Conceptually, ‘bringing the outdoors in’ sounds like a great idea. Practically, not so much. While the aesthetic and wellbeing value of this design methodology provides a compelling reason to adopt it, the logistics make us think twice. But that hasn’t stopped a certain group of people from innovating their way around this dilemma.
Germany based brand, styleGREEN, was started by two individuals intrigued by the challenge of bringing nature into the spaces we live in through a sustainable and creative solution. Their core mission is to create natural, green art that requires no maintenance. Seeing potential and strong demand in the Middle East for their biophilic design solutions, UAE-based bespoke furniture manufacturer, Plumsheep, partnered with styleGREEN to take their products to a whole new level. The creative synergy between the two brands, and Plumsheep’s strong regional manufacturing capability, has resulted in a suite of refreshing products, one of which is Deevar, that we are reviewing today.
Designed by styleGREEN to be a zero maintenance solution for your biophilic design needs, Deevar is a wall of living moss or green plants, or a careful selection of both, presented in a high quality architectural vertical installation. Just the presence of a single unit in a space is enough to change its ambience. We constantly had to remind ourselves not to touch it and accidentally ruin the product.
Deevar is a simple yet striking product that places organic living components into a contemporarily crafted structure. As a standalone product, it serves well as a subdivider for large open spaces, and also as an architectural element. There’s an unmistakable Scandinavian vibe about Deevar, yet it leaves aside the minimal aspect of Scandinavian design. Deevar makes a statement no matter where it’s placed in a room.
“Beyond its visual delight and unique natural feel, we intended Deevar to have strong wellness and sustainability based values at its core,” says Mriganka Travasso, Founder and Partner at Plumsheep. “Because the core product is natural and the structure can be produced locally, its value goes beyond the aesthetics.” On top of its application to biophilic design, what we found incredibly useful is the level of customisation that you can achieve with Deevar. A fun perk is being able to dye styleGREEN’s reindeer moss in nearly any colour. “We quite enjoy working with designers and clients to customise the look and feel of this freestanding wall to match the project’s theme,” says Mriganka.
The plants and moss used in Deevar are harvested from certified farms that follow sustainable practices, ensuring the health and longevity of the environment that it grows in. Furthermore, the leaves that are used come from a range of plants – Brilliant fern, Papyrus, Populus, Pittosporum, flat and pole moss.
The moss itself is preserved using glycerine while all water content is taken out – a process that ensures the moss remains in its natural state yet free from bugs or other issues that regular planters have to deal with. The entire plant collection is hosted within a primarily wood (or alternate) frame structure that is capable of holding its own as a standalone wall.
Plants have such great benefits in a space, and some benefits that can often be overlooked, such as increased acoustic quality. So in addition to sprucing up a section of the office, you can improve the acoustic quality of the space as well. This is more important than it sounds; acoustic value is a huge component to the design of a high performing environment. A space doesn’t have to only look good but feel good too.
Deevar certainly elevates the experience of the space. It’s relaxing to the eyes and adds an additional sensory dimension to how we perceive interior spaces. But the real icing on the cake is the scent – you can request to infuse Deevar with natural scents to really take that biophilic design factor to the next level! We wouldn’t be surprised to see coworkers arguing over spots closest to these green walls.
Valeria: It’s a visually stunning product. The texture makes the colours almost pop, and it’s so nice and beautiful to look at. I can definitely see it being used in a range of settings, even large open spaces. I can’t help but want to run my hands over it! I think products like this have really started to shine in the post-COVID era, where we’ve been indoors for so long that we crave being outside.
Wellness is an important consideration for clients and designers today. Products that can achieve these goals go a long way. What I find even more impressive is that it’s not just a pretty frame – it contributes to the acoustic and biophilic properties as well!
Maria: It’s such a great product with a range of benefits. It would make my job so much easier because it goes in a range of environments and the specifications are so simple and straightforward. The look, feel, and smell add a whole new sensory dimension to the space. The customisation part is great, but I love how you can still retain the product’s ethos.
The acoustic quality and the ability to dye the reindeer moss in any color are definitely points I’d highlight to a client. The design is so good it makes you wonder if it’s real or not. It definitely has a positive effect on your mental health and adds warmth to the space.
Facilities teams, don’t raise your hands just yet! We’re well aware of the cost, effort, and time it takes to maintain living products. Keeping that in mind, Deevar and its sister products are built to be entirely maintenance-free – the greenery does not need to be watered as it lives on the moisture in the air. hence it is important for it to be in controlled environments, mainly indoors. It goes one step further as well – the antistatic quality of the plants means that it remains dust free throughout its life. This also allows it to be included in more spaces than just the office, such as restaurants, clinics and even schools. It ultimately serves to liven up any space it is present in.
The modular aspect of Deevar’s design adds to the customizability of the product. It can be framed in different shapes and sizes, requires virtually no effort to install, and can be moved with ease. Standard frames that are available are aluminium (black or silver) and wood, but the latter is definitely a more popular option owing to its natural look.
Plants and other live products are a great way to achieve the points needed for LEED and WELL certifications. They add aesthetic value, improve acoustic quality and add that feel good component in a space. Another bonus of Deevar is that it is assembled locally, which cuts down on logistics, adding more green points under your belt. However, even if you were not looking to get certified, Deevar would still be a product worth investing in.
Preserved plants, zero maintenance, locally assembled, and easily customisable. This is one review where we really struggled to find aspects to criticise.
Deevar is truly a unique product and ideal, not only from a design perspective, but from an overall project point of view as well. Regional projects are becoming so much more demanding; the general expectation is for the work to be done at half the cost but double the speed). Keeping this in mind, a product like Deevar ticks so many boxes, and would serve well on projects that require biophilic design components that are easy to install, easy to maintain, and of course, easy on the eyes.
Valeria: The sustainable elements of Deevar are what make me appreciate it more. The fact that it is zero maintenance is the icing on the cake. I like how you can just install it in no time and it’ll fit right in. I would love to see this in lobbies. It’s a great way to greet people entering a space – with natural greenery and warmth. Absolutely love it!
Maria: It’s great if you want to add character to the room but don’t want to specify another piece of furniture or painting. Bonus points because it helps you achieve LEED and WELL certifications too. I think integrating lighting elements into it is a great touch. I can see it fitting well in so many F&B environments.
