When interior stylist-turned-indoor plant stylist Suzy Coassin moved to New York with her family in 2016, she had no idea that lots of New Yorkers were hiding a dirty, leafy secret: they were busying themselves in the freezing winter months by growing indoor jungles! From that moment, the idea for her Instagram account – MomAgency – was born, allowing Suzy to share her love of modern Bohemian-styled homes with a healthy dose of plant decor with the masses.
MomAgency proved to be a hit, boasting an online community of 90K+ followers and growing. When Suzy returned to Sydney, she brought her renewed appreciation for indoor plant styling with her and co-created online plant delivery service Captain Monstera with her business partner, Lara Beesley. The two keep busy finding the next beautiful ‘it’ pot and reforming self-appointed black thumbs.
This week on the Journal, we caught up with Suzy to grill her on her top interior styling tips, favourite plant accessories, and how anyone can transform their space into a thriving, green-themed abode.
For those of us just dipping our toes in the world on styling with plants, what’s the key consideration to keep in mind?
When styling with plants to create a strong visual impact, you need to remember plants are better with friends.
A group or cluster of plants adds much more punch than if one plant was sitting on its own.
This applies to all arrangements and display areas – for example, the same ‘cluster’ rule applies with plant shelfie styling. Create impact with two or more trailing plants to add drama to your shelf. It is best to group together different types of plants to inject interest and personality. Let each plant shine!
How important are accessories and props for styling your plants?
Accessories play a huge role in styling your plants! They compliment your personality and add to your interior style, which ensures everything in the space looks harmonious – including your plants.
Books, plant stands, side tables, stools, bar carts (yes, bar carts), pots and hanging planters all contribute to your overall look. It’s good to use a combination of accessories while plant styling so that you can create varying heights with your plants. For example, a smaller plant can sit front and centre on a vintage stool, with a larger plant sitting behind can feature as a backdrop.
What mistakes do most people make when styling their houseplants?
When the plants’ environment within the home isn’t considered, people are very likely to run into issues. For successful plant growth, you need to look at factors such as how much light that specific plant requires. Most popular indoor plants (like monsteras, rubber plants, and devil’s ivy) like bright, indirect light to thrive – but some can tolerate low light, too, depending on the home and region. So it’s always critical to do your research before buying, and speaking with your local nursery to get the correct advice before jumping in if unsure.
If you had to choose just one thing, what would be your top tip for styling with indoor plants?
Consider the style of the home when you are plant styling, and communicate your style through your pots or planters.
Pots are often forgotten in the process, but colour, shape, size or even a quirky face planter can make all the difference to the overall look.
To catch more of that green goodness in your feed, follow MomAgency and Captain Monstera on Instagram – you’ll be inspired to give your home a green makeover in no time!
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