Many of us have found that more time at home means that their plant collection has begun to grow. For even more of us, that might be the number of houseplants has grown exponentially. While we can all agree that a home jungle full of cool plants can be a place of great relaxation and stress relief, it also can cause a home decorating nightmare.
Live Plants or Fake Plants?
The first question that you need to ask yourself when contemplating your indoor plant decor is whether you want to add living or faux plants to your space. Just a few of the questions that might come immediately to mind could be:
- Do I have time to take care of these plants?
- Do I have enough light in my home?
- Do I want to add plants to my living room or my bedroom?
- Why do I want to bring plants into my home?
- What is my skill level with plants?
If You Choose Live Plants…
Decorating with plants can be an incredibly rewarding task. Not only do they liven up spaces, or give your bedroom a cozy, plant-based aesthetic, but many plants are incredible air purifiers. A NASA experiment from 1989 actually shows that indoor plants can pull harmful chemicals—such as formaldehyde—out of the air! But there are a few major things to consider before bringing that living plant decor home.
WHAT LIGHT DOES YOUR PLANT NEED?
When contemplating arrangement ideas for your indoor plants, the most important part is to assess their light needs. Similar plants should be grouped together, such as on a table or plant shelf, to make sure that they are receiving adequate sunlight.
Most houseplants thrive best in indirect light, however, there are many that have greater light needs. For plants that crave bright sunlight, you will need to place them in a window or nearby so they can thrive. If you have a plant that can tolerate low light, they can be a versatile option for shelves, bookcases, bathrooms, or even offices.
DOES YOUR PLANT NEED HUMIDITY?
Many tropical house plants require higher levels of humidity, so you might want to consider an indoor plant stand for multiple plants (our favorites are linked below). Grouping humidity-loving plants together helps to increase the moisture in the air without requiring the use of a home humidifier.
Plant Tip: Don’t want to purchase a humidifier? Create a pebble tray to raise the humidity for your plants. Fill a shallow tray with rocks and add water just until the water reaches the top of the rocks. Place the plant pot on top (make sure that the plant is not sitting in water). As the water evaporate, it will provide humidity. Refill when the rocks are almost dry.
DO YOU NEED A LOW MAINTENANCE PLANT?
Succulents are low maintenance plants that can be clustered in large pots to provide colorful arrangements for desk or tables. However, most succulents love bright sun and very little water, so you will want to keep them separate from your water-loving tropical plants. Also make sure to plant succulents in fast-draining succulent soil and planters with drainage holes to prevent overwatering.
Many other indoor plants—such as Snake or ZZ plants—are great starter houseplants for beginners or those with so-called “black thumbs.” Both of these plants can tolerate rough handling by owners, from infrequent (or inconsistent) watering, to low-light conditions, making these excellent options for anyone looking to hone their skills as a plant owner.
DO YOU HAVE PETS?
Perhaps one of the most over-looked considerations when deciding to include live plants in your home decor is their potential effect on your furry friends.
Many of the most common houseplants—looking at you, pothos—are actually toxic to cats and dogs. While not all of these houseplants are fatal to pets if ingested, many can still cause upset stomaches, irritations, or allergic reactions. It’s always best to research any new additions before bringing them into your home to ensure that you only have pet-safe houseplants within your space.
If You Choose Fake Plants…
The benefit to choosing fake plants is well…. they’re fake. Artificial plant decor has come a long way from the days when it was seen as kitschy and cheap. In fact, many companies are making high-quality, realistic looking fake plants, from artificial trees to succulent wall decor.
For those that are considering decorating with faux plants in your home, you can ask yourself these questions as well.
WHERE DO I WANT TO ADD PLANTS IN MY HOME?
Unlike live plants, faux plants can go absolutely anywhere! This makes it so simple to create that plant aesthetic anywhere in your home. Low-light rooms, most often bathrooms and offices, can be excellent locations to easily add plants for decoration. Dark or poorly-lit corners of living rooms and bedrooms can be made to feel less bare by adding a tall fake plant, such as a faux fiddle leaf fig tree or fern.
DO I NOT HAVE TIME TO WATER?
Let’s face it—we all have busy schedules to attend to. This most often means that less important tasks, such as watering the plants, can often be overlooked during the most hectic times. If this is you, faux plants are probably the way to go.
Another added benefit of fake plants is that, for frequent travelers, you never have to worry returning home after a long trip to a wrinkled brown stump!
DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN OR PETS?
Just like when choosing live plants, taking note of the other members of your home applies here as well. While your first concern about adding houseplants to your space may not be a small child ingesting the leaves, dirt and shattered decor might be. The benefits of faux plants are fairly obvious. But, as always, make sure to check any new houseplants (even live!) for small pieces that could present a choking hazard to a small child or pet.
Whether you prefer to display your plants in hanging baskets, as wall decor, or simply in addition to your home furnishings, we’re sharing some of the most affordable plant aesthetic home decor ideas that we’ve found. Many of these home decor finds are under $25 and are perfect room decor ideas for bedrooms, offices, living rooms, and every space in between.