Over the last several years, more businesses throughout Reno-Tahoe have started investing in indoor plants, living walls, moss walls, and biophilic design — not simply because they look beautiful, but because of how they make people feel.
At Tropical House Indoor Plant Design & Maintenance, we’ve seen firsthand how dramatically plants can transform commercial spaces. Offices feel warmer. Employees feel more appreciated. Customers stay longer. Spaces feel less sterile and more alive.
And in a city like Reno, where so many people feel deeply connected to the outdoors, bringing nature indoors can make an even bigger impact.
The Moment I Realized How Powerful Plants Could Be
I’ll never forget one particular installation we completed for an office and manufacturing facility in Reno.
Walking down the hall during the initial consultation, there were cubicles on my right, manufacturing space on my left, and mostly neutral colors throughout the building. The company was hardworking and successful, but the space felt lifeless.
A couple months later, our team returned to install live plants throughout the space during work hours.
Employees immediately stopped what they were doing.
Several people asked if the plants were real, and every time we answered “yes,” you could see their faces light up.
One employee asked: “Why is the company adding live plants?”
And I answered: “Because they love you guys.”
I’ll never forget the expression on his face. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
Looking down that same hallway after the installation was incredible. The plants instantly brought life to what had once felt like a cold, neutral environment. And more importantly, you could feel the difference in how the employees reacted to the space around them.
That’s the part people often underestimate about plants.
They don’t just decorate a room. They completely change how a space feels to the people inside it.
Why Plants Are Becoming More Popular in Commercial Spaces
Businesses today are paying much more attention to employee wellness, company culture, and customer experience than they did years ago.
Employers want to create spaces where employees:
- Feel comfortable
- Feel appreciated
- Want to stay long term
- Can be more productive
At the same time, businesses are also looking at the data.
Research surrounding biophilic design — the practice of incorporating natural elements into built environments — continues to show measurable benefits in commercial spaces.
Organizations like Green Plants for Green Buildings have compiled studies showing that plants and natural design elements can help:
- Reduce stress
- Improve concentration
- Increase productivity
- Improve customer perception
- Increase time spent in retail spaces
- Support overall wellness
In retail and hospitality environments specifically, people tend to spend more time in spaces that feel comfortable, calming, and connected to nature.
Why Reno Businesses Specifically Benefit From Plants
Reno has a unique culture.
It’s a city filled with hardworking small business owners, growing industries, and people who genuinely love the outdoors.
As someone who grew up in Reno and loves this city, I’m passionate about bringing more life and nature into the indoor spaces here. Many people in Northern Nevada spend their free time hiking, skiing, mountain biking, paddleboarding, or simply enjoying the outdoors. But then they spend 8–10 hours a day inside spaces that often feel disconnected from nature entirely.
Many Reno offices are also older or historic buildings, where owners may assume plants are more of a “trend” than something worth investing in long term.
At the same time, Reno is rapidly growing, and many newer buildings are being designed without much consideration for biophilic design. Architects and developers may not realize there are local companies like Tropical House that specialize in designing and maintaining live plant installations long term.
Plants help bridge that gap by bringing warmth, softness, and life into spaces that might otherwise feel industrial, sterile, or overly neutral.
Businesses That Benefit Most From Indoor Plants
Medical Offices, Dental Offices & Law Firms
These are places where people naturally may feel nervous, stressed, or uncomfortable.
Plants help soften those environments and create a calmer, more welcoming atmosphere. A thoughtfully designed plant installation can help clients and patients feel safer, more relaxed, and more comfortable.
Car Dealerships, Retail Stores, Casinos & Restaurants
In spaces where people are spending money, comfort matters.
The more comfortable people feel in a space, the longer they tend to stay. And generally, the longer people stay, the more likely they are to spend money.
Plants help create warmth, luxury, comfort, atmosphere, and memorable customer experiences.
Offices & Workspaces
Employees spend a huge portion of their lives at work.
Adding live plants helps offices feel less sterile, more welcoming, more human, and more connected to nature.
What Businesses Are Really Investing In
When businesses invest in live plant installations, they’re investing in much more than décor.
They’re investing in:
- Employee comfort
- Productivity
- Company culture
- Client trust
- Customer experience
- Tenant satisfaction
- First impressions
- Long-term atmosphere
They’re creating spaces where employees feel better coming to work.
Where clients feel more comfortable.
Where tenants don’t want to leave because they can’t get that same feeling somewhere else.
The goal isn’t just to add plants.
The goal is to create an environment people genuinely enjoy being in.
Bringing Nature Indoors in Reno
At Tropical House Indoor Plant Design & Maintenance, we specialize in helping Reno-Tahoe businesses create healthier, more welcoming indoor spaces through indoor plant design, professional plant maintenance, living walls, moss walls, rotational color, and custom planter arrangements.
Because plants don’t just change spaces.
They change how people experience them.
