Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I will get a very small commission or referral fee at no additional cost to you. You can read more on my affiliate policy page.
Hey, houseplant lover! What if I told you there’s a sloth hanging out on your pothos? Oh, and by the way, he’s not the lonely kind. Its friend, the flying squirrel, is making its way up your monstera.
No, it’s not a tropical plant-induced mirage.
I’m talking about the latest line of houseplant accessories from London-based Another Studio.
Whether we’re talking about graceful brass birds perched on pendants or playful koalas peeking from behind a ZZ plant, these houseplant accessories are the perfect surprise present for the plant-obsessed people in your life. You can start them off with an animal or two or buy the entire ten-piece collection.
There’s so much ingenuity in these figurines, so as soon as I found them online, I wanted to know more about the creative mind that came up with the concept. Aimee Furnival, the creator of the brass houseplant accessories and the founder of Another Studio, was kind enough to answer a few questions for our Green with Purpose readers.
Hi, Aimee. Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.
I run a indie design company in London called Another Studio which I started in 2009. I have a lovely light and plant filled studio in Deptford where I work with my amazing team: Hannah, the Studio Manager; Stacie, our Studio Assistant; Stanley, my Sausage Dog and Chief Mascot.
I’m a bit obsessed with miniature objects, so many of the designs we create play with scale, be it pocket-sized ornaments or plant-related decorations.
How did you start designing houseplant accessories?
My interest stemmed from living in London and craving green spaces. I didn’t have a garden, so houseplants and indoor gardening it was!
I do think plants have their own personalities and character, so it was fun to make playful and engaging products inspired by them.
Can you give us some insight into your creative process? How does a piece designed by you come to life?
Ideas tend to spend a while in my head!
I like to sit with an idea and consider it for a while. If it still excites and interests me after six months, I’ll start researching and sketching out some designs.
Then it has to pass my two strict tests:
Would I buy it?
Is it original and unique?
If it gets past this stage, designs are made, sampled, tested and tweaked before we bring them out. Nowadays I like to share all our work in progress on Instagram. It’s really helpful to hear people’s feedback and thoughts as I’m creating the pieces.
Have you created any other products that might be of interest to houseplant lovers?
Absolutely! We have a great set of Houseplant Care Cards which are packed full of advice and tips for botanical success indoors.
We also have an illustrated Houseplant Poster. I like to use it as a tick list for the plants I want to acquire. I’m getting there slowly, so I may have to design a second edition of the poster soon 🙂
Since we’re all about the plant fandom around here, do you have a favorite houseplant?
At the studio I love our trailing Aeschynanthus lipstick plant. It’s quite unusual and rewards us with beautiful flowers each year.
At home the ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is a firm favorite for its dark green waxy leaves and super carefree spirit. It’s the easiest plant to look after and very tolerant of winter, too!
Thank you so much for your time, Aimee.
All images via Another Studio. To go straight to their animal collection, click this way.
If you want to read more about houseplants and gardening, hop on my once-a-month newsletter list. There’s no endless email sequence here. Just a monthly email to keep in touch and chat about plants.
