The Hidden Beauty of Living Walls

These unique designs are more than just pretty to look at.

On the sixth season of Brother vs. Brother, Drew and I competed against each other to make the biggest net profit on our renovations. But I also challenged myself in a big way: to make my home as eco-chic as possible. The pièce de résistance, by all accounts, was the stunning living wall created by San Francisco–based Planted Design. While living walls are traditionally made with flowers and plants, mine also incorporated lots of preserved moss. Throughout the process, Planted Design’s Amanda Goldberg taught me that green walls are more than just a design trend—they’re an incredibly beautiful way to live sustainably. Here’s what else I learned.

Photos courtesy of Planted Design

01

THEY’RE ALL-NATURAL

Moss is picked and preserved in its natural state, and then its base is immersed in a non-toxic, biodegradable preservative to replace its sap. Planted Design, for example, uses a vegetable glycerin with food coloring.

02

THEY’RE ZERO-MAINTENANCE

 

Moss walls require no watering, no pruning, and no rushing home from work to “let the moss out.” Just give yours an occasional dusting to keep it looking so fresh and so green! (Traditional living walls do need to be watered.)

03

THEY CAN BE INSTALLED ANYWHERE

This is an affordable way to make urban spaces—homes, offices, shops, restaurants, even red carpets!—green. Moss walls need to be kept out of direct sunlight (to prevent fading) and rooms where water might get splashed on them.

04

THEY’RE CUSTOMIZABLE

Any shape, size, or color you want, you got it. Spell out your company name, create a gallery wall for your home, combine various shades of moss with colorful flowers—the options are endless.