Decorating your home with greenery

There’s nothing better than the fresh scent and vibrant colour that plants and flowers bring to your home. Indoor plants are very on-trend right now in home décor, often providing the dramatic (yet economical) finishing touch that makes a home feel welcoming. There are also health benefits to bringing the outdoors inside, from improving the air quality in your environment to uplifting your mood.

You don’t have to have green fingers to bring greenery into your home. Let’s begin with some suggestions on how to choose your plants, where to place them, and how to create a positive mood in your space.

Which plants to choose:

Remember to head for the indoor plant section at the nursery, and don’t hesitate to call for backup from the knowledgeable nursery staff.

Think about the area you would like to place your plant: does it have natural sunlight year-round, or is it in a darker corner? Read the plant tags carefully, and choose plants that will fit in with your aptitude for watering and care. If you’re new at this, perhaps tend towards the more ‘forgiving’ plants, like the famously hard-to-kill snake plant, peace lily, or spider plant. Also, consider the right pots and saucers to avoid any spills on your carpet when watering!

Stems and leaves are also ideal to put into vases to stylish effect. If you’re lucky enough to have Eucalyptus, Delicious Monster (Monstera deliciosa) or other big leaves growing in your garden, this is a very cost-effective strategy for bringing greenery into your home. Finally, don’t forget herbs for the kitchen, helping you to cut down your shopping bills and live a little more sustainably.

A little word of caution while choosing plants. If you’ve got pets or young children, do speak to your nursery staff to avoid bringing any poisonous plants into your home.

Where to place them:

Think about where you would like to place your plants before hitting the nursery. Is there a corner in the living room that will come to life if a tall plant is added? Do you have a table that is a little bare at the moment and would look great with a cactus on it? Or maybe a beautiful aloe? Hanging plants add a different dimension, drawing the eye upwards and filling what is normally empty space.

Some plants, such as the Zanzibar Plant, thrive in bathrooms due to the humidity, and a pot plant in a white bathroom is always a great way to add a pop of colour. Put a plant in a basket for a coffee table centerpiece, put single stems into brightly coloured bottles for visual interest, or use different vase heights to create a striking display. Wondering what to put on that floating shelf? Create a shelf of arty greenery by creating a collection of different plants with different heights and textures, from tall, spiky, ‘architectural’ plants to soft, flowing plants that trail over the edge, like the String of Pearls or the Boston Fern.

If you have a small room or space that you want to decorate but don’t want clutter, then adding a pot plant or vase with large cut leaves or stems is an ideal solution. Check out some other ideas for small spaces.

Enhance your mood:

Flowers and plants are natural mood enhancers, and research indicates that people with plants in their home are less likely to feel anxious, and might even heal faster from injury and illness! So don’t hold back, the mood of the whole house can benefit from a splash of greenery.

Start at the front door, with greenery in the entrance hall providing a vibrant welcome to you and your guests. Place a plant on your bedside table or in the corner of your bedroom that you’ll see first thing upon waking and last thing at night. The sight and smell of fresh flowers in your bathroom or next to your coffee pot is a great way to awaken your senses and start off your day the right way. Continue on the green theme right through your house, and then set reminders on your phone on when to water them. Then just sit back and enjoy living in your transformed green space.

Now that you know which plants to source and where to place them, it’s time to head to the nursery and start picking out your greenery. Remember to do your potting outside to avoid making mess inside, but if you happen to knock over a pot and spill soil onto your carpet then take a look at our guide for spills and stains, and if all else fails then give Drytron, the carpet cleaning professionals a call!