Cohesive Plant Styling for Microsoft VIC
Background & Challenge
Microsoft’s Melbourne office reflects the global tech leader’s focus on innovation, creativity and wellbeing. With offices across Australia, their workspaces reflect these same values. Indoor greenery plays a vital role in improving air quality, reducing noise and creating a calming environment within high-performance corporate settings.
Over the last 12 years, Indoor Plant Solutions has worked with Microsoft to deliver successful biophilic installations in Ryde, North Sydney and Melbourne.
The goal was to extend the same cohesive, high-performing plant design to Melbourne, all while navigating the challenges of a new space.
The Major Challenges
Limited Joinery Depth for Aglaonema
The clients requested the integration of Aglaonema into narrow joineries along the windowsill. However, joineries often have limited depth which makes them unsuitable for standard pot sizes, particularly for species like Aglaonema that need adequate root space to thrive. This required precise pot selection to ensure plants remain healthy, stable and visually appealing without compromising the joinery or overall aesthetic.
Unsafe Placement on Non-Load-Bearing Disks
The original design called for plant placement on non-load-bearing disks. This posed a safety risk as these disks were not designed to support the weight of pots filled with soil, plants and water. Without proper anchoring, the pots would be vulnerable to accidental knocks and even vibration from foot traffic – not an ideal design for a high-traffic workplace like Microsoft.
Mid-Project Styling Shift
Mid-way through the installation, the client changed the pot style to white cylinders after seeing a styled example near the company logo. This introduced challenges regarding consistency, product availability and workflow. The team quickly adapted their sourcing strategy and planting scheme to reflect this updated vision.
Ultimately, we aligned foliage colour choices to echo the Microsoft logo – using red Aglaonema for the red square and complementary yellow-tone foliage to reflect the brand palette.
Fixed Pot Finish Preferences
The client had a strong preference for black, white and concrete finishes throughout the space. While this provided a clear design direction, it limited flexibility in product selection. We had to source or customise pots and planters within those finishes while ensuring they worked with plant selections and fit seamlessly into the space.
Maintaining National Design Consistency
Microsoft requested that the Melbourne fit-out mirror installations from their North Sydney and Ryde offices. This required meticulous documentation, precise product matching and close cross-team communication. This alignment was essential in reinforcing Microsoft’s brand identity at a national level.
Our Solution
We ensured design continuity by sending a team member from the original Sydney install to Melbourne. Our Operations Manager, Mark Thompson, played a hands-on role, conducting on-site visits to review conditions and suggesting safe, elegant workarounds. One example was using white hanging bowls instead of the unsafe disk-mounted pots.
This attention to detail extended to the plant and pot pairing. Once the visual impact of the white pot and red Aglaonema near the logo was seen, we used that moment to shape stage two of the fit-out. Our team recommended complementary pot styles and colour-matched plants across the floorplate.
The result? A tailored fit-out that visually aligned with Microsoft’s brand while enhancing the day-to-day workplace experience.
Impact and Benefits
- National brand consistency: Cohesion across Sydney and Melbourne offices through repeat product selection, layout strategy and team execution.
- Client-led upsell opportunities: Styling decisions made on-site led to expanded orders and additional installations during stage two.
- Brand-aligned planting: Integration of foliage colours that reflect the Microsoft logo for subtle yet powerful visual branding.
- Safety-first solutions: Hanging planters offered a compliant and elegant workaround for non-load-bearing architectural features.
- Sustainable reuse: The client chose to keep their existing modular green walls and refresh the plant selection, minimising waste while updating the space.
Featured Plants & Styling Elements
Plant Species:
- Kentia Palm
- Aglaonema ‘Thai Red’ & ‘Snowflake’
- Zanzibar Gem
- Golden Pothos
- Dracaena ‘Golden Heart’
- Ficus Lyrata
- Spathiphyllum
Products Used:
- Concrete Cylinder Pots (various sizes)
- White Sack Pots
- White Array Pots
- White Hanging Bowls
- Client-Owned Joinery
Delivering Consistency, Function and Brand Impact
This project is a standout example of how thoughtful plant design can reinforce brand identity while enhancing everyday workplace wellbeing. With over a decade of collaboration, Microsoft continues to benefit from Indoor Plant Solutions’ national services and deep understanding of commercial design needs.
Key success factors included long-term client retention, proactive on-site expertise and a flexible approach that adapted seamlessly to Microsoft’s existing infrastructure. By aligning plant choices with safety requirements and brand colours, our team delivered a design-led solution that’s both functional and visually impactful.
Ready to make an impact with greenery? Contact Indoor Plant Solutions at 1300 571 571 for a free consultation.