200 sq ft Vallum FRX artificial living wall for an LA apartment courtyard

A Los Angeles building owner had a big blank concrete wall in the courtyard of a multi-family property. It needed to look better, but a live green wall would mean irrigation plumbing, ongoing maintenance, and water bills. CalifauxScapes installed a 200 sq ft Vallum FRX artificial living wall in a single day. Minimal water, minimal upkeep, done.

Overview

The courtyard is a shared space for residents, and the blank wall made it feel unfinished. The building owner wanted to upgrade it for tenant appeal without adding another maintenance line item. We used our Vallum FRX system, which is built for commercial applications and designed to go up fast. UV-resistant materials mean the wall holds its color under direct LA sun, and the irrigation-free design means there's very little to water, very little to drain, and no plumbing involved.

The one-day timeline was important. The owner had a property showcase event coming up and needed the wall done quickly with minimal disruption to residents.

The challenge

The blank concrete wall was a dead zone in the middle of an otherwise usable courtyard. In a competitive LA rental market, common area appearance matters. Tenants notice, and so do prospective renters touring the building. But the owner had already ruled out a live green wall because the cost and complexity didn't make sense for the return. Irrigation systems, plant replacement, and seasonal maintenance add up fast on a vertical surface.

The material also needed to handle full sun without fading. Los Angeles sun is brutal on exterior surfaces, and anything that looks good in month one but washes out by month six isn't worth the investment.

Our solution

We recommended our Vallum FRX artificial living wall system. It's designed for commercial installs: the panels mount directly to the wall surface without requiring structural changes, and the modular system allows for fast coverage of large areas. The foliage mix includes multiple plant types and color variations so it reads as a real vertical garden instead of a flat green surface.

Irrigation-free design means no pipes, minimal water needs, and no drainage planning. UV-resistant polymers in the foliage keep the greens from fading. We pre-fabricated the panels off-site to the courtyard's exact measurements, so on install day, the crew could move fast.

Implementation

Everything happened in one day. Our team arrived, prepped the wall surface, and began mounting the pre-fabricated Vallum FRX panels using our proprietary attachment system. The panels interlock for clean seams and secure mounting without damaging the underlying wall.

The crew worked methodically across the 200-square-foot surface, locking panels in place and adjusting the foliage placement so it looked natural rather than tiled. By end of day, the wall was fully covered. No mess, no construction debris, no extended work zones blocking the courtyard.

Results

The courtyard went from a space people walked through to a space people actually sit in. The living wall gives it a finished, intentional look that the bare concrete lacked. Residents and building management both noticed the difference right away.

For the building owner, the best part is what it doesn't require: minimal watering, minimal maintenance crew visits, no seasonal plant replacements. The UV-resistant materials mean it'll look the same a year from now as it did on install day. One investment, lasting result.

"CalifauxScapes delivered exactly what we needed: immediate impact with minimal future hassle. Our courtyard went from an afterthought to the building's main talking point in less than 24 hours. The quality is great, it looks real, and we barely have to worry about watering or it dying in the sun." — Los Angeles building owner

Project details

Image suggestions

• Hero: Eye-level shot focusing on the texture and depth of the completed living wall, with the courtyard slightly blurred behind it.
• Before: Straight-on photo of the blank concrete wall before installation.
• After: Same angle showing the fully installed Vallum FRX living wall.
• Detail: Close-up of the Vallum FRX panels showing leaf textures, color variations, and panel seams.
• Wide: Wide-angle shot of the entire courtyard with the living wall as backdrop to patio furniture.