Greenery NYC – said to be the world’s "first biophilic design store" – has opened in Brooklyn's Greenpoint district.
Described by the company as a "shop, showroom, and rejuvenating space to experience nature", Greenery NYC offers a wide range of botanical services and merchandise, including terrariums, green walls, potted plants, and bespoke installations.
According to indoor urban landscaper Rebecca Bullene – who founded Greenery Unlimited, the shop's parent company, in 2010 – the business was created to help urbanites counteract the isolating effects of technology.
Greenery has reportedly since seen its clientele increased by 6,500 per cent.
"In a world that is increasingly focused on technology," Bullene explained on her website, "I feel that engagement with nature is essential to our connection to the earth, and to each other."
She continued: "It’s the antidote to the stress many of us feel working in front of screens all day."
Biophilia, a nascent design philosophy which espouses the health benefits of 'greenifying' interior spaces is fast becoming one of the wellness industry's most popular trends – and for good reason: research has shown that increased engagement with and exposure to nature can improve one's quality of life.
For example, a study published in the American Psychological Association's Journal of Experimental Psychology found that workplaces with plants "could increase productivity by 15 per cent" and "lower physiological stress, increase attention span, and improve wellbeing".
