step toward bringing your vision to life.

Tags: interior plant design

Related Posts

Best No and Low-Maintenance Greenery Solutions for Office, Corporate and Hospitality Settings

Best No and Low-Maintenance Greenery Solutions for Office, Corporate and Hospitality Settings

While live plants are great, they aren’t the only option to improve indoor spaces with greenery. Whether you need something hypoallergenic or low-light friendly, or want to minimize maintenance costs, you can still have an impressive plant design while working within your limitations.  Today, we’ll walk through three popular options for incorporating plants without high upkeep, and cover a case study where our clients installed a stunning plant design while keeping maintenance costs down.  Artificial indoor plants: Not your mother’s faux Many people have an outdated idea of what faux plants look like and can be hesitant about working with faux for aesthetic reasons. As plant designers who use both real and artificial plants, we can say with confidence: faux looks amazing in 2026.  In fact, we often have people into our space to go over options and not realize they’ve been seeing faux plants throughout our studio. You can now get an enormous array of faux, from agave to hyperrealistic silk orchids, and even potted trees.  But while there’s not a big gap in what faux vs real plants look like, there is a big difference in what solutions they bring to your space. Live plants need specific growing conditions, which means it may not be possible to use them throughout your office, hotel or restaurant. But faux can withstand conditions normal plants cannot, from very high traffic to no natural light.  And while live plants require maintenance, including pruning, rotating, watering, and pest control, faux is the only true “no-maintenance” option.  Faux mixed with real plants can also be a “best of both worlds” solution. Mixing can help you create a cohesive design across a space where some conditions may be favorable and some may not be, and can cut down on maintenance as well.  Not sure how to approach mixing real and faux plants? Read on.  Moss walls and moss art: Real plants, no maintenance Moss walls are made from real moss that’s been harvested and preserved, so you get the benefits of having natural materials in your space without the upkeep. They also take up no square footage, making them ideal for smaller spaces.  Moss walls and art can range from huge custom pieces that are fitted against an entire wall to smaller, framed works. And they can include far more than moss – preserved wood, faux succulents, and even corporate logos can be included in moss art.  Best of all for those with maintenance concerns, moss walls only require gentle dusting, so you can enjoy real plants for many years with very little effort.  While there are many upsides, moss isn’t right for every space. It needs to stay out of direct sunlight and direct blasts from heating or cooling vents. And it is delicate, so it will not fare well in high-traffic areas.  Thinking about incorporating moss walls or moss art into your commercial interior? Read on. Cut succulents: Beautiful designs that last for months At Urban Spikes, our cut succulent designs are extremely popular for a reason.  These displays are real plants with stones, preserved wood, sand, decorative crystals, and more. They are showstoppers that elevate any space as a centerpiece, as an accent in a lobby, on tables in conference rooms, and at reception desks.  They are a different and interesting take on a plant design and offer a more sustainable and longer-lasting alternative to cut flowers.  Cut succulents last for months due to the plants’ unique abilities to hold moisture. And just before they start to wilt, our team can either replace individual succulents, leaving you with a refreshed design, or we can swap out your entire centerpiece for a new display. This process is quick and easy, and happens every couple of months, without any additional maintenance needs in-between. We can do custom designs, and also offer a limited number of premade pieces here in Dallas, both with cut succulents and faux.  Explore our cut succulent designs.    Case Study: Gilly’s Clubhouse Gilly’s Clubhouse is an upscale sports bar with three floors - two stories for the clubhouse and the third for the agave bar. Gilly’s and their design firm had ambitious plans for adding plants throughout for a dynamic, cohesive look that offered guests something different than the usual.  For this project, faux was essential. As we discussed Gilly’s needs, it was clear that the traffic they experience would be challenging for real plants. And, for the rooftop bar, the glass roof with direct sun would fry indoor plants in the summer, while Detroit winters would subsequently freeze outdoor plants.  To give them a botanic touch for the first and second floors, we used Dracaenas in built-in planters to create subtle separation between booths, while being low enough not to block screens for sports viewing.  The third-floor agave bar gave an opportunity for more creativity, bringing in a dessert inspiration through Saguaro cactus, Bunny Ear cactus and agave layered to highlight different areas within the bar and reinforce the theme. Faux was key here for our use or Pepperberry vines woven overhead to soften the glass ceiling, something that wouldn’t have been possible with real plants. For continuity we introduced Cycas palms both to the entrance patio and to the outdoor section of the rooftop, giving privacy without obstructing the views of Detroit. Again, faux made for low-maintenance as Gilly’s do not have to worry about moving plants indoors for the winter. One unexpected feature of Gilly’s is now the restroom in the agave bar, which we outfitted with faux foliage of Sword Ferns, Calathea, Sedum, Rubber Plants and Hoya woven through a custom steel grid. This gives the feeling that the plants are growing vertically towards the mirrors – an unexpected moment of delight for patrons. Working with Urban Spikes Whether you are looking for real plants, faux, moss, low-light options, low-maintenance varietals or a creative design that meets the needs of several different spaces while maintaining continuity, Urban Spikes would love to hear from you.  We help clients in the Dallas - Ft Worth area and beyond find stylish solutions for their commercial and residential spaces through elevated plant design. We supply the highest quality faux and real plants, and through our maintenance programs and the strength of our relationships can be a long-term partner for your business. Contact us today to find out more. 

Learn more
Moss wall décor: The perfect punctuation for retail, offices, receptions, hotels and wellness spaces

Moss wall décor: The perfect punctuation for retail, offices, receptions, hotels and wellness spaces

When elevating a commercial interior, botanical elements are an excellent way to introduce warmth, texture, and visual interest. Whether used as a focal point or subtle accent, greenery brings a polished, finished look to a space. Fortunately, achieving this aesthetic doesn't always require live plants. Moss art and moss walls are an overlooked option for commercial décor that more businesses here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area could use. Because they are made of perfectly preserved moss, they are low-maintenance and long-lasting, providing an economical option without sacrificing style.  As experts in commercial indoor plant designs including moss walls, here are some ideas about how and why to elevate your space with moss.  Moss Walls and Moss Art: A Beautiful, Functional Upgrade to Your Commercial Space Moss walls are often large-scale plant installations that are designed to integrate seamlessly into the existing architecture of a space. They are statement pieces that pack a visual punch. Moss art is a smaller, more flexible application of moss that can be hung or installed across just part of a wall.  Both options add dimension, texture and character to your space, but not every design with moss is created equal. Here’s how we use them in different commercial places as plant designers. Retail Moss art is a great addition to retail spaces when strategically placed. We love putting moss underneath shelves to emphasize display merchandise and draw people’s eyes up and across a room. Moss art can also be a great addition to waiting areas, including any seating, dressing rooms, or behind registers.  One reason we recommend moss in retail spaces is it can shift the mood and experience of shoppers. Moss can add a sense of calm and relaxation to your space, which can increase shoppers’ willingness to spend. And projecting an image of a well-designed, thoughtful and upscale retail space may also influence how customers perceive your goods.  Offices While we have designed many office spaces with a variety of plant installations, including office plants, executive and conference room arrangements, container designs and more, moss art is a great choice here.  Because preserved moss needs no sun, it can be an easy addition to interior corridors or conference rooms with little natural light. These spaces often benefit the most from extra greenery. Moss’s texture and material absorbs noise so this has the double benefit of making a space quieter.  In addition, moss installations add a sense of gravitas to your office, or bring out the fun ethos of your company. Because we create custom pieces, we can reflect your corporate values through our designs.  Reception If you are a property manager or otherwise responsible for the reception space, larger moss walls give a stunning first impression in a lobby. They are perfectly suited to withstand changes in temperature and humidity that may affect living plants, and are a focal point that’s something different from a standard abstract painting.  Bringing in natural materials can provide contrast to sleek modern receptions, or perfectly complement buildings already outfitted with woods and natural materials. Whatever your style, they add a sense of warmth and welcome, and a little bit of awe, when done as a custom piece.  Hotels From stunning pieces in quiet alcoves, moody greens that provide drama to a lobby, or a feature wall in a grand staircase, moss wall décor is a fresh twist on art for hotels.  Because moss absorbs sound, using moss art can help create a luxurious quiet, and playing with scale, texture and proportion can bring an upscale feel to any space. By completing the interior décor of your hotel with moss as a botanical touch, you may be increasing your guests' positive experience there, and could influence willingness to recommend and return to your hotel.  But only if executed correctly.  “Simply putting a potted plant or a simple patch of moss on the wall is not enough to provide the lifting experience that many are seeking from this [biophilic] design philosophy,” said Larry Traxler, senior vice president for Hilton Global Design.  Instead, pieces need to fit the ethos of your hotel and blend in other natural materials for a cohesive experience – exactly what Urban Spikes works to provide in our moss designs and custom installations.  Wellness With natural materials adding a sense of calm, moss art and moss installations create an amazing atmosphere in wellness spaces. Using a custom plant design, you can suggest anything from valuing holistic approaches to your cutting-edge methods.  We have worked in spas, receptions for cosmetic or boutique wellness clinics, medical practices, yoga studios, and more. In our work with moss, we can tailor each piece to match your existing décor and to the impression you want to give to your guests.  Want more than a moss wall for your commercial space? Explore our suite of commercial plant design services.  Moss walls vs living walls Living walls are live plants that are arranged vertically, whereas moss walls are preserved moss that is used artistically to create a piece of art or wall covering.  “Moss walls” might be a bit of an oversimplification, though. We incorporate more than moss into our work, and can include preserved wood, crystals, high-quality faux succulents, and more including a range of framing options. We can also use a spectrum of colors and textures of moss for varied designs.  Moss installations are low-maintenance and can last for many years. Living walls require pruning, rotation, watering, soil checks, pest control, and more. They are heavier and can only be placed where living plants will thrive. But they are alive, and bring their own biophilic benefits.  Benefits of moss walls vs live plants: Very little upkeep with no plant maintenance costs: No watering, pruning or plant rotation No need for particular light or temperature conditions, except to be out of direct sun and away from air vents Resilient to changes in weather and the seasons, great for our Texas climate Although delicate, smaller moss art can be moved with careful packing and transportation Easier on your building:  No risk of water damage with moss walls or worrying about irrigation No permanent changes to walls for moss art No need for additional light installations  No above average structural requirements for smaller moss art There is no right answer to moss walls vs living walls for your space. They are each beautiful features that can create a showstopping feature or pop of life to a commercial space. The best way to understand what will work for you is to speak with an interior plant design specialist, who can understand your needs and make a professional recommendation.  Why you need a professional plant designer for moss wall design and installation While it may seem easy enough to take inspiration from professional moss work and do things yourself, there are many reasons to work with a professional.  You are giving your business, employees and customers the respect they deserve by hiring a professional. You will get better quality, better design and a genuine improvement in your space.  You are meeting an expectation of excellence, especially if the rest of your office, hotel, or retail store is finished to a high standard. Art and biophilic installations can be masterpieces, but if they look DIY’ed and are poorly designed, they will cheapen your space.  You will avoid surprises costs, while getting access to professional-grade materials. We work with the best moss available, from our professional suppliers. The moss you can find at craft stores or even premade moss pieces you may stumble across at homeware stores is mass-produced and not designed to last. Poor quality means you will have to replace sooner, wasting your budget.  You are investing in design, not a one-off accent piece. Working with a professional like Urban Spikes means you are adding plants in an intentional way. We have improved all kinds of commercial spaces and have ideas and expertise that will add depth, dimension and function to your space in the long run.  If you are a business owner, building or office manager interested in working with Urban Spikes for moss installations, we would love to hear from you. We offer personalized consultations and custom moss designs that will perfectly compliment your existing architecture and décor.If you are an architect or designer, we can work with you to add moss features to your projects so you can incorporate moss into your work without having to execute and install pieces yourself. Read more about our collaborative process here and let us know you are interested in adding biophilic design touches to your next space by contacting us today.  

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

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

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.  More information for designers Our commercial services Our gallery  

Learn more