House plant decorating ideas

Good house plants that are well cared for can be a fixture in your home for years to come. Not only do they help to clean the air of harmful carbon dioxide, they also make great decorations. House plants provide an organic presence to an environment that is packed full of lifeless objects.

Plants as pets

Although they do not require as much love, care, and attention has other house pets such as cats and dogs, they are, indeed, living creatures sharing your space and should be treated as such. Most house plants would probably thrive more if they were thought of in these terms.

Location

Figuring out where to position your house plants so that they best fit in with your decor is an important task; however, your first concern should be finding the best spot in your home that gives them the proper amount of exposure to sunlight. You also want to be sure that your plant is not exposed to too much heat from heaters or furnaces. A healthy plant will be strong and green. You can tell if a particular spot is not working for your plant if it begins to wilt or its leaves begin to yellow. If the architectural design of your home simply does not allow for a plant to get a large amount of sunlight, consider incorporating artificial light to help supplement its growth.

Feng Shui

Incorporating Feng Shui into house plant decorating scheme can be extremely beneficial. Plants are said to energize the room and clear the air both mentally and physically. Plants such as peace lilies, cacti, and peperomia are believed to absorb EMF emissions from computers and other electronic devices. This is why these types of plants are often found in office spaces. One of the basic principles of using plants in Feng Shui is to soften the effects of corners in rooms. Trailing and hanging plants are often used for this specific purpose. Below are a few more basic Feng Shui principles to keep in mind when decorating with plants.

• Bedrooms and other rooms that are commonly used as resting or relaxation rooms should not be outfitted with spiky or spiny plants. Avoid plants such as cacti, bromeliad, and dragon trees in your bedroom. Instead, consider a jade plant, rubber tree, schefflera, or peperomia.

• You should also try to avoid spiny or spiky plants in your bathroom. Consider plants such as Boston Ferns or Baby's Breath.

• Conversely, rooms that are used for mental stimulation, such as the living room, family room, office, or kitchen, should contain the more spiky or spiny plants. Consider house plants such as snake plants, palms, aloe, and yuccas for these rooms.

• Dying, sickly plants are bad for the soul, so be sure to take good care of your plant so that it will take good care of you.

Other tips

• Know your decor. Contemporary, modern styles go better with plants that have clean lines and slender shapes to them. Victorian decors work well with ferns, while cacti are perfect for southwest styles.

• When grouping plants together for appearance, be certain that they share the same light and watering requirements.

• Plants are dynamic and they create better effects when they are in contrast with one another. For instance, couple long, trailing plants with ones of small height.

• Use plants with colorful foliage for centerpieces. Spanish moss makes a great finish for various arrangements.

• Several plants can be grown in a single container. This creates an air of drama in your space.