Going Green

How to Create A Fabulous Living Wall

A living wall is the latest trend, and one that blurs the lines between art, design and gardening. A feature wall in your favourite room is good for your health, psyche and soul. Take inspiration from our floor-to-ceiling living feature wall in the dining room of the Copperfield Chalet L Plan show home. Here’s how we did it:

• Choose the wall you wish to feature. Think about light, furniture placement and how people live and move through the home. This is a wall that you will want to see often and show off to guests, so place it in a favourite space.
• Paint it: Begin by creating a black or forest green backdrop using acrylic paint. Cover the entire wall and allow the paint dry thoroughly.
• Pick the frame: There are several green wall systems on the market. Look for one that is sturdy and modular. The key is to purchase a quality unit. Consider a portable unit that has panels, so that you can add to the design or replace plants easily and when you move, the wall can come with you!
• Secure the panels to the wall. Begin in the upper left corner and work across to the right. Continue installing in a row pattern until the wall is filled.
• Plant it. This is the fun part! Use simple plants or herbs in the wall, ones that can tolerate extremes of temperature and light. Snake Plants, Silver Queen, Spider Plants, Boston Ferns and anything from the Dracaena family are good choices due to their hardy nature. And if the wall is within arm’s reach of the kitchen than imbue it with a collection of delightful fresh herbs – perfect for those culinary masterpieces.
• The low maintenance option: If caring for a wall full of plants seems a little daunting, do what we did! Opt for a modular system with faux greenery. It achieves a similar look, with little effort. Check out the faux greenery wall systems at Amazon.com or Ikea.com for some great ideas.

A living wall equals living art. So let your inner artist out; have fun and play with it!