Transforming The Orient: Inleaf’s Mediterranean makeover at the Trafford Centre

• Inleaf was commissioned to transform part of The Trafford Centre’s food court into a Mediterranean-inspired space with artificial greenery and thoughtful design.
• A 40-metre trailing canopy and layered fire-retardant plant displays were installed to soften the look.
• The Inleaf team installed the scheme overnight to avoid disruption to the public space.

Inleaf helped transform The Orient, a central space in The Trafford Centre food court to bring the client’s Mediterranean-inspired vision to life using a mix of artificial greenery and flowers.

The goal was to create a space that felt welcoming, adaptable for different uses and to soften the look of the existing space, all without blocking views or visibility of restaurants and concession stands.

To complete this installation our team worked overnight to minimise the disruption to the public and the daily functioning of The Trafford Centre.

Installation began with the Inleaf team installing a 40-metre trailing canopy across a newly added metal trellis in the space. To tie in the Mediterranean look we added Bougainvillea with bright pink flowers and grape vines. All artificial foliage used was fire-retardant for safety in the busy food court. The outcome was a hanging canopy that created a vibrant, Mediterranean street vibe while retaining the open feel of the space.

To continue the Mediterranean theme, we dressed two cascading balconies that were added as part of the redesign. The client wanted them to feel like Mediterranean terraces, so we used a mixture of artificial olive and palm trees in varying sizes from 2.1m to 1.8m, positioned in large terracotta containers to visually anchor them within the space.

In addition, we added a variety of potted artificial plants that were installed throughout areas of negative space. These included Bay, Birds of paradise, Geraniums, and grape vines, using a mix of terracotta and wicker pots. The placement of these vases softened the impact to customers when around the kiosk while providing a natural feel already used in various locations of The Orient. These added colour and texture from all angles, softening the space and tying it together.

Smaller arrangements using plants such as artificial ferns allowed us to layer different heights and pot sizes, giving the installation depth and a natural look. We were also able to attach these smaller plants to the overlooking balustrades. 

We used a mixture of scale and container style throughout the installation, these included: woven, bamboo, terracotta, and wicker was key in reinforcing the relaxed, Mediterranean feel.

Our greenery formed just one part of a wider strategy to elevate the space. While still fitting with The Orient’s unique style and Mediterranean-inspired design.