Interior decorating with plants ‒ Solve decor challenges with plants
It is amazing how interior decorating with plants can change and elevate the look and style of a space. For this reason, plants are a key element in all my design, decorating, and styling projects. Learning how to decorate with plants can play an important role in improving the overall elegance of a space.
If you want some ideas on how you can use plants to decorate your space or you are wondering how to deal with some challenging areas in your rooms, then you have come to the right place.
In this article, I share my 7 tips on how to decorate with plants to elevate the interior style of your home and solve some decorating dilemmas.
I know that many people avoid live plants because they are concerned about how to keep them alive and thriving or because of pets and allergies.
It is understandable that some people hesitate to bring live plants into their spaces, so if you favor artificial plants then you can easily adapt the below tips to faux greenery too.
Interior decorating with plants Tip # 1: Use plants to fill in dead space or challenging corners
Use plants to fill in challenging blank walls
This tip focuses on how you can use plants to visually fill an empty wall without the need to hang wall decor or a mirror.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
Whether you live in a rental where you are not allowed to hang things on the walls or you have a wall that for technical reasons prevents you from installing wall décor, tall plants can solve some of the dilemmas of big blank walls.
Above is an example of a blank wall that needed a little “something”. But attaching anything to the wall would prevent the sliding door from fully opening. So instead of hanging art or a mirror, a tall leafy plant was placed directly in front of the wall to visually fill in the void. The plant makes the seating corner look so much more interesting and welcoming!
If you are wondering how to decorate with plants to fill in an unusually shaped wall, below is an example of using plants to complement the lines of a curved wall.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
Because of the curved angle of the wall, placing a rectangular console or a low bench along the wall under the stairs would have looked a bit odd. Instead, the two different height pots with lush greenery fill in that empty area in an elegant way, bringing life and visual appeal to the space.
Use plants to fill awkward and challenging corners
I often use tall plants to fill in awkward corners and introduce height to my room arrangements. In the picture below, all the furniture is more or less the same mid-level height so the plant adds a taller element into the space and also softens the overall look of the room. The plant provides an added layer of texture and interest and draws the eye upward to make the 8-foot ceilings look taller.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
Interior decorating with plants tip # 2: Use plants to create visual separation
You can decorate with plants to help define different areas in an open-plan layout. Visual separation can also be achieved by combining a grouping of plants in different height pots along a wall without obstructing the flow of the room.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
In the above example, the tall plant on the left makes your eye pause before wandering further into the room and provides the illusion of separation between the living and dining spaces.
Interior decorating with plants tip #3: Use decorative pots that coordinate or accent your decor
It is key to place your plants in pots or baskets that are proportioned to the size of your plants but also complement your specific decorating style, furniture, and color theme.
Whether the decorative container you use for your plant is ceramic, concrete or woven grass or rattan, the color should complement your overall color scheme or accent it.
If you like changing things up occasionally and want to be able to move the pots and plants to other areas of your home, then choose a neutral color that coordinates easily with other colors throughout your house or apartment. If, however, you want to use them as an accent to your overall decorating theme, then pick a color that matches other accent colors in your space.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
In the above example, black plant containers complement other black elements in the dining space, and the red pot on the table highlights the red accents in the room.
Interior decorating with plants tip #4: Dress Up your plants
Whether your plants are live or artificial you can use the below-described method to elevate them and make them more substantial.
Choose a decorative container that is wider and about twice as tall as the plastic pot the plant comes in. Then, place another pot upside down at the bottom of the decorative pot followed by a dish to catch water (this is only if you have a live plant), and finally put the plant in.
Stuff paper or plastic bags to fill in the gap between the original pot and the larger container and dress the top with either Spanish moss or large pebbles.
This approach gives the plant a nicely finished look and is a budget-friendly way to buy shorter less expensive plants and make them look much taller. For more detailed visual instructions go to my video on How to decorate with Plants.
Interior decorating with plants tip #5: Create the illusion of a foyer or entry hall
You can use plants to create the feeling of an entry hall or foyer when the front door opens directly into the living space.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
In the above example, the feeling of an entrance hall was achieved by placing a tall slim plant against the narrow wall steps away from the front door. The tall plant fills in the wall space and causes you to pause before moving toward the open-plan living space.
Space was limited so a slim metal console was strategically positioned on the opposite side. The console’s see-through metal design and glass top keep the space looking open.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
The console décor was kept simple and a small wispy plant was added as an accent to emphasize the airy look of the area. Keeping in mind the above tips, the decorative pot compliments the color of other accessories giving a cohesive look to this space.
Interior decorating with plants tip #6: Use plants to enhance your decorating vignettes
Use plants to bring an added element of interest and dimension to a decorating arrangement or simply use them to enrich your room’s style.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
Here is an example of how to decorate with plants to add dimension to an otherwise boring arrangement. The small plant in the fluted pot has an almost sculptural look to it. Placed next to everyday kitchen items like cutting boards, a mortar and pesto, and an essential oil diffuser (used to freshen up the air after cooking), the plant adds a bit of style to the utilitarian items on this countertop.
Interior decorating with plants is a versatile way of creating styling moments.
Pro tip:
You can use small potted plants in trays on surfaces you need to access regularly.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
A plant combined with a candle and a small bowl is an easy way to style a tray. This tray arrangement decorates the dining table that the family uses daily. When the table is not in use this simple styling moment sits nicely in the middle of the table, but when it comes time for the family to gather around the table, it can easily be picked up and moved aside so the table can be set for dinner.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
Here is another example of how some simple trailing plant adds life to this tall dresser styling arrangement. The bowl serves as a place to temporarily place earrings and rings at the end of the day and the box stores things that are not attractive enough to be on display.
When considering how to decorate with plants, don’t forget your private rooms.
Pro tip:
Plants are a great way to soften all the hard surfaces in a bathroom too!
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
A tray placed in the middle of a double vanity is a great way for corralling toiletries if you want to keep things at hand. The addition of an interesting looking ceramic vessel with an arrangement of succulents and a small snake plant are a beautiful way to bring life and elegance to this space. Notice the matching tan color of the pot and the tray handle? These compliment the warm metal framed mirror. This is also an example of tip # 3 above.
Interior decorating with plants tip #7: Keep your plants well groomed.
Plants breathe through their leaves, so to help them thrive and look their best, make sure that they are free of dust. Once every few months you can put the smaller ones in the shower to rinse their leaves. For the larger ones, use a damp microfiber cloth and carefully wipe the top and bottom sides of the leaves while holding the individual leaf in your other hand for support.
This is a good practice even for artificial plants because dusty plants can make even the most beautifully decorated home look unkempt and not so elegant.
If you do have live plants, once every couple of months look at the leaves to see if the edges have any brown spots. You can trim them using clean sharp scissors. I prefer to trim the edges in the same shape as the leaves which gives them a natural and tidy look.
I hope I have inspired you to use more plants in decorating your spaces and possibly provided some suggestions and solutions to your styling challenges.
Check out my latest video on how to decorate with plants, and leave a comment if you have any questions or insights you’d like to share with me.
