From hanging plants to a lush bathroom: here’s how houseplants complete your decor
We’ve gathered ten delightful ways to incorporate houseplants into your interior design. Get inspired by these ideas or find your new favorite plant.
Expert in houseplant identification and plant nomenclature: Visa Lipponen.
1. Green up the corners
Lush plants complement the abundant and playful look of this living room. On the left, a kentia palm Howea forsteriana arches over a Chinese money plant Pilea peperomioides. The other corner is governed by a giant monstera Monstera deliciosa. Samsung’s Frame TV is hidden in the middle of the gallery wall. You can alternate between different artworks on its screen. The trio on the plant stand consists of a lemon button fern Nephrolepis cordifolia ‘Duffii’ (left), sicklethorn Asparagus falcatus, and common asparagus fern Asparagus setaceus.
Is there enough light?
In winter, consider moving your plants closer to the window or investing in grow lights. A smartphone app that measures light levels is a helpful tool; search for “light meter” to find different options.
2. Wild yet controlled
The casually trailing ivy Hedera sp. and inch plant Tradescantia fluminensis on the lower shelf are balanced by the clear shapes of the upright Cereus hexagonus and Stenocereus stellatus cacti and the African milk tree Euphorbia trigona on the right. In the middle, there is a cutting from a Chinese hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. The walls are adorned with William Morris’s ‘Golden Lily’ wallpaper, and the floor is tiled with Pukkila’s Natura tiles.
3. Roots on display
Sometimes, you don’t need to aim for the fullest growth: airiness is beautiful too. This kitchen shelf sports soulful items that make perfect companions for the cayenne peppers growing in glass jars. The seedlings were grown from seeds by the resident of this home. What is fascinating is that the jars reveal the roots of the plants. If you want to plant your own seedlings in glass jars without drainage holes, remember to ensure good drainage at the bottom.
Grow plants from fruit seeds
It’s fun to grow houseplants from the seeds of fruits and vegetables you’ve eaten at home. Avocados and chilies are familiar to many, but have you tried growing mango, kiwi, carambola, turmeric, or papaya? Remember that when you grow plants from the seeds of store-bought fruits or vegetables, you should only do so indoors. This way, you’ll prevent accidentally spreading plant diseases.
4. In the spotlight
Plants and botanical wallpapers are a perfect match! Here the easy-care purple heart plant Tradescantia pallida poses against the ‘Rabarber’ wallpaper by Boråstapeter. The stunning planter is made by Marika Honkatukia, who creates ceramics under the name Atra Arts. The deep color of the purple heart’s leaves will stay vibrant when it is placed in a sufficiently bright spot, and the plant may also delight its grower with small flowers that bloom at the ends of its shoots.
Don’t drown tradescantias
Water your tradescantias thoroughly but infrequently. You’ll find the right rhythm by checking with your finger that the topsoil has dried before the next watering.
5. A plant bath
A bathroom with a window is a blessing, as it’s an excellent place for plants that enjoy humid air. And if your bathroom feels a bit bleak, plants will instantly chase away that feeling! In this cozy bathroom, a kentia palm Howea forsteriana (left), fiddle-leaf fig Ficus lyrata, and sicklethorn Asparagus falcatus liven up the atmosphere.
6. Shelf full of plants
A shelf with a worktop is a plant enthusiast’s dream. Care supplies and empty pots can be tucked away in the lower part of this shelf. The furniture in the photo was found second-hand—its previous home was a cosmetics shop! The resident likes to grow their plant collection from cuttings. A European ivy Hedera helix is cascading down the edge of the shelf, and the lush ball on the top shelf is a baby’s tears Soleirolia soleirolii. In the center, a mistletoe cactus Rhipsalis sp. is pouring out of its pot.
A snake plant Sansevieria ‘Fernwood’ resides in the woven pot at the front, a leopard lily Dieffenbachia ‘Green Magic’ keeping it company on its right. The bird’s nest fern Asplenium nidus ‘Crissie’ in the center of the table adds to the lush charm of the plant collection, complemented by two crotons Codiaeum variegatum behind it.
7. Playing with varieties
This arrangement featuring different species and varieties of the same plant genus is utterly fascinating. When you place your plants at varying heights, their details will stand out beautifully. The alocasias in this picture are Alocasia zebrina, Alocasia baginda ‘Dragon Scale’, and Alocasia ‘Pink Dragon’. The acorn peperomia Peperomia tetraphylla ‘Hope’ adds a relaxed touch to the alocasia arrangement. A silver inch plant Tradescantia zebrina and a string of turtles Peperomia prostrata are sitting on the shelf.
Alocasia starter pack
Place alocasias in bright, indirect light to prevent the sun from damaging their beautifully patterned leaves. Their growing medium should be well-draining but constantly slightly moist—don’t let it dry out completely. The plant benefits from misting.
8. Layer upon layer
What a sight to wake up to in the morning! The resident of this home got the idea for a hanging plant corner from a café and brought it to their bedroom. Hanging plants on the left: European ivy Hedera helix, golden pothos Epipremnum aureum, blue star fern Phlebodium aureum, and Boston fern Nephrolepis exaltata. On the right: croton Codiaeum variegatum, variegated spider plant Chlorophytum comosum, and at the bottom, Japanese aralia Fatsia japonica. The white tiered hanging planter is an old model from Ikea.
9. Airily on the window
The variegated spider plant Chlorophytum comosum has given up the window spot to the kitchen garden plants that need more light. The resident has crafted the handy herb shelf themself. A hanging shelf is a practical place for a plant collection when there’s no room on the windowsills or if there are no windowsills at all.
With or without holes
A hanging shelf is easy to make from a scrap piece of board or a length of glued laminated timber, and chains or steel wire are perfect for hanging it. You can place pots on top of the shelf, or if you prefer, cut holes in the board for the pots.
10. Keeping company to thrifted treasures
Playful thrift store finds and houseplants make a charming combination. On the lower shelf, a prayer plant Goeppertia orbifolia is tucked into a tiger pot made in Portugal in the 1950s or 1960s. The plant in front of the cactus light is a bird’s-nest fern Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’. The plants on top of the cabinet are made of plastic.
