Living with Plants: A Family Apartment in Taiwan

For a young family in an apartment with no outdoor living space in the Taiwan port city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan-based HAO Design designed an indoor garden and playground.

Thanks to a few artfully placed house plants and the judicious use of green paint and accessories, the apartment feels as open and airy as the great outdoors:

Photography courtesy of  HAO Design.

Above: The heart of the 1,450-square-foot apartment is a large open room—for cooking, dining, playing, and lounging—where the family spends most of their time.

Above: A playroom nook with a reading area is tucked into a corner behind the dining area. Above: Visible play equipment, including a slide, is part of the design. Above: A tiled indoor patio (which can be hosed down) is brimming with greenery. Reinforcing the garden theme is a green Ikea rattan chair and a child’s swing (stored flat against the wall when not in use). Above: The removable slide disappears when not in use and the swing can be suspended from the ceiling. Above: Seen from above, the dining table has a built-in trough just the right size to hold tiny house plants. Above: A chalkboard wall in the entryway is painted green (instead of a traditional black) to evoke nature. Above: Keeping company with kitchen equipment on a hanging rack are potted vines. Above: A storage and bookcase wall has a recessed nook, making the piano’s bulk seem unobtrusive.

For more homes brimming with houseplants, see:

• The Accidental Jungle: Shabd Simon-Alexander’ Houseplants in a New York Apartment
• 7 Favorites: Houseplants for the Bath
• Living with Houseplants: Four Years Later in a Brooklyn Apartment