Hip Houseplants [Hardcover]

You've spent thousands of dollars and countless hours transforming your house into a minimalist haven. You won't want to junk it up with tacky houseplants. Still, you think it could use some living greenery, if only for its ionizing properties. Turn to Hip Houseplants, and in the first chapter you'll find ideas for plants that contribute to a minimalist décor: orchids of course, a tuft of isolepis grass in a simple tin container, partridge-breasted aloe. Or maybe your apartment is decorated in retro '70s style--bright plastic dining chairs, starburst wall clock, and the like--but something's missing: the spider plants and the kalanchoe. Florist-to-the-stars Orlando Hamilton's book emphasizes matching plants and containers with their surroundings: What plants look good and thrive in steamy bathrooms? Where should you place a spreading plant, or one with a bold architectural structure? How can you use artificial illumination to spotlight your prized calla lily? In short sections, Hamilton discusses texture, color, leaf shape, pattern, and scent. The listing of 86 hip houseplants and their characteristics, ideal environment (unfortunately, none of these is a shade plant), and maintenance requirements could be used as a shopping list on your next trip to the garden center. --Liana Fredley

Instead of having houseplants that just take up space, why not have houseplants that make the space? A plant stylist whose celebrity clients include Madonna and Sylvester Stallone and whose work has appeared in Elle Decoration, Vogue Italia, and other publications, Hamilton believes that houseplants are "ready for a deserved comeback." He offers a way to look at houseplants as d cor and presents ideas for integrating them into various interiors. Using numerous bold color photographs and a clean layout, Hamilton shows how to incorporate houseplants into contemporary styles such as Mediterranean, fusion, and minimalist. Other sections include color and scent; shape, pattern, and texture; pots and containers; and lighting. Also included are a section on plant maintenance and contact information for many of the items featured in the book. While many other houseplant books discuss how to make houseplants look good, this book focuses on how to make your living space look good with houseplants. Recommended for all public libraries. Pauline Baughman, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In the 1950s, ubiquitous African violets stood like little soldiers in kitschy metal towers. By the 1970s, thick displays of Swedish ivy and spider plants hung in mass profusion for a "living curtain" effect. Those were the houseplant's heydays, and their predictability and overuse caused trendy interior designers to declare them passe. That was then; this is now, and Hamilton declares that houseplants are hip again, especially when showcased in contemporary containers or emphasized under high-tech lighting. Like its outdoor counterpart, successful houseplant horticulture is also a matter of "right plant, right place," but Hamilton goes one step further, extolling the same design principles used by landscape architects to consider color, texture, shape, pattern. Such an approach broadens the scope of houseplant selection options when coordinating hot design trends with dramatic plant accents. Complemented by Hopley's alluring photographs, Hamilton's prose is enlivened by wry good humor, passion, and style. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

In Hip Houseplants, Orlando Hamilton transforms the Cinderella reputation of indoor plants, demonstrating how their chic shapes and living color can complement every stylish interior. The Ultimate Design Accessory: Discover serenely scented plants for bedrooms, scene-stealers for grand entrance halls, and even "desktop ionizers" for home offices. Orlando shows how there is an auspicious plant for every part of the home, including steamy bathrooms and tiny kitchens. He also explains how to match plants to every type of decor. In vivid and inspiring photographs, he presents, for example, elegant palms as an integral part of a sumptuous Moroccan room, and porcelain-delicate orchids as a sublime touch in an Asian Fusion-style setting. Stylish Containers Lit to Perfection: The right container provides the perfect link between a plant and its surroundings. Wooden containers, lacquered bowls, and even kitchen colanders are pressed into service with stunning results. Orlando shows how to use pebbles, stones, and moss as trims and how to highlight plants with dramatic halogen and fiber-optic lighting. With advice on plant care and a useful resource section, Hip Houseplants has everything you need to enhance your interiors with the ultimate in stylish greenery.

Plant stylist Orlando Hamilton spent six years as a florist at Moyses Stevens in the UK before setting up his own business in May 1999. With corporate and celebrity clients such as The Metropolitan Hotel, Vogue, Sylvester Stallone, and Madonna, Orlando is London's hottest new florist. As well as several TV appearances, his work has been featured in a number of magazines including Elle Decoration, Vogue Italia, and Brides. Photographer Jeremy Hopley has worked for many corporate clients and his photographs have featured in leading publications on food, fashion, interiors, gardening, and travel.