Indoor Plant Design Trends for 2025
It’s become one of my favorite end of year practices to sit back and reflect on the design trends of the year and look towards what I hope to see more of in the future. Like everything, style and design trends are cyclical– the pendulum is always swinging between minimalism and maximalism and we often borrow inspiration from a time before ours. I know at this point, we’re all painfully familiar with the term ‘microtrends’ but I think a valiant goal in design is to aim for timeless choices that stand to outlive the latest internet obsession. I’m not a scrooge about having fun with and participating in trends though– even if they’re fleeting. Personally, I think the best way to achieve timeless design is to embrace inspiration from wherever you find it but hone in on your personal style and use that to inform your design choices.
Juxtaposition, Pairing Organic and Inorganic Materials
I saw an influx of hyper organic interiors in 2024, cavernous, prehistoric inspired styles punctuated with minimal plant design. I’ve heard this aesthetic called Flintstones Chic which is both hilarious and endearing to me– I love this style personally. But something that I want to see more of in 2025 is actually kind of the antithesis of this style. I’ve been drawn to a harsh juxtaposition between organic and inorganic materials. Using metals, concrete, recycled containers within your plant design. I think this emphasizes the biotic nature of the plants themselves and showcases the philosophy associated with bringing plants into build environments– the harmonious existence of opposites.
Giving Yourself Flowers
Fresh cut flowers are a timeless classic, but I’d love to see people taking more chances with flowering plants indoors this year. I don’t mean the African Violet that’s been thriving in your grandmother’s home for as long as you’ve been alive, but less common flowering plants and modern spins on classics. I feel like there’s a misconception that flowering plants indoors can be a headache, but with just a bit of research, you can find an array of part shade tolerant plants that will thrive inside your home. I’ve been obsessed with Clerodendrum smithianum (Chains of Glory) and been on an absolute orchid kick (on the topic of orchids, please put the ice cubes down. I’m begging you.)
Some of my favorite ways to style flowering plants are with wood and gabion mounts (for orchids and other epiphytes) and wall scone planters.
Plant Art, Installations, and Vertical Gardens
The intersection of plants and art has always been a fascinating one to me. From traditions like Kokedama to green walls, creative biophilic design plays with natural forms to create something simultaneously rooted in its origin and transformed into something completely different. In 2025, I’m looking for more green walls built into spaces, abundant floral and plant art installations. I want to see vertical gardens that mix live and preserved foliage to create really dynamic displays, natural materials like stone and driftwood incorporated into more biophilic design to achieve peak sensory immersion, and I want the line between built environment and the natural world to blur.
Form Focused Plants and Planters
In the same vein, I’m a big believer that plants themselves are art. They naturally take architectural forms and fascinating shapes. This year, I’m hoping to see plant enthusiasts embrace the freaky plants. I want to see weird Bromeliads, fuzzy cacti, dramatic Anthuriums, strategically pruned Schefflera, and the like.
A freaky plant isn’t complete, in my eyes, without a freaky planter. I love planters that emphasize and emulate the plant it's holding in form, color, or texture. I’d love to see a rise in character driven planters in the coming year.
The most important element of plant design concepts and trends are that you love them in your space. Plants are such an amazing way to express and explore your personal style. There’s so many opportunities to take risks, try new things, and make the design completely your own. Let us know what plant design trends you loved from 2024 or what you hope to see more of in the coming year!
Happy Planting,
Kelly