By Karen Musgrave, CNLP
Houseplants are often an afterthought when it comes to decorating a home. We think about where we will entertain, dine, and sleep but often overlook the important role houseplants play in design. They are architecturally interesting and can completely transform the look and feel of a space. Whether you want an indoor jungle overflowing with plants or a few well-placed options to soften a room, there are many houseplants available to fit your needs and complement your home.
Room by Room
In a bright, traditional home consider a trailing pothos for your bookcase or mantle. A foliage dish garden that contains three or more complementary plants can easily warm up a dining room or coffee table. Orchids add a nice touch of color anywhere in a home, while herbs such as basil and rosemary as well as flowering African violets are classic options for the kitchen. If you are lucky enough to have a heated sunroom, it is the perfect place to grow succulents, cactus, and citrus.
For a modern home, try a fiddle leaf fig to brighten a boring corner. If you are looking for vertical interest, hang a string of beads plant. It’s tiny pea-like foliage adds an elevated approach to what is often considered an ‘old-fashioned’ hanging basket. Rare plants such as drop tongue and red sword add a unique style that is all your own.
Offices with medium sunlight should invest in a money tree, as they bring good luck and fortune to its owner. For workspaces with little natural sunlight, consider a ZZ plant (Zanibar Gem), bromeliad, or peace lily. Plants should add joy and life to space, bring a little of the outdoors inside for you to enjoy as you work.
Bathrooms are the perfect place for humidity-loving plants like ferns and air plants. A small plant on the vanity or by the window can easily soften what can normally be a sterile space. If space permits, add a large floor plant such as a majesty palm to bring some luxury to the space.
Rest and recharge in your bedroom with a selection of sleep-encouraging houseplants. They purify the air, remove toxins, and add humidity to your room, setting the tone for some well-deserved sweet dreams. Some of the best plants for sleep include the snake plant, peace lily and the bamboo palm.
Design Techniques
Feng Shui is the practice of arranging living spaces to invite positive energy into your home. Houseplants play a large role in this practice, helping us to reconnect with nature while indoors and providing more balance to our lives. Some of the most popular Feng-Shui-friendly plants include jade plant, calathea, rubber tree and lucky bamboo.
Keep these interior gardening principles in mind as you design your space:
• Group plants together in odd numbers.
• Choose leaf colors that complement your space.
• Avoid clutter. Measure your space and make a realistic decision about the space you have for plants.
• Keep the lighting, watering and fertilization needs of your plants in mind.
• Keep leaves looking shiny and new with an occasional rinse or wipe down.
• Incorporate plant stands, bookcases and pottery to upgrade the look of your plants.
Houseplants will instantly upgrade the aesthetic of your home, creating a warm and inviting space for you and your family to enjoy. Visit your local garden center and start your journey into plant parenthood today.
—Karen Musgrave, CNLP, is a marketing and e-commerce associate for Hicks Nurseries.
