Would you like to breathe life into your stale space?
Maybe your space is completely lacking in organic elements or possibly you just want to add some organic plant life, a living focal point, or a little greenery to your living room, dining space, or office?
The great news is that you don’t have to be a professional interior designer to start decorating your home with rewarding low-maintenance plants.
Go Green
Enjoy the health benefits of Interior decorating with Plants!
There are so many amazing ways decorating with plants can benefit your physical and mental well-being.
Not only will indoor plants make any space more inviting and relaxing, but plants can also improve air quality by filtering out airborne toxins, like formaldehyde from your room or office.
Additionally, adding plants to any room will increase the humidity levels which is great for your skin during the winter months! And if you’re looking for a little extra boost of energy, try keeping a plant on your desk at work.
Studies have shown that people who work in offices with plants are more productive and experience less stress
Air Plants?
Not quite, we are talking about air purifying plants!
Did you know that NASA uses plants to clean the air in their spacecraft?
In fact, they’ve been doing it for years! Plants are great at filtering out toxins and improving air quality, which is why NASA has started using them more and more in their spacecraft.
The benefits of having plants in your home or office are many, and now NASA has confirmed it! So decorating with plants is a great way to go green and improve your health at the same time.
Let’s Get Ready to Decorate!
In this blog post, we will discuss how to choose the right plants for your decor style, and provide some tips on keeping them healthy and happy!
Don’t know where to start?
If you are not familiar with house plants, interior decorating, or better yet, decorating with plants, it may be intimidating to get started, and understandably so!
So many plant choices!
Large plants, Small plants, and there are so many different leaf shapes!
When decorating a room with plants there are so many choices of different houseplants available, all with varying heights, colors, and different shapes.
Note:
No need to worry, most houseplants are actually fairly low maintenance.
Where to begin when interior decorating your home with plants?
When decorating with plants, I like to start by selecting the correct indoor plants to fit the space! There are several important factors to consider to ensure success in caring for your new leafy friend will thrive.
First things first
1. Start with the Lighting
When decorating your living space with plants, the first and most crucial detail to consider is the amount of ambient and natural light the room receives.
It’s better to choose plants based on care requirements, rather than your home decor requirements, which will insure your success as a plant parent.
Don’t worry!
There are plenty of plant options to choose from to fulfill the care requirements and the look of your space.
Best plants for low lighting:
If you have a living space with little to no sunlight, it would be best to pick plants that thrive in low-light conditions. The same can be said for a room with super bright lighting or that receives some full sun throughout parts of the day.
Low light plants will mostly be in the tropical category. Most succulents and cacti are intolerant of low lighting and will grow towards any available light source. When a full sun plant is “Stretching” towards the light source it will become deformed in its last-ditch effort for survival. The look is not only an undesirable one, but it is an obvious sign that the plant is not only unhappy but also struggling. It’s best to avoid plants that require full sun if you cannot fulfill their requirements in your space. So be sure to study the luminosity levels in your home and correctly assess the amount of natural sunlight that is available.
The most common types of low-light plants include:
- Anthurium
- Snake plant or Sansevieria
- Spider plants
- Syngonium
- Monstera
- ZZ Plants
- Pothos
- Philodendron
- Peace Lily
- Boston fern
- Air plants
Plants for partial to direct sunlight
If you are lucky to have a room filled with lots of natural light, the variety of plants to choose from is much greater. Spaces filled with partial sun, intermittent sun, or even bright artificial lighting, can provide the optimal lighting requirements necessary for a wide range of plants to thrive.
Chic low-maintenance plants that are typically grown outdoors, like cacti and succulents can also easily be grown indoors under these lighting conditions and will require the least amount of water and maintenance.
The most common types of bright light houseplants include:
- Orchids
- Peperomia
- Palm trees
- Ficus Trees
- Dracaena
- Pampas grass
- Herbs for cooking
- Air plants
In addition to the above, consider bringing plants from your outdoor garden, such as:
- Cacti
- Succulents
- Aloe’s
- Crassula
- Sedum
Cacti, Aloes, and succulents look great when planted in glass jars, vases, or cylinders and provide a chic barrier to prevent you, your pets, or your little ones from getting stuck by the plant thorns.
2. Create a research-backed list
You can create a list of your favorite plants
You may be starting with little to no house plants in mind, but that’s ok! Start with reading articles from theplantblogger.com. Next, try a google search or browse an online plant shop, and lastly, my favorite option, make a day of it and take a trip to a local plant nursery. This time invested will be well spent and may inspire you to find a connection with a special plant or set of plants.
A little plant research goes a long way
Once you have created the list of the plants you are now somewhat familiar with, it’s time to dig a little deeper. Researching your potential plants will insure that you will be able to provide the proper care and environment for them to flourish.
Theplantblogger.com will provide you with most of the needed Information on your plant of choice. Trying to build an indoor garden? don’t be shy, reach out with your plant questions, the theplantblogger.com is here to help.
Make a new friend!
Social pleasantries are a great way to organically gain insight from a knowledgeable plant professional. When exploring your favorite local plant shop, strike up a conversation and chat with your plant sales associate. Talk to them about which plants you are considering and they may provide you with some added plant tips, decoration ideas, or recommendations.
Now that you are in the know
It’s time to narrow down your list of the best-suited indoor plants for your space.
You now have gathered an educated list of the houseplants that you are considering. You also know your choice of plant’s proper names, and care requirements, including lighting and water requirements.
Time to narrow the potential plant list down to an easy decision-making size
I like to work in numbers of threes myself but feel free to create a list of up to five of your top favorite plants. Any more than your top five plant choices and ideas will cause analysis paralysis and may make for a more difficult decision than you initially thought.
3. The look!
Time to choose the indoor plants that will look best in your space!
What is the look you are going for?
Are you considering adding a trailing plant like pothos to a vintage plant stand or bar cart, a bookshelf, or a hanging planter? Maybe you are adding some green plants, in hopes of detracting from your apartment’s unpaintable white walls. Or possibly, your intention is to create focal points for a room lacking appeal or interest, in which case planters filled with large statement plants like Dracaena or ficus are sure to fill the space nicely.
Ultimately when decorating with plants, the choice is all yours and needs to fulfill the look and ideas you had in mind for your space.
Need help with making your decorating decision?
“I don’t know how to decorate and I can’t imagine what it will look like!”
I believe we are all blessed in different ways. For example, I am a self-proclaimed plant daddy or plant whisperer with the ability to envision the final look. I understand that not everyone can envision what the final outcome will look like when adding a new plant to their space. No worries if you are not blessed with the decorating ability to envision, we can help you decorate with some simple how-to-tips below.
How to envision “the look” with different plants
Stand back from the room or area in contemplation, allowing enough space that you can easily frame the view with your hands. Then hold up a picture of the plants you are debating with your phone.
At first, glance, ask yourself, what are your initial thoughts? Is the leaf color of this plant working with your decor? How about the size of the plant? Is the pictured plant fulfilling the look you had in mind? Continue with this process until you have checked each plant on your top 3-5 plant list.
A more hands-on approach
If you are planning to add a few plants of a similar style to your room and time and availability are in your favor, consider bringing home the plants you have selected in the amount needed.
When it’s time to decorate, I like to group indoor plants together in overall styles, like hanging plants and vines, tall plants and trees, and lush greenery like shrubs.
Methodically place plants one by one in the chosen room. Start this process in one location, take a step back to absorb the look, then move the plant to the next location in question. Cycle through this process with each of the plants that you have for this room.
This is a great time to take advantage of seeing what the room will look like with only one plant at a time. This process will provide you with an affirmation of the space’s growing vibe. ; )
The decorating with plants process may take a little trial and error, but your efforts will be well worth it! You can breathe easily while enjoying the rewards of watching your house plants thrive for years to come.
Try to keep in mind that you are inviting a new leafy plant friend to live in your space and they will appreciate the care and attention you have put into this process.
What is your vibe?
Ceramic Pots, Glazed pots, Terracotta pots, hanging planters, ground planters?
The perfect finishing touch for decorating with plants is choosing the most desirable pot, pots or planters for your indoor garden.
At the loft.
At the moment I find myself drawn to the color gold, in the way of handmade brass planters and pots in various shapes and sizes.
I like to see the rich gold color peaking out from behind the lush plant foliage, it is reminiscent of gems set in fine jewelry. I currently use this regal but warm touch sparingly (to moderately), with the intent of balancing out the vibe of our concrete industrial loft.
My go-to choice (especially if in doubt) is hand-made glazed white ceramic pottery. It’s a chic but simple option too that also features a handmade touch, with a fresh clean, and modern look.
I am a big fan of “fun” colors, so looovve it!
But I have found that black, gray, and white ceramic pottery are not only safe choices but also showcase the plants in the most dynamic way. In the past I would regrettably choose super bright or “fun” colors for my new or favorite plants, unfortunately, over time, my taste would change, but my consumer guilt and aversion to landfill waste would not.
From my experience, I have found these ceramic pot colors to be timeless essentials!
Note:
Also, consider avoiding overwhelming prints that will potentially clash with your developing taste.
Visit theplantblogger.com for tips on how to re-pot your plants.
Don’t forget to water
Regardless of the type of plants you choose, be sure to pay attention to the watering requirements listed on the label. Unfortunately, over-watering is one of the most common reasons that house plants die.
It is important to provide good drainage and only water when the top layer of soil is dry to the touch.
For more tips on keeping your plants healthy, happy and lush, subscribe to theplantblogger.com newsletter to receive our weekly posts.
Final thoughts…
Plants are living breathing beings, hopefully, you will consider yourself a new plant parent and will consider treating plants like part of the family.
I personally have found that decorating with plants has increased my quality of life, not just aesthetically but also emotionally and mentally. Living in an area of the USA that has high humidity has allowed me to expand my interior plantscape onto my balconies, thereby making the transition from indoor to outdoor seamless.
Plants truly are nature’s way of bringing us back to center.
Namaste. Over time, as you incorporate more plant decor into your home it will improve your day-to-day outlook.
In addition, Interior decorating with plants will not only add life and a touch of green to your space but it will also :
-help improve your mood
-create an improved environment that inspires new ideas
-increase productivity
-filter the air
-absorb sound vibrations
-lower stress levels
-create more harmony
-fill your day with joy 🙂
We hope this blog post has inspired you to add some lush foliage to your space, home, or office! Remember, decorating with houseplants is a great way to improve your space, and help keep the air fresh. You can start with your favorite plants or one plant at a time.
So what are you waiting for? Go out and get yourself some plants! ; )