In conversation with interior influencer Theo-Bert Pot

For Theo-Bert Pot, spring is the perfect time to get started with greenery in the home. The interior stylist and online influencer, known for his blog The Nice Stuff Collector and the TV program BinnensteBuiten, is happy to give us a glimpse into his mansion in The Hague, where he combines his Growing Concepts in a surprising way.

 Anyone who follows Theo-Bert Pot on Instagram for a daily dose of interior inspiration knows that he is crazy about colour. He likes to experiment with it in his mansion from the early 1900s in The Hague, where he lives with Jelle van de Schoor (interior architect at Form Makers). He sees it as a 'styling laboratory' where he regularly completely changes everything. In addition to colour, Theo-Bert is crazy about green. 'The houseplant trend from the seventies is back in full force', he says. 'It's great that the younger generations are all into green. Where one person chooses a few large plants as eye-catchers, another has a gigantic collection. Green in the home provides a bit of extra oxygen and it looks great, whether you have a Scandinavian interior or very colourful.'

Bring the outside in
In addition, plants and flowers ensure that the inside and outside merge. This is also the case with the closed terrariums from Growing Concepts: Theo-Bert calls these self-sufficient worlds behind glass a jewel for the home. 'I immediately fell for the Hebe XXL Cork, a large terrarium with soft shapes', he says. 'By placing it on a side table in our conservatory, I literally put this beautiful ecosystem in the light. This makes the fresh green of the moss and the plants stand out beautifully. I keep looking at it.' Just putting the terrarium together is a lot of fun to do, Theo-Bert noticed. An incentive to get back to work in the garden, and to get fresh flowers in the house for the ultimate spring feeling.

Combine plants and flowers
A styling technique that Theo-Bert likes to use is combining different types of greenery and natural patterns. 'They reinforce each other', he explains. 'For example, place a simple blossom branch next to the terrarium and this immediately provides a beautiful colour accent. In our conservatory I also placed a large plant next to it, the Strelitzia. A houseplant with beautiful large leaves. In this way, the terrarium really becomes part of your interior.' With its generous size, the Hebe XXL Cork can also be a great eye-catcher on a long dining table, thinks Theo-Bert. A somewhat smaller terrarium, such as the Faunus, looks beautiful in various places in the house. 'On a side table in our sitting area it provides light and cheerfulness. On the mantelpiece it looks a bit more stately.'

Create an art wall
In addition to plants, Theo-Bert also likes botanical motifs. He is a fan of the art wall: a form of wall decoration in which you combine different types of artwork, from drawings to paintings, which together form a beautiful whole. According to him, the Vesta Painting by Growing Concepts fits in well with this. 'I chose the American walnut variant. The botanical drawing is burned into the wood, which gives a subtle result. The fragile lines in combination with the warm type of wood create a beautiful effect.' In addition to on the wall, the Vesta also looks very nice on the mantelpiece in Theo-Bert's house. There he created a still life with a bright orange bowl, fresh flowers and scented candles against a dark wall.

Dare to play with color
The idea of ​​a dark wall as a style enhancer can also be found in jewelers, for example, says Theo-Bert. By presenting watches or jewelry against a black background, it forms a beautiful contrast with the sparkling gold and silver. With plants, the green of the leaves really comes into its own against a dark wall. Especially with a terrarium, it gives a different dimension every time due to the reflection of the light. Finally, Theo-Bert has another tip: 'Don't be afraid to combine different colors. Surprise yourself! And you will see: the more color you use, the easier it becomes to add even more colors, because the contrast becomes softer. If you don't want everything in color, you can make a difference with smaller color accents. One color may play a leading role and the other a supporting role, just like with a summer bouquet. This way you can continue to vary endlessly.'