Designer-maker Heather Scott has created a wall-mounted plinth to display plants, working with Falmouth based plant studio and shop Toro. The brief was to change the way that house plants are presented, moving them from floor or tabletop to eye level by somehow affixing them to the wall.
“My inspiration for the Toro plant hanger came from a conversation I had with the owner of the plant studio,” Heather tells Design Geek. “We were talking about the Japanese tradition of displaying accent plants with bonsai trees to accentuate the tree. It got me thinking about how we display plants indoors and how important it is to be surrounded by living things. I wanted to design something that displayed plants in a different way,” she explains, “and that used space that might otherwise go unnoticed. A simple, clever design that lets people bring plants into small spaces.”
The simple, geometric design combines a powder-coated mild steel frame in white, grey or black with an angular, balanced timber shelf in a choice of oak or ash, in a natural or scorched finish. Fixings are kept to a minimum with just two matt black screws, at the top and bottom of the frame.
The shape of the frame was inspired by a simplified outline of a leaf complete with central seam, and holds the timber shelf in position without the need for additional fixings. This allows the timber grain and detailing, such as the chamfered edge, to be fully appreciated, creating an overall statement piece for the home, and all finished with Heather’s minimal brand mark.
The collaboration with Toro, a botanical studio in Cornwall’s Falmouth, was the perfect pairing – the two share a love of Cornwall, all things minimal, as well as the beauty of the plants, all of which inspired the design process.
Although originally intended for plants, Heather is keen to emphasise the multi-functional nature of the piece which also works as a presentation shelf for framed photographs, candles or a spot to keep your keys. And this outlook is also true of Heather’s design process in general, with practicality, usability and longevity at the heart of everything she does.
“My contemporary products and furniture are made to be used. For me it’s all in the detail, the craftsmanship, the honesty,” says Heather. “While I was training in woodwork I was learning the big stuff, mainly working on building sites, larger scale projects and timber framing. When I started designing my own work, I started small, putting together my tableware collection. Since learning to weld and getting into metalwork, everything has started to scale up again.”
Working from her studio on a farm in West Cornwall, Heather creates tableware, home accessories and furniture as well as commissions and collaborations. She recently presented her work at the London Design Fair and when she’s not busy in her workshop, she also participates in local and national fairs and markets, with most pieces being available to buy via her website. Next year Heather is going to start work on a project that’s been in the pipeline for years, building a tiny triangular house near her workshop in Cornwall. “It’s been in the sketchbook of my head for a long time; I’m a bit too excited to actually do it!” Watch this space!
Heather Scott is one of Look Like Love’s ‘One-to Watch’ designers, find out more about her work here. Photography Credit: Victoria May Harrison
