There’s nothing more peaceful than time spent in the great outdoors. During the height of the pandemic as many of us adapted to life in quarantine, outdoor spaces took on newfound importance. So this year, why not find a way to keep a little bit of the outdoors inside with you?
If you were hoping to flex your green thumb this year, a new interior design trend that might be a great start is the Danish concept of friluftsliv. This Norwegian concept, which literally translates to “free air life” in English, is described as “a way of life that is spent exploring and appreciating nature.”
Check out this complete guide to styling indoor plants that can instantly upgrade your home and create a restful, nature-inspired space in every room. Learn how to arrange indoor plants and decorate your space with greenery, which plants work best indoors, and the benefits of incorporating nature into your home.
In the entryway
- Add greenery to your entryway by tucking a tall, decorative plant in a corner near your front door. Indoor plants are attractive and welcoming, making them the perfect décor for your home’s threshold. Your entryway is an ideal spot for a trendy fiddle-leaf fig, or something more tropical, like the Areca palm.
- Create a great first impression with a fragrant plant. You’ll never get tired of hearing, “Your house smells so good!” Pop a vase of orchids on your entryway table, or, if you’re a more experienced plant owner, consider an indoor citrus tree.
In the living room
- Place your biggest, boldest plant in a bright, open space. You can have a lot of fun with your living room indoor plants. Typically, this is a great place for your crown jewel! Something like a lady palm or corn plant is excellent for more low maintenance plant owners, or a fishtail palm or rubber tree if you’re a bit more attentive.
- Always group plants in odd numbers. When you’re decorating with plants and turning your living room into a greenhouse paradise, cluster them together in odd numbers, even numbers tend to look more formal and symmetrical. In contrast, odd-numbered groupings look natural and lush.
- Create visual interest by grouping plants of different heights, colors, textures, and so on. Create a living masterpiece by juxtaposing plants that contrast yet complement each other. Make your life easier (and help your plants thrive) by grouping plants with similar light, temperature, and humidity requirements. Keep things stylish by making sure these plants have different shapes, shades, and sizes.
In the bedroom
- Hang plants near windows to avoid taking up precious surface space. One of the best plants to hang in your bedroom is the golden pothos because it purifies the air. Not sure how to hang plants in an apartment? Consider no-drill hacks like over the door hooks, Command hooks, or even suction hooks.
- Consider incorporating plants with calming scents, like lavender. There’s a reason some people spray lavender on their pillowcases to promote sleep. Known for its serene scent, French lavender will look – and smell – great sitting on a dresser or bedside table near a window.
- Keep a peace lily near your bed. Not only are these plants a beautiful addition to your bedroom décor, but they can also reduce the microbe count in your air! If you’re prone to allergies or waking up with a scratchy throat, this plant may be an attractive and helpful solution.
In the kitchen/dining room
- Grow herbs on your kitchen windowsill. The best kitchen greenery looks elegant and is edible! If you have a kitchen window that gets plenty of sunlight, this may be the perfect spot to grow your own garnishes. Herbs like basil, rosemary, oregano, and thyme can all be grown indoors — just make sure to grow herbs you actually enjoy!
- Dress up your dining room table with greenery. A gorgeous centerpiece can change your dining room’s entire look and feel, and it’s also a simple way to transform the space each season. Succulents are a particularly easy option for a centerpiece. At the same time, a flashy plant like a bird of paradise is an exciting conversation piece in a well-lit area of the room.
- Turn your bar cart into a plant cart! Bar carts are fun pieces of furniture, but they don’t have to be used for alcoholic beverages. Turn yours into a plant stand by adorning it with various small, potted plants, like aloe vera, cacti, Chinese money plants, or jade plants.
In the office
- Add interest to your bookshelf with a variety of small potted plants. A plant with trailing leaves, like devil’s ivy (or pothos), can instantly transform your unremarkable bookshelf into an art display. Small plants that can be tucked onto shelves make great apartment plants!
- A tall plant can serve as the room’s focal point – and it has benefits for you! A 2011 study in The Journal of Environmental Psychology found that keeping indoor plants in your workspace can actually “prevent fatigue during attention-demanding work.” Choose a low-maintenance indoor plant, like the snake plant or ZZ plant, to add interest to the room while helping improve your overall workday!
Benefits of indoor plants
From an interior design standpoint, plants provide a beautiful pop of color and life to any space. However, they have benefits that go beyond the aesthetic. Studies have shown that plants can boost your mood, spur your creativity, and reduce your stress. They can even combat fatigue and colds with their ability to produce oxygen and absorb toxins! So, next time you wonder if your plant purchases are getting out of hand, remember that they’re more than decoration!
Are you trying to spruce up your new place? Take things up a notch by renting the furniture you need to turn any space into a home. With our Move-In Ready Furniture Packages and your green thumb, you can make yourself cozy till your next move comes around!
