It all started with one plant, said Kellie Wood and Paul Lawson, the couple behind houseplant specialty shop Style by Leaf.

It’s a tale familiar to anyone who has been caught up in the house plant craze; that one plant becomes two, two becomes four, then before you know it your living room resembles an indoor jungle.

“Plants, they are addictive,” laughed Paul, “Once you have a couple… they definitely grow on you!”

Potted indoor plants have become incredibly popular over the past decade, filling up homes and social media feeds the world over. The last two years of lockdowns and working-from-home have only spurred demand for indoor greenery.

But as Paul and Kellie grew their own collection in Orange, they found that the variety of plants available locally was limited.

“Our collection became so extensive that we were looking for different types of plants, the more unusual ones and the

kind of plants we saw on Instagram and we couldn't find them locally,” said Paul.

“We tried the online thing, but it just wasn't working; the quality was no good and they were often tiny and had been knocked about.”

“And that's when we came up with the idea to start something ourselves,” said Kellie.

Style by Leaf is a houseplant-lovers dream — no surprise considering Paul and Kellie’s own green obsession. They stock an extensive range of stunning plants from Fittonia Albivenis ‘Nerve Plants’, Alocasia Rugosa ‘Melo’, Peperomia Hope and Stromanthe tricolour, to classics like Fiddle- leaf Figs, Monsteras and Begonias.

“One of our wholesalers specialises in Begonias, I think they have 25 different varieties and they are really growing on me. I think they are one of my favourites,” said Paul.

Knowing their own disappointment with the quality of plants they’ve purchased in the past, all Style by Leaf plants are hand- picked from their suppliers in Sydney.

“One thing we can promise is the quality of our plants,” said Kellie. “We would never put anything in here that we wouldn't buy ourselves.”

As well as selling plants and a wide range of pots, Style by Leaf also offers short and long-term indoor plant hiring for any local business.

“Style by Leaf can also cater for weddings, conferences, Airbnbs or staging of properties for real estate agents. We can offer advice on what plants suit your needs and will provide full maintenance once a week as part of our package as well,” said Kellie.

Style by Leaf has been operating since December 4, with sales via their website and free local delivery. But for the next three months, you have the chance to inspect their stunning range of plants in person at their pop-up store in McNamara Street.

“It has gone really well so far,” said Paul. “It's something we love doing and are passionate about. So, I guess for us, it’s not really work, it is something we love.”

“Plant’s make people happy,” explained Kellie. “They make us really happy and hopefully they make our customers really happy too.”

Style by Leaf is located in McNamara Street (next to Hive) and is open 4pm to 7pm Friday, 8am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday.