How the Renowned Magpies Waitara Used Fake Plants to Refresh the Space

After expanding the original building to six times its original size, the Magpies Waitara became a defining feature in the town’s skyline. Today, everyone in Waitara knows of the Magpies, and so they still have big shoes to fill.
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Project Location

New South Wales, Australia

Application:

Commercial Venue

Products used:

Key Outcome:

  • Achieved a venue refresh
  • Offset the warm ambiance
  • Highlighted the intricacy of the bar
  • Created a focal point at the entrance
  • Facilitated the flow between the indoors and outdoors

Before & After Transformation

While the venue has gone through many renovations since its establishment in 1979, the team and the members are constantly on the lookout for new decor to refresh the space.

After some time, they noticed the space looked a bit lackluster. The neutral color palette didn’t lend well to a focal point because no feature really stood out. And since the team invested time and money into the elaborate bar and interior design, they thought it should get more attention.

Since this was a bigger project, our team needed a few days to complete it. When they finished, the combination of faux hanging plants and the strategically placed faux green walls contrasted the tones of the space so well that you’d think the structure was built to accommodate them.

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The Client Challenge

The Magpies Waitara staff deliberated about what to do to uplift the ambiance of the venue and attract even more events and celebrations. They thought of adding metal or glass accessories around the bar, but that would detract from the metal detailing on the bar and the dining area.

After looking for some inspiration on the Internet and turning to professional interior designers, the staff decided on - greenery. Artificial greenery, to be precise. And that was Designer Plants’ curtain call.

The Design Objective

The Magpies Waitara team individually searched for decor inspiration with foliage to visualize the change. They dug deep into Instagram, Pinterest, and design blogs to determine what it is they want.

Luckily for us, they came across our Instagram page, looked through some of our pics, and noticed a trend. Everyone from the staff admired the artificial hanging plants, so they started with our faux hanging garland collection.

On the one side, there were so many choices that they were excited about the prospects. On the other side, there were so many choices, how could they possibly choose the right one?

This is when they contacted Designer Plants and talked to us on the phone.

The Solution

We went back and forth a few times until they decided on a mix of Nearly Real Artificial Philodendron Hanging Bush and Artificial Hanging Pearls. But, our team also noticed another area that might benefit from faux foliage - the entrance to the hallway.

For this wall, we recommended the Luxury Tropical Vista Artificial Vertical Garden to complement the sunny location. The team accepted our suggestion and we got to work.

Installation Approach

Even though our faux green walls are easy to install on any surface, the Magpies Waitara is busy all year round and doesn’t have time to do a DIY installation. But, of course, this wasn’t a problem for the Designer Plants team, as we work with builders and installers who come and do the job for you.

We installed the Luxury Tropical Vista Artificial Vertical Garden on the walls that served as the entrance to the hallway. Before adding the green wall, the walls were blank and boring. Now, the fauxliege created a natural flow from the outside to the inside and provided something nice to look at while visitors walked around.

A larger scale of this same faux green wall panel model found its place near the main door to set the mood and guide the expectations of people entering.

For the bar, the focal point of the venue, we mixed the two chosen faux hanging plant types and encircled the entire structure. We hung them from the railings and covered the bland metal support beams. We used many pieces of artificial hanging bushes and clustered them together until we got the ideal coverage and lushness.

The Result

The combination of faux hanging plants and the strategically placed faux green walls contrasted the tones of the space so well that you'd think the structure was built to accommodate them. With the soft backlighting shining behind them, the artificial garlands proved a beautiful addition to the tasty drinks and the bartender's cocktail shaker tricks.

Why Artificial Greenery Worked So Well

We’ve talked about the benefits of artificial plants for businesses, and we were able to see them in action during this project. The faux green walls look realistic, but they won’t pester the employees for water, trimming, or pruning. They also won’t shed their leaves and cause the area to need regular sweeping and mopping.

The Magpies Waitara team can enjoy the beauty of the greenery just like their guests and clean it only by spraying some water and dusting it. We received many a compliment from the members and are excited to see whether Designer Plants can fit in their future decorating projects.

Practical Tips

- For a bar or structural feature, mix multiple types of faux hanging garlands and cluster them together until you get the ideal coverage and lushness — hang them from railings and use them to cover bland metal support beams.

- For the entrance area, a larger scale of the same panel model near the main door sets the mood and guides the expectations of people entering.

- The faux green walls won't shed their leaves and cause the area to need regular sweeping — clean only by spraying some water and dusting.

Related Products & Inspiration

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Planning a residential or commercial greenery transformation? Speak with Designer Plants about premium artificial green walls, privacy screening, and custom greenery solutions.