Having first wowed interiors in 2013 the design style that brought a relaxing, tropical feel to urban homes with its plethora of plants is here to stay
It’s official! The urban jungle interior design trend has come into its own and is everywhere in 2022. The idea is to create simple, cosy, healthy spaces with plants as the star of the show. Not only does it suit private homes, but also social spaces, such as offices, shops, clubs, schools and universities.
The urban jungle was the brainchild of graphic designer Judith de Graaf and interior blogger Igor Josofovic. Their love of plants turned into a design style that first started trending in 2013. Three years later, a book was published with the same name, sparking the formation of the ‘Urban Jungle Bloggers’ community.
As an interior design style, it started to creep into European homes in 2017 and by 2020 it was on everyone’s lips. It has stayed popular ever since, alongside different trends that have come and gone.
There’s more to creating an urban jungle than merely filling the house with plants. Instead, it’s all about generating harmony and wellbeing by bringing nature inside your home. It helps turn different rooms into healthy, ecological spaces where you can at least compensate for, not necessarily combat, the presence of electronic devices.
Wood is the perfect complement to an urban jungle and other natural fibres such as wicker, rattan and terracotta. Light is essential, of course, for both style and the plants’ survival. A sense of space can be achieved with light or white walls, simple furniture with raw finishes and natural fibres like linen and cotton. Add woven hemp hanging baskets and bamboo accessories.
Plants can also be introduced through leafy and animal prints on bed linen, headboards, curtains, rugs or wallpaper. After that, it’s simply a matter of adding real plants. Despite there being many species to choose from, for their beauty and lush green leaves, must-haves include Banana plants (Musa), Adam’s Rib or Philodendron (Monstera Deliciosa), Radiator plants (Peperomia) and Taro (Colocasia esculenta).
Of course, the urban jungle takes centre stage in the living room, but it also has a place in bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens. If you don’t want a full-on indoor jungle, you can always create a green corner with a few terracotta pots or a corner shelf with trailing plants. For added originality and personality, try arranging hanging plants on walls, stairs or in baskets suspended from the ceiling.
