At The Idealist you know we love modern design and architecture and cool, open spaces. But sometimes especially in modern settings too many white walls and sharp edges can make a place look, well, austere. That’s where houseplants can come in very useful: adding texture, colour, shape and life.
House plants not only make your home look good but there are also many other reasons why you should consider getting plants for your house. One of the most important reasons is that they can help you in filtering out harmful compounds from the air and will help regulate the temperature of your home.
You must give some thought as to how you are best to place the plants inside your home. Much depends on the following factors:
• The look you are going for
• The positive effect plants can have on air purity
• Light needs of different species
Decorating the House with Plants
Where to put your plants
The first thing that you should decide is where will you be placing your plants. This, of course, depends on your personal taste, the kind of plants that you will be opting for and the availability of sunlight. Here are some of the recommendations:
• If you are looking for plants for the bedroom, why not go for scented plants such as lavender or jasmine because the scent of these plants helps a person to fall asleep and also may help reduce anxiety levels.
• If you want plants for the kitchen, bathroom, or the living room, it is recommended that you go for a snake plant or an aloe vera plant because they tend to purify the air and have attractive shapes. These plants are ideal for a shared space.
• Remember that with house plants sometimes you have to compromise on ideal locations. If you have hard to reach places that you want to decorate with plants, you should place species that don’t need water frequently.
Choosing a Container for your Plants
It is important that you choose a container that accommodates the plant well and looks good. There are a number of different ideas that you can opt for which range from troughs to ceramic pots and other materials. Some of the creative ways that you can use to decorate your plants include:
• Use hanging baskets with arrangements to utilize vertical space. Some old favourites that can be used are spider plants and trailing ivy.
• You can also use troughs and boxes if you want to have a variety of different plants in one place.
• If you love DIY, you can keep your tin cans and grow plants in them. Save cans with nice artwork for that rustic Italian kitchen look!
Plant According to the Theme
If you have decorated your house according to a theme, you should respect it while buying plants. The first thing that you need to pay attention to is the colour of the leaves and any flowers. If your house has a very traditional theme, you can go for small flowering plants; however if you wish to add more colour to your space, you need things that will last.
Make Use of the Space
Plants change the energy of a room, but you need to know where you are placing them.
• Add plants with large leaves in places where the room is not fully furnished.
• Add smaller plants in rooms that are heavily furnished, or else it will end up looking too crowded.
Keep Adjusting Positions
The thing with house plants is that you have to keep adjusting their positions, in order to help them grow best and acclimatise them to the new change. You need to know about the places where the plants not only survive but also grow well. If you feel don’t have much time to take care of the plants, you should choose sturdy plants like cactus because they need very little water.
Choose areas in the home that can support plant life
Make Sure Plants Get Enough Light
It is always a good idea to keep most plants near the window because they will get ample sunlight there.
• If you want plants that require less light, you should consider a Peace Lily or kentia palms and place them near the north facing windows.
• If you want plants that require indirect light, you should consider aralia or begonia and place them near the south facing windows.
• If you want plants that require direct light, you should consider amaryllis or episcia and place them near the east or west facing windows.
Think About Humidity
You need to pay attention to the humidity your plants need according to the species of plants you have. You should also group your plants close to each other because that can help to retain moisture. Just make sure that they are not too close to each other because leaves can get tangled which can reduce air circulation between the plants.
Maintain Even Temperatures
You don’t want to place your plants somewhere where the temperature will keep fluctuating because that may cause them to die. A temperature typically between 60 and 75 degrees needs to be maintained for good growth and survival of many house plants.
Taking Care of Plants
Learn what your plants need
You should know your plants requirements so that you can treat them appropriately. Also, make sure that your plants are carefully watered. If you water plants too much, they will wilt and if you water them too little, they will dry up and may die. Make sure that you fertilize your plants regularly so that new nutrients are added to the soil to help them grow and stay fresh.
Which plants to put where in your home – Some ideas
Kitchens and Dining rooms
Think about a herb garden so you have your favourite herbs to hand such as
– Basil
– Chive
– Parsley
– Mint
– Lemongrass
– Lemons (if you’re lucky)
Plant these in rustic-looking crates and boxes for an industrial look
Bedrooms
• Fatshedera (x-Fatshedera lizel)
• Grape ivy (Cissus)
• Indoor linden (Sparmannia africana)
• Schefflera (Schefflera)
Lavender
Jasmine
Staircases
• Baby’s tears (Helxine soleirolii, syn. Soleirolia soleirolii)
• Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)
• Cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica)
• Fuchsia
• Ivy (Hedera)
Balconies
• Campanula
• Citrus trees
• Euonymus japonicus
• Fatsia japonica
• Flowering maple (Abutilon)
• Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata)
• Sapphire flower (Browallia)
Whatever you choose to plant, be patient and sympathetic to your decor and to your plants! Help them live and they will help you too!
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