With a busy lifestyle, having a calm place to call home can make a big difference. Surrounding yourself with touches of nature can help transform your space from a home into a sanctuary, perfect for unwinding at the end of a busy day.
Adding greenery and natural elements to your living space can be as simple as a potted plant on the window ledge. Or, you can go all-in with luxury wood-look flooring, living feature walls and hanging pots.
From better air quality to a serene living environment, adding greenery has lots of benefits. The question is, where do you start? Keep reading to discover our top design tips for creating a home that’s inspired by nature.
Combining greenery with modern flooring
When you’re looking to create a serene green space, the first step is to look down. Your flooring spans across every room in your home so it’s the perfect opportunity to use it as a canvas for the look you’re trying to achieve.
Consider something that’ll complement your plants, in both style and material. Hybrid or luxury vinyl flooring is a great choice as it’s durable, easy to clean and comes in a range of colours. Whether it’s ash, oak, or blackbutt, a wood-look finish will set the scene for plants and other natural elements.
When choosing a colour, also keep in mind the overall atmosphere you’d like to create. Lighter varieties will make the space feel open and bright, while darker hues can create depth and warmth. The right decision will depend on your home and your personal preferences.
Choosing the Right Plants for Your Home
Now that you’ve set the stage, it’s time to choose the plants for your living space. It isn’t just a matter of choosing what looks good though, as the perfect fit will depend on the lighting, colour scheme, and how much effort you want to make. It’s no good getting a plant that thrives in full sun if your home doesn’t get a lot of natural light, or choosing a finicky plant that needs lots of attention if you’re always short on time.
Even indoor plants that like a bit of shade need some level of natural light, so think about areas of your home that get some sunshine during the day. It can be helpful to track this over the course of a few days to see just how much sun streams in.
If you’re new to growing greenery, start with a beginner-friendly variety to ease into it. Peace lilies, rubber plants, and spider plants are all low maintenance. Once you get the hang of it, you can give yourself a challenge with more temperamental species. Think ferns, orchids and elephant ears.
A plant for every space
Here’s a quick guide for choosing plants for different rooms in your home:
- The bathroom: the humidity in your bathroom can see a range of plants thrive. For low-light bathrooms you could add pothos, English ivy, philodendron, and a wide variety of ferns. For brighter bathrooms try peace lilies, aloe vera, or a majesty palm if you have the space. Pop your smaller plants on the window ledge or vanity to create a unique oasis.
- The hallway: even a narrow entrance can have greenery added to it with a slimline, tall plant. If you have filtered light, a Kentia palm is an excellent choice.
- The bedroom: look for air-filtering plants as the finishing touch to your sleeping space, or something with a soothing scent to promote sleep. Lavender, aloe vera, and Boston ferns are just a few options.
- The kitchen: with the right care, practical and pretty herbs can be grown in your kitchen. Choose varieties you’ll cook with, such as thyme, oregano or parsley.
Your local plant store can give you advice about the best plants for your climate, skill level and room type, so spend a bit of time researching what’s right for you.
Creating a green sanctuary in your living room
When creating an indoor sanctuary, the living room is the perfect place to go wild. Especially if you have a bit more space, a few oversized pots or a plant table will make the room feel cosy and inviting.
Complement your greenery with natural colours and furnishings so your plants become a seamless part of the decor. Things like a light, woven sofa can look great with a wool throw, soft cushions and a jute rug. Touches of wood will also blend nicely with your plants. Whether it’s exposed beams, a rustic coffee table or an antique sideboard, it’s about bringing a range of natural elements indoors.
Creative ways to display your greenery
Besides sufficient light and water, there are no rules when it comes to indoor greenery. Here’s a few tips to display them creatively:
- If you have limited floor space, look to the walls for a unique and cosy feel. Use floating shelves or vertical garden pots for your favourite green varieties.
- Hanging pots aren’t just for outdoors and look great hung inside near windows or in cosy corners. You can even get macrame hangers to add softness to the look.
- If natural light is limited, line your plants on a bookshelf and install grow lights for a unique design feature.
A word of warning: once you start collecting indoor plants it can be addictive. You’ll have a whole collection in no time!
Caring for your indoor plants
Not only do indoor plants look good — they also filter the air and bring oxygen into your home. While some are more low maintenance than others, a little bit of care goes a long way. Make sure to choose plants that fit your schedule and level of commitment and you can’t go wrong.
An easy way to make sure your plants stay healthy is with a plant care app. They help you schedule watering, feeding, offer step-by-step guides and more. There’s loads out there, so it’s easy to find one that’s right for you.
Whatever plants you choose, adding greenery to your home is the perfect way to add atmosphere to your home. Start small, work with the space you have, and you’ll soon discover how fun it is to incorporate greenery into your interior design.
