In my opinion, plants make all the difference when decorating a space.  What do you think?  Do you agree?  If so, do you prefer bona fide or bogus?  Do you even care?  I do not.  I care more about the coziness they bring to a space.  Let me share why and my 5 tips when using plants for interior decorating.

Ask anyone in my family, and they’ll tell you I have brown thumbs.  However, it seems I might have turned a corner!  I’ve been able to keep the real plants alive for a few years now.  Maybe longer!  I’ve completely impressed myself.  The hubby even mentioned it a couple of weeks ago. 

5 Tips When Using Plants For Interior Decorating

Tip #1: Start simple and choose plants that work with your lighting.

Our house faces south, and it has a large overhang on the back patio (the north side).  That means even though we have lots of windows, there are very few spots for bright sunlight.  So for years, I thought I had to buy faux plants.

And not even good-looking faux plants.  I think that’s why I’ve been so apathetic.  But when my youngest daughter (her room looked like a jungle) said I was buying the wrong plants, somehow my attitude changed. 

All of my plants are low-light and said to be easy keepers.  My favorites are Pothos.  I’ve found they are super easy to take care of.  I’m not sure you can kill one unless there’s absolutely no love involved. 

They only need moderate indirect light and can tolerate irregular watering.  Perfect for beginners or people like me.  You can learn as you go.  Lastly, if you have super low light, faux plants come in handy.

Tip #2:  Purchase your plants from a reputable garden center (so you can return a dead one)

Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that I should buy my plants from a place where I can return a dead one for a refund.  Or return or exchange a plant with bugs.  I’ve also learned to look for bugs before purchasing.  No one wants that!  Bugs can spread to all of your plants and kill the whole lot.  If you think you have an issue, click here to compare and see how to treat it.

It’s also a good idea to go ahead and spray your plants with Neem Oil or something similar before bringing them inside.  It’s organic and won’t hurt a healthy plant, but will help if you’ve missed seeing an evil critter.

Tip #3:  Match your plants to your design style

Our home is more traditional in style, and I think it looks odd to have tropical plants everywhere.  For instance, I have another (can’t kill) plant that is very easy to take care of and is called a Zee Zee Plant.  I inherited it from my son-in-law, who married the daughter with the jungle room.  They had no space for another plant in their apartment.

I’ve always enjoyed the low maintenance, but it’s never looked quite right in our home.  It would look great in a space with a modern tropical design, minimalist look, or even a boho-designed home.  But since it was a gift, I keep it up on the stair landing.  It works well up there because it’s a space I rarely look at, and it likes drying out in between waterings.  Win-win!

Tip #4:  When possible, water from the bottom

If you are able to sit your plant inside a larger bowl for a while, this will give the roots a good drink.  I water from the top first and let it drain through.  Then I place it inside a larger bowl, water it again, and let it sit there for a good while.  Just make sure the water is sitting over the weep holes in the plastic pot.  And I don’t use that old water to water a different plant.  Hope that makes sense.

Tip #5:  Change out the vessels

Most people will tell you to change out the vessels when you bring them home.  This allows the roots to grow, and usually, the plants aren’t in the best soil to begin with.  I fully replanted two, and they both died.  So, I keep mine inside its original plastic pot, but place it inside something else that’s super cute.  They are usually plopped in something old, like a chamber pot, or in a basket.

Lastly, don’t let anyone discourage you or make you feel less than if you can only buy faux plants.  That’s all I can do at the farmhouse.  No one is there to water them, and it’s sometimes months before I get back down there. 

I hope you got some insight from my 5 tips when using plants for interior decorating.  Remember, I’ve only been keeping my plants alive for a few years.  I’m not an expert, but I do love the look and get lots of compliments on how cozy our home feels.  I think it’s the plants more than the furniture or other decor.  Happy plant hunting and let us know in the comments if you have any other great ideas!