There are four small but sturdy pillars with suction cups emerging from the planting tub to support a 6mm tempered glass sheet. This shelf acts as a functional tabletop while allowing for a see-through design that reveals unique collections of flowers, succulents, or other appropriately sized, air-purifying plants. The suction cups secure the glass tabletop while also allowing for easy removal when you want to water the plants, add fertilizer, or replant your collection.
The rationale for creating this unique addition to the biophilic home was to diversify ways that homeowners can incorporate plants into home interiors. The company's website explains numerous species of stunning plants and limitless ways to arrange them. But the founders think there are reduced options for creating spaces for indoor plants. "BloomingTables was born out of the idea that beautiful plants deserve beautiful homes"—a hypothesis with which we agree. BloomingTables recently completed a successful Kickstarter campaign, which will allow them to begin manufacturing these tables shortly.
Benefits of a BloomingTable
Saves Space
Not everyone has the necessary space to fill every corner of their home with beautiful plants. We have witnessed the growth in tiny houses' popularity, shipping container homes, and other sustainable housing alternatives. As homeowners seek to limit square footage as a strategy to reduce the embodied energy footprint of their homes, space is at a premium. There are dozens of unique and creative ways to incorporate creative storage space in smaller homes, and multifunctional furniture is often a staple in households looking to maximize the livability of reduced areas.
The BloomingTable is an excellent option for people who want to add flowers and plants to their homes but have constraints. Some homeowners may not have the space for traditional pots and planters. Others may have space but want to incorporate more plants into their day-to-day living. Possibly others might not want to deal with the disorderliness that often accompanies traditional planters.
Plants are Good for Your Health
If Edward Wilson's hypothesis is correct, we human beings are genetically wired to be at our best when surrounded by the natural world. The problem is that more than eight out of every ten people in the United States live in urban areas where concrete is more prevalent than living soil. Buildings outnumber trees, and the starry night sky is overshadowed and outshone by the city's bright lights.
Many observable and quantifiable mental and physical health benefits come with being exposed to the natural world. The recent "Nature Challenge" study conducted in the U.K. found that "there was a scientifically significant increase in people's health (and) happiness" when being around the natural world.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation explains that plants emit airborne chemicals, called phytoncides, to protect themselves from insects. These airborne chemicals are called phytoncides, which have antibacterial and antifungal qualities. They are helpful to plants in fighting disease. When we breathe in phytoncides, "our bodies respond by increasing the number and activity of a type of white blood cell called natural killer cells or NK. These cells kill tumor- and virus-infected cells in our bodies."
Even in our homes, air-purifying plants or natural air purifying systems can improve our moods and allow us to breathe cleaner, healthier air. Green facades, native vegetation landscaping, and green roofs are ways to turn backyards into thriving, bio-diverse ecosystems that are simultaneously good for nature and even better for our health and wellbeing.
