Decorating with Houseplants

There are tons of quick and easy ways to take your home décor to the next level. Indoor plants are an affordable way to decorate your home on a budget. The best part about using houseplants to elevate your space? They’re the perfect addition to any room, from your entryway to the kitchen counter.

Because greenery needs careful maintenance, you have to choose a suitable plant for each area of your home. Luckily, we’ve made the decision simple with our handy guide!

Let’s get started:

What is Biophilia?

Biophilia is the idea that humans inherently seek a connection with plants and nature. Adding a touch of organic greenery inside your home can improve your day to day life and help incorporate the Biophilia hypothesis. Yoko Chow (interior designer and owner of Yoko Chow Design LLC) values the importance of houseplants when designing for clients.

“I always consider [the theory of] biophilia when designing a space,” she continues, “A number of studies have shown that indoor plants are effective at reducing stress, improving productivity, and even purifying polluted air.”

Chow warns of the importance of choosing houseplants that will fit your lifestyle, but insists that anyone can benefit from bringing a bit of nature indoors.

“Introducing indoor plants and greenery into a room is fairly easy to try. The options are vast, as are the benefits.”

Kitchen Herbs

When you imagine an aromatic kitchen, the first plants that come to mind are herbs. You can create a vertical or horizontal garden on your kitchen wall, depending on the available free space.

Not only do home-grown herbs look beautiful, but they act as organic air purifiers. Plus, they smell absolutely amazing!

Are you lucky enough to get good natural light? Try growing a delicious rosemary or basil plant. If your kitchen doesn’t have access to direct sunlight, you can opt for less fussy herbs like chives, mint, or parsley.

In addition to herbs, you can also choose from a selection of leafy decorative plants. Try an English Ivy, peace lily, string of pearls, or a fiddle leaf fig.

Bedroom Botany

Bring the outdoors inside by putting potted plants in your bedroom. Lavender is a great choice because it can survive indoors under the appropriate conditions. Place it near a (ideally south-facing) window so it has access to natural light.

You can also hang potted plants up and down a large wall in your bedroom for a totally trendy look.

With lots of beautiful large leaves, a rubber tree adds depth and dimension to your bedroom. This plant prefers moderate to bright natural light, and lots of moisture to stay healthy and happy.

The gorgeous areca palm can reach up to seven feet tall. If you go for a potted tree, make sure it has plenty of space to grow. This palm needs bright indoor light and small amounts of moisture frequently throughout the warmer months. If you love the look of indoor palm trees but your bedroom isn’t fit for a live plant, check out this Tropical Blush canvas wall art. 

Leaves in the Living Room

Your living room is a social space. Whether you use it for a family movie night or an evening sipping cocktails with friends, it’s important to give your living room a makeover every once in a while to keep it looking fresh.

Designer Yoko Chow offers tried-and-true suggestions when it comes to adding flora to this central space:

“For a living room, I like to select a relatively large indoor plant such as a Monstera. It can be displayed as a [highly] decorative piece when paired with your favorite pot.”

A few houseplants can completely change the look of your living room with very little effort. Plants can also have a calming effect on your space. They’re known to boost your mood and enhance your creative energy, which is ideal for the ambience of your great room.

Elegant asparagus ferns crave low light and gracefully cascade over the sides of hanging pots. A foolproof, low-maintenance houseplant is the snake plant. It has sharp, architectural lines and can survive in moderate light conditions. Some other plants that can tolerate moderate light are the spider plant, peace lily, rubber tree, and English ivy.

Bathroom Greenery

Plants are one of the best ways to refresh your bathroom. Not only do they add a personal touch, but plants give your bathroom a relaxing, spa-like energy. Plants are widely regarded as a must-have bathroom decor essential.

Golden pothos is an irresistible plant that will trellis all around your bathroom. The vines thrive in humid environments! Another plant that needs humidity is the gorgeous calathea plant. Make sure to place it in indirect sunlight.

Watermelon peperomia requires plenty of moisture, a consistently warm temperature, and indirect light. This plant will revive your bathroom with a vibrant pop of color.

Other plants that will soak up the humid bathroom air are the bamboo plant, heart leaf philodendron, tradescantia zebrina, and the spider plant. If your bathroom isn’t suitable for a live plant, this Leafy Bamboo wall art will have the same effect!

Dining Room Foliage

The dining room should be a cozy space to gather with family and friends over a home-cooked meal. Why not make this communal space extra special with a touch of foliage?

Selecting houseplants for dining rooms is super easy! Focus on eye-catching plants that capture a relaxed, cheerful vibe.

Succulents and cacti are ideal if your dining room is full of windows. Just don’t prick yourself on the spikey thorns, and keep them far away from the reach of curious children.

Don’t be afraid to bring some color into your dining space! Try a vivid bird of paradise. This splashy, tropical plant needs lots of sunlight to survive. Just make sure to keep it away from the bright afternoon sun so it doesn’t overheat.

Flora for Your Children’s Room

Indoor plants are a great way to inspire your child’s creative side. They are bound to cultivate an interest in nature, biology, and gardening.

When looking for kid-friendly indoor plants, go for foliage that is slow growing and can handle a low light environment. Also look for fuss-free plants that are not prone to pests and shedding.

You can choose from a variety of plants such as the ZZ plant, Chinese evergreen, aloe vera, gerbera jamesonii, kalanchoe blossfeldiana, maranta leuconeura, or the schlumbergera truncate.

If you don’t want a live plant in your child’s bedroom, you can hang some beautiful botanical wall art for kids. 

Flowery Tips

Don’t forget, it’s important to choose the correct size of pot or planter for your new houseplant. You also want to make sure the color and style of pot complements your existing décor.

Houseplants vary in their needs for light and water, so read up on the requirements for your desired indoor plant to keep it looking its best!

Finally, watch out for dust accumulating on your leafy greens. Dust and debris can block light and harbor insects, so gently wipe your plants with a damp towel every once in a while. Happy planting!