Green Extravaganza: Plants In Home Decor

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Sometimes new is well forgotten old. Trends in interior design, the same as in fashion, are cyclical and tend to come back after several years. Plants in home decor is a good proof for that. I don’t know whether it was the same in your house, but in my childhood our home was decorated with incredible amount of pots with greenery. Some of them were hanged on so popular back then macrame holders, the others were scattered on the windowsill, while the rest used to nestle on the balcony. One fine day we have noticed, that greenery is not in favour anymore. Contemporary interiors we saw in the magazines (so different from our apartment!) contained no trace of them. So the first move towards “modernising” our dwelling is that our pots with violets, geraniums and spider plants were moved into the garbage bin. The apartment started to look more spacious, airy and…boring. So maybe it is my nostalgia and home-sickness now, but I am so excited to see that home plants slowly but surely return to our homes. Greenery today is one of the biggest trends and sometimes the amount of plants used in home decor is much more than what we used to have twenty years ago.

What causes such popularity? I think the answer is in our daily life, social development and of course changes in our mindset. Today environmental issues are hot as never before. Parks and forests are cut down for construction purposes, the level of carbon dioxide in large cities goes of scale and we instinctively look to be closer to nature.

Talking about greenery in home decor, I must mention that it is not only a wonderful source of oxygen but also a way to improve our psychological health and well-being. It is a proven fact that natural plants have a positive effect on our mind and nervous system. They will bring into any interior a note of freshness and coziness. Plants are also able to transform or enhance the existing style of the room. Thus, exotic bamboo and palm trees will add some tropical chic, which makes them perfect for decorating colonial-style interiors, violets and begonias are the best for country homes, elegant dracaena and calla flowers will compliment contemporary spaces.

Finding the “right” spot for the plant is not that easy, as it might seem. Large tall plants shouldn’t be placed next to the entrance or in front of other things in the room – they will fence them in as well as make the space look smaller. When allocating greenery in the room, make an analogy with a theatre, where large plants play the role of scenery, while the furniture and smaller plants are objects on the stage. Another rule is that big plants shouldn’t be placed next to very small, as the last ones will be lost on their background. Better to put pots with small flowers next to each other, on a windowsill or console, for example. Another mistake is to think is that small space should be decorated with small plants. In fact, the effect will be the opposite – they will just highlight its tiny dimensions. The better option will be to place one over-scale tree that will draw attention from the small size of the room and will create the “Alice in Wonderland” effect.

Another clever way to decorate the space with flowers without actually bringing them inside is to merge indoors and outdoors. Wall to ceiling windows will show off all the beauty of patio garden and the plants will be located on fresh air in their natural environment. Of course, this option is most suitable for houses located in a warm climate.

Another big trend today is vertical planters, which are able to transform the simple wall into a green oasis. It will not only help you to decorate an empty wall but will create a very beautiful and original focal point:

Vertical planters can also be used to create amazing wall decor:

In the space below I like the eclectic mix of different styles and materials. Greenery in this room looks very organically and highlights the originality of the decor:

Flowers and plants can be an amazing source of inspiration and chance to express your own creativity. While plants are used to decorate the space, you can also decorate the plants themselves. Despite there is a huge amount of pots and planters available on the market today, you can also go a DIY route and create some original looking planters yourself. Think of repurposing old cans, teapots, cups, watering cans, wine bottles, aquariums, etc. – possibilities are endless! You can also buy very simple and cheap plastic pots and give them a new original look by decorating them with marine rope, beads or coffee beans, dry branches or stump slices and even clothespins!