Decorating and designing your indoor living space is an important task for many homeowners. Having the perfect aesthetic can make a home feel fresh and inviting, and boost the mood of those living there. One often overlooked aspect of interior decorating is the use of plants.
Working with plants is an easy and fun way to add to your interior design. If you’re looking for reasons to use plants in interior design, then you’re in luck. Plants bring a natural element to your design and provide a large variety to match any aesthetic.
Let’s look at some reasons why you might want to incorporate some plant life into your designs.
1. Plants Bring the Beauty of Nature Inside
First off, bringing plants into our design helps us bring a little piece of nature into our homes. This helps root our homes in nature, which is something that can really elevate a design. Plants are a great way to add some “life” to your home and contrast nicely with other, non-living pieces of design.
Plants are beautiful, living pieces of art. What’s more, they function as breathtaking centerpieces or as part of a beautiful background. This versatility is another reason why plants are such a great design tool.
2. Plants Fill Up Empty Spaces
Plants can be easily used as decors, wall dividers, and even as living sculptures. You can even use them to fill out empty walls by placing one or more dramatic plants to add a touch of nature. This makes them a great way to fill empty spaces without going overboard.
They make interior spaces feel more welcoming, personal, and lived-in. Once you find the right plant for the right room, it’s hard to imagine that space without it again.
3. Plants Work with Any Design Principle
Another great reason to work plants into your interior design is that they work with nearly any style. Whether you’re looking for something minimalist, a more rustic look, or something in between, the perfect plant is out there.
Now, not every plant is going to fit with every design style, and that’s okay. Part of the fun is finding that perfect plant that complements your design in just the exact right way.
If you have an empty spot in your home, you can easily make it feel less lonely by placing a few potted plants and livening up the space.
4. Plants Harmonize Interior Color Themes
Whether you’re going for crisp whites, jewel tones, lovely pastels, or dramatic backdrops, plants never fail to bring everything together without competing with the design. Placed in serene rooms or wildly colorful spaces, plants never fail to stand out yet harmonize with their surroundings.
You can even grow plants in a room full of patterns and colors and they would still fit in. Conversely, you can display a showy plant in a minimalist background to highlight the contrast, texture, and colors of all design elements. The wide variety of plants makes this possible as you can choose the perfect plant to complement your design’s colors.
5. Plants Provide Health Benefits through Visual Cohesion
There’s something absolutely soothing about seeing plants that puts us into a calmer state of mind. Some psychologists even claim that we tend to feel more rested because green colors have been found to lower stress, anxiety, and depression.
While I’d argue all good interior design has these calming properties, there’s something special about plants. They have a way of really “bringing a room together” and for that reason, I’ll always make sure to include some greenery in my home.
Interior Designing With Plants
Hopefully, the above has inspired you to consider plants when designing your home. They do bring a myriad of benefits, and, with some options, can fit any design or style. Next time you want to decorate a room, consider what plants might be a good fit.
FAQs about Interior Decorating with Plants
Is There a Term for Using Plants in Interior Design?
Yes, the term for incorporating plants with interior design is called biophilic interior design. The term comes from the Latin words bio and philia. Bio means life while philia means love. As a design term, biophilia means using natural resources to harmonize nature with architecture and interior design.
What are the benefits of decorating with plants indoors?
Aside from aesthetic purposes, plants bring in multiple benefits to homeowners. Some of these include:
- Lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression
- Improved attention span, mental alertness, and mindfulness
- Increased levels of oxygen and overall air quality
- Enhanced creativity and productivity
- Better mental health
- Improved emotional stability and balance
Which plants are best for interior design?
There are actually many plants you can use as living interior decor. Some of the most popular ones are:
- Area palm
- Lady palm
- Dwarf date
- Bamboo palm
- Boston fern
- Rubber tree
- Fiddle leaf tree
- Spider plant
- Pothos plant
- English ivy
- Ficus tree
- Philodendron plant
- Corn plant
- Snake plants
- ZZ plants
- Peace lily
- Orchids
How should I decorate with plants?
Have no fear because decorating with plants is easier than you think. Here are popular ways to decorate your interiors with plants.
- Place one or a group of potted plants in an empty corner.
- Display some plants by your foyer or on your entry table.
- Add life to bookshelves by displaying one or a few indoor plants.
- Liven up your dining table with some living greenery.
- Cultivate fresh herbs and spices in your kitchen.
- Add some indoor plants on top of your coffee table or bedside table.
- Grow indoor plants in your bathroom, where it’s warmer and more humid.
