What is stabilized moss
In Europe and America, stabilized moss has long been recognized as a stylish and incredibly effective decorative element in the interior. It is an ordinary moss (moss, Scandinavian, sphagnum), which was grown in nature and then preserved. During preservation, the natural juice from the plant is removed, replacing it with glycerin or another liquid with similar properties.
Greens can remain in this form for up to 4-10 years, maintaining their attractive appearance and softness, but without growth and development. It can be left green or painted in a suitable color, and then used for design purposes.
Who came up with it?
And the Norwegians! Moreover, it was 10 years ago, when such an installation was presented at a London exhibition. Fans of eco-style were delighted, and the idea instantly resonated. But it only recently reached the interiors of ordinary people.
There is no need to worry - although the moss for large structures is alive, it is properly processed, so it will not bring cockroaches into your home.
Advantages of raw materials
Stabilized moss is a universal material that is suitable for decorating any room, for creating panels, clocks, inscriptions, large paintings or covering entire walls. Other advantages of phytoraw materials are:
- naturalness, environmental friendliness - moss panels are a natural material, they do not emit toxins, do not provoke allergies;
- lack of odor - the moss remains in “anabiosis” and decorates the walls without emitting any aroma;
- durability - the plant does not rot, does not turn yellow, decorations with its participation last for a long time, and retain their bright color;
- easy care - the material is very easy to use, you don’t even need to water it, and bacteria, mold, and fungus do not multiply in it.
How was it made?
To create moss walls, designers use canned or stabilized moss. It is coated with a special solution that prevents rot, mold and bacteria from growing, and is glued onto an MDF panel. Simply put, it is moss in which biological processes are stopped, but at the same time it retains the color and fluffiness of a living plant.
This phytowall is durable and hypoallergenic, absorbs excess moisture from the room, it does not need to be watered, just sprinkled from time to time. But you need to protect it from children and pets - such moss easily causes food poisoning.
You can make a wall or pattern yourself, using, in addition to stabilized moss, dry or artificial moss.
But walls and panels are not the only type of decor made from moss. Various paintings, inscriptions, silhouettes, photo frames and furniture decor, and even rugs and lampshades are actively used in the interior! Interior details using stabilized, dry or artificial moss can be combined with compositions from living plants.
Florists advise using moss to decorate glass containers, trays, create flowerpots and compositions in vases.
Stabilized moss in the interior
Preserved plants can take on any shade, so they are suitable for any interior.
Wall
A phytowall using stabilized moss looks amazing. It’s pleasant to run your hand over it, because it’s soft, smooth, silky. Typically, phytowalls are made from special panels, the base of which is MDF, and plants are placed on top.
Phytowall can have various sizes and shapes. Designers even create green figures and three-dimensional installations. Such designs provide excellent sound insulation and insulate the room. The most interesting look are phytowalls interspersed with twigs, pebbles, and other natural materials.
Painting
The cost of paintings made from stabilized moss is an order of magnitude lower than the price of an entire phytowall. They are collected from pieces of preserved plants, presented in natural colors or painted in different shades. Landscapes, forest motifs, and interesting modular designs are best made from this material. They are mounted above a soft area in the living room, above the bed, in the kitchen and even in the bathroom.
Panel
Panels made from stabilized vegetation are multi-colored canvases, parts of which are painted in different shades. Unlike paintings, panels are most often not placed in a frame. The elements on them are arranged so that they form a pattern, ornament, design.
Usually, when creating a panel, only one zone is made bright, while the rest are decorated in more muted colors. The structures can be small and dimensional, vertical and horizontal, they can even be attached to protruding corners in the room. Multi-textured panels made from several types of moss look unusual.
Vertical gardening
This type of landscaping is perfect for rooms decorated in eco-style. Vertical gardening is the arrangement of stabilized moss not on an entire wall, but in the form of vertical strips. They visually lengthen the walls, expand the space, refresh it and make it much more comfortable.
Moss clock
Both flat and convex moss are used to make watches. You can also combine different types of plants to highlight sectors on the clock. For the base, use the dial of a real watch, or cut out a blank from MDF . They use elongated hands and a standard clock mechanism. You can also decorate the finished product with additional decor - figurines, pebbles, shells.
Furniture with moss elements
It is quite difficult to find ready-made furniture made from stabilized moss in stores, so it is better to make it yourself or order it from specialists. Decorating furniture is the best option. You need to get a coffee table, a bedside table, any table with a glass top, etc. A ready-made moss module is attached to the furniture or placed under glass. Such products refresh the interior and make it unusual and catchy.
Moss compositions
The easiest way to use stabilized moss in the interior is to create small compositions that will add a touch of variety to the design of the room. As a base, take any suitable containers - vases, pots, flowerpots, etc. Place preserved moss in the selected container, then decorate it to your liking. Dried flowers, cones, leaves, and shells look harmonious on green vegetation. This kind of work gives a lot of scope for imagination and the opportunity to create real works of art.
Making a picture out of moss
You can practice on a small plane and see the result.
- We choose different types of moss for our idea. You can buy them in a store, or collect them in the forest, thoroughly clean and dry them. The more diverse the moss, the brighter the picture.
- Preparing the base for the picture: it can be a shallow wooden box or a flat base.
- It would be a good idea to sand the base - the moss will stick better.
- Draw a sketch of the picture with a marker.
- We blow out parts of the picture with foam and lay out moss.
- After the painting has dried, it can be further decorated (use cones, acorns, branches, etc.) and tinted if necessary.
Well, do you like these ideas? If so, then autumn moss is very colorful, so hurry up and collect it!
