No Bloom, No Room?

I’ve never shopped at Restoration Hardware, but when their “Outdoor & Garden Spring 2011 Source Book” came in the mail, I instantly noticed the intentional use of green–not colorful blooming–plants.

I have sat on this for a while, not sure if it was worth sharing. Over the past couple months, I have seen a few other things that lead me to believe there may possibly be a trend. I’ll post about the other things I’ve seen in the next few days.

Cover of the 2011 Restoration Hardware Outdoor & Garden Source BookThis catalog’s use of green plants caught my eye.

I throw most “junk mail” out without a second glance, but this one had green plants, photographed beautifully. So I held on to it, and below are a few of the 226 pages that are representative samples of how they used green plants to showcase their outdoor furniture.

That’s right, 226 pages. They have a crazy amount of furniture. I had no idea.

The use of green non-blooming plants could be because they did not want their product upstaged by the landscape. It could be that this is standard architectural/designer shorthand. Or it could be that the designers at Restoration Hardware think that green plants and subtle color is trending.

Restoration Hardware Spread 01How many times have I heard people disparrage “meatball shrubs?”
Restoration Hardware Spread 01The only thing not green is their product. “Reporoduction of a 1950s French antique metal agave has a weathered patina and is planted in a cast iron urn.” $119
Restoration Hardware Spread 01They use succulents as centerpieces frequently.
Restoration Hardware Spread 01
$7,717: that’s what this scene would cost you to own (excluding the plants, the patio and the shipping).
Restoration Hardware Containers 01In addition to the planters, they also list for sale “live boxwood topiaries.” I wonder who these are coming from?
Restoration Hardware Containers 02Of course, the containers cost roughly twice what the boxwoods do.

This is just a few pages from the catalog which looks just like what you see above. Green, green and more green. What’s the take-away? I don’t know, but someone other than me seems to think green plants are cool.

~Art

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