Chicago moves in seasons as dramatically as its skyline shifts from dawn to dusk. In summer, the city feels alive—lakefront trails glowing, parks overflowing with vibrant color, and streets buzzing with palpable energy. But when winter arrives, Chicago becomes something else entirely: muted, gray, wind-soaked, and quiet.
For nearly six months of the year, natural greenery disappears from sight. The outdoors goes bare, leaving a void in the visual landscape. This stark contrast is why indoor plants matter here more than almost anywhere else. Across Class A office buildings, luxury hotels, corporate headquarters, and landmark properties, greenery becomes the visual and emotional counterbalance to Chicago’s longest season.
For architectural designers and facility managers, understanding the benefits of indoor plants is not just about aesthetics; it is about psychological survival and spatial vitality. Where the external world freezes, interior landscapes step in to restore warmth, color, and vitality.
The Psychology of Green: Indoor Plants and Mental Health
In a winter city, biophilic design—the concept of connecting building occupants more closely to nature—is essential. This is particularly true in our region, as Chicagoans spend more time indoors in winter than in any other season.
The connection between indoor plants and mental health is well-documented and profound. Research in biophilic design shows that exposure to living plants can fundamentally alter the human experience within a built environment. When the world outside is monochromatic, bringing nature inside acts as a neurological salve.
Reducing Stress and Increasing Calm
The presence of greenery has been shown to significantly reduce stress. In high-stakes environments like corporate headquarters or busy hotel lobbies, the passive viewing of plants can lower cortisol levels and create a sense of calm and grounding. This “green effect” is crucial for maintaining a positive atmosphere when the weather outside is hostile.
Boosting Cognitive Performance
Beyond relaxation, the benefits of indoor plants extend to cognitive function. Studies suggest that biophilic environments increase focus and productivity. For office managers looking to maximize output during the sluggish winter months, green interiors offer a passive yet effective solution. Furthermore, natural elements have been linked to heightened creativity, making them indispensable in design studios, ad agencies, and collaborative workspaces.
Natural Ways to Combat Winter Blues in the Workplace
Chicago winters desaturate the world outside, leaving behind a palette of silver, charcoal, and white. This lack of color can lead to a collective dip in mood, often referred to as the “winter blues.” Interior landscaping offers one of the most effective natural ways to combat winter blues in a professional setting.
Restoring the Color Palette
Inside, greenery becomes essential by returning color, texture, and natural form to the environment. While the city is dominated by glass, marble, and steel—especially in iconic buildings like the Aon Center, the Wrigley Building, and the Hancock—plants reintroduce the softness and vibrancy that humans crave.
By providing soft, seasonal color and unique plant varieties, we can improve overall mood. A burst of green becomes a seasonal anchor in a city known for its architectural skyline. It reminds visitors and tenants that even in the coldest months, life continues.
Design Meets Climate: A Strategy for Indoor Plants for Winter Season
With over 125 years in Chicago, Amlings Interior Landscape understands something many national providers overlook. Implementing indoor plants for winter season requires more than just picking pretty flowers; it requires a design-first, horticulture-driven approach that fits Chicago’s unique climate rhythm.
The Logistics of Winter Greenery
Our winter-specific plant strategy is rigorous. It includes:
- Cold-resistant delivery logistics: Moving tropical plants in sub-zero temperatures requires specialized care to ensure they arrive without thermal shock.
- High-performance evergreen species: We select plants that maintain vibrancy despite lower light levels and drier indoor air.
- Seasonal rotations: We adjust designs based on light changes, heating shifts, and fluctuating traffic patterns within the building.
- Long-term maintenance programs: Our goal is museum-quality presentation year-round, ensuring that plants never look tired or withered.
This strategic approach ensures that winter interior landscapes carry more weight and successfully fill the emotional and visual gaps left by nature’s retreat.
Architectural Depth: Texture and Form in Winter Interiors
For architectural designers, the benefits of indoor plants go beyond biology—they are tools of spatial definition. In winter, when natural light is scarce and flat, plants add necessary depth and complexity to interior architecture.
Evergreens for Stability
We utilize evergreens for stability and depth. These robust plants anchor large atriums and lobbies, providing a sense of permanence when the outdoor landscape feels fleeting and frozen.
Orchids for Elegance
To contrast the heavy winter coats and gray skies, we use orchids for elegance and architectural shape. Their precise, sculptural blooms complement modern minimalist designs and add a touch of sophisticated fragility that elevates the space.
Biophilic Texture
Moss walls are increasingly popular for adding biophilic texture without requiring the floor space of large potted plants. These installations are particularly effective in corridors and conference rooms, where they serve as acoustic buffers and visual focal points.
Blooming Displays
Strategic blooming displays act as highlights within a room, drawing the eye and guiding movement through a space. These design risks elevate the space, turning a standard lobby into a destination.
Holiday & Seasonal Displays: Winter’s Most Transformative Design Moment
While the benefits of indoor plants are year-round, the application of greenery peaks during the holidays. Holiday décor carries a special kind of magic in Chicago; these installations transform spaces into destinations.
In a city where winter dominates, seasonal installations set the tone for experience—helping buildings feel welcoming, warm, and alive. This is not just decoration; it is placemaking.
Curating a Story
Our design team curates holiday moments that feel elegant, sophisticated, and site-specific. We move beyond generic garlands to create story-telling décor that reflects the brand identity of the property. Whether it is a towering tree in a light-filled atrium or subtle, frost-inspired accents in a boutique lobby, these displays for luxury environments act as a major draw for tenants and visitors alike.
The Essential Nature of Winter Greenery
For more than a century, Amlings has helped Chicago properties navigate the beauty and challenge of living design in a climate with extreme contrast. But in winter, our goals become even more meaningful.
Our work revolves around bringing color, life, and biophilic calm to the heart of the city. We believe that with a touch of green, we can make all the difference in how people experience the built environment. Every installation is crafted to bring beauty and warmth to winter-worn interiors.
Embracing the Greenery
The benefits of indoor plants in Chicago are multifaceted. They are psychological anchors that reduce stress and improve focus. They are aesthetic tools that combat the gray monotony of the season. They are improved air quality and acoustic dampeners. But most importantly, they are a reminder of life.
As we face another long winter, the value of indoor plants and mental health cannot be overstated. By integrating indoor plants for winter season and utilizing natural ways to combat winter blues, architects and facility managers can create spaces that nurture the human spirit even when the wind chill drops below zero.
Ready to Transform Your Space?
Don’t let the winter season dull the vibrancy of your property. Experience the full benefits of indoor plants with Chicago’s most experienced interior landscape partner.
Contact Amlings Interior Landscape Today to request a proposal for winter plant rentals, ongoing maintenance, or custom holiday design. Let us bring the outside in, when you need it most.
Want to learn more about biophilic design trends? Read our other articles here.