The simple way to add instant character to any room – without spending thousands – could be to go more green
When it comes to adding decorative impact, few things give as much bang for your buck as a well-placed houseplant. A flash of green leaves brightening up a shelf, cascading from a mantelpiece or cheering up a dull corner brings instant character and life to a room – and often at a much lower price than an artwork or piece of furniture.
Our predilection for bringing the outside in has roots in the 18th century, and took off in the 19th century, when potted palms, ferns and aspidistras became fashionable features of the middle-class Victorian home. The current vogue for indoor greenery has come about partly as a result of social media, with houseplants among the top three design trends on both Instagram and TikTok, thanks to the fact that a bouncy fern or stately fiddle-leaf fig does wonders in lifting the mood of a room, in a photograph as well as in real life.
Indeed, biophilic design, the practice of bringing nature into the built environment to enhance human wellbeing, is another top interiors trend this year according to Pinterest. Research by biophilic design experts such as Oliver Heath has found that bringing elements of nature into the home can reduce stress and blood pressure, heighten feelings of positivity, and aid concentration. A study by Nasa found that plants such as peace lilies, rubber plants, palms and devil’s ivy can filter common indoor toxins such as formaldehyde and benzene from the air. The humble houseplant’s popularity is down to both its aesthetic appeal and its feel-good factor, but what to choose if you want to try something a little different from the yuccas, philodendrons and cheese plants that have become de rigueur in the modern home?
The online gardening marketplace Sproutl has seen searches for indoor plants jump by over 300 per cent this year, and has also noticed a micro trend for macro plants – searches for large, statement varieties have gone up by 120 per cent over the past three months.
“We’re seeing a trend for people to use houseplants not as accessories for a room, but as an integral design element, treating plants in the same way they would treat furniture or large art pieces,” says the company’s chief creative officer Hollie Newton. “Using plants architecturally as part of a design scheme can transform any room, as it emphasises vertical space, giving even a small room the illusion of volume. Large-scale plants can also be used to divide and define different areas.”
To meet this demand, Sproutl has collaborated with Kew Gardens on a new range of extra-large and hard-to-find plant varieties, inspired by Kew’s Palm House and collection of tropical plants, and varying in size from 19in to 5½ft tall. The collection includes a Musa acuminata ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ standing at 5ft, a 5½ft-tall fiddle-leaf fig and a giant white bird of paradise at 5ft 4in (which can reach a height of almost 10ft indoors). Starting at £80, they’re not the cheapest on the market, but all are rare specimens sourced from specialist growers.
Beth Chapman, founder of online plant retailer Leaf Envy, agrees that there is currently huge demand for unusual “designer” plants that make a decorative change.
“The trend is very much towards collecting rare and unusual species,” she says. “Our most popular plants are those that are easy to care for and eccentric. Customers want surprising leaf aesthetics and are seeing plants like artwork, using nature as a design tool in their interiors. Houseplants with unusual patterns, strange fenestrations (holes in their leaves), pink colour tones and even plants with leaves that are pleasing to touch are all popular.”
Leaf Envy’s plant subscription service, which sends a new plant to subscribers every month – often an unconventional variety – saw a 180 per cent increase in sales last year, which Chapman attributes to this trend. “People who may have dabbled in plants during lockdown are now honing their skills and want to become plant connoisseurs of sorts,” adds Chapman, identifying plants such as Caladium ‘Miss Muffet’, Monstera obliqua ‘Monkey Mask’ and Road Kill cactus as among the current most popular “weird and wonderful” varieties.
As for which plant to place where, Thomas Broom-Hughes, director of horticulture at Petersham Nurseries – which is launching a series of classes and workshops, including one on creating impact with houseplants – stresses the importance of assessing the properties of a room before buying a plant.
“One of the big questions we get asked by customers is what is the right plant for a particular place,” he says. “You see these beautiful room set-ups on Instagram, with plants looking fabulous, but it’s not always what’s right for that particular plant. Customers will buy a plant thinking it will look nice in a dark corner of a room, without thinking about whether it’s a suitable environment.”
He recommends shade-loving ferns for darker areas, as well as mother-in-law’s tongue (or snake plant), which can survive without much light and doesn’t require a lot of watering, and Zamioculcas zamiifolia, which does well either in shade or in bright light.
“Another one that’s often overlooked is the peace lily,” he says, “which flowers, so it helps to brighten up a dark area. They’re very easy to look after. I’ve got a couple that I bought about 20 years ago and they’re now huge. They fell out of popularity because they were considered a bit 1980s, but now, as the 1980s look seems to be back in fashion, they’re coming back.” He notes that foliage-based plants are currently all the rage – so much so that some types of variegated cheese plant, first popular back in the 1970s, are now selling for thousands at auction.
When it comes to choosing a planter, Broom-Hughes advises making sure that it is big enough to hide the plastic pot containing the plant, and finding out whether it’s porous (for example, if it is made from unglazed terracotta or clay, or natural materials such as wood, which will allow moisture to pass through).
“Some are glazed on top but have a porous layer that will ruin a piece of wooden furniture,” he says. He also suggests choosing a material that works with the rest of the decor in a room, and sticking to one type of texture or colour when buying multiple planters for one room: “Generally, mixing shiny and matt containers – zinc, terracotta and glazed, for example – doesn’t work,” he says. “Choose a finish, and think about how it will complement the rest of your home. It’s all about the mise-en-scène, and making things look beautiful.”
Top tips for decorating with plants
Using plants in interiors is all about light. Determine the type and intensity of sunlight you get in each room, and then decide which plant should be positioned where
Analyse the space where you are considering putting a large plant; understand the room’s strongest and weakest points. Note what part of the space can be brightened or improved by a static piece, which will help you choose the best spot
Think about the plant’s shape and dimensions, and which type best suits your room; large plants need to be part of the entire room’s composition. As a rule of thumb, tall plants are ideal for corners, where they can emphasise the vertical aspect of a room, and in rooms with high ceilings, choose plants with a height of 5ft and above
Create focus and impact in a room by using tall plants to break up the monotony between furniture and decorative elements at one height – for example, next to a low chair and side table
Choose your plant depending on the type of style you want to bring to a room: in a decorative space with a lot of pattern, a palm or bird of paradise will bring a tropical aesthetic, while an elegant fiddle-leaf fig will suit a more minimalist or Scandinavian-style interior
If you’re using smaller plants, try grouping them together to create impact. As a general rule, a group of three plants of different heights works well visually
If you have the space and enough light, consider bringing a large plant into your bathroom and create a green spa experience; most plants thrive in a bathroom thanks to the humidity
Group tropical plants in front of a window to create an indoor jungle aesthetic. Remember that the more light you can give a plant, the faster it will grow and the bigger the leaves
Six easy ways to care for houseplants
Always check how a plant should be watered. “The biggest mistake people make is overwatering plants,” says Broom-Hughes. “A sign of this is that the leaves tend to turn yellow. Underwatering is also an issue however,” he adds. “A spider plant with brown tips on the leaves, for example, isn’t getting enough water.”
Dust large leaves with microfibre gloves. “A layer of dust on the house-plant foliage will block sunlight and reduce the plant’s ability to photosynthesise, which is how it feeds itself,” says Newton. “A clean plant that is photosynthesising at optimal levels will be healthier, and healthy plants are more resistant to diseases and pest infestations.”
Misting plants is an effective way to boost humidity, and can help avoid overwatering them, according to Newton. “It also encourages you to pay attention to the colour and texture of the leaves on your plant. Plants with brown or dry leaf tips will benefit from regular misting.”
To create a more humid environment for a tropical plant, make a pebble tray by filling a saucer with medium-sized white pebbles. Place your plant pot on top of the pebbles and pour water into the saucer, making sure the water level remains below the base of the pot. As the water evaporates from the pebble tray, it will create a bubble of humidity around the plant. Top it back up when all the water has almost evaporated.
Keep plants away from heat sources. A radiator could overheat your plant and dry out its soil and leaves. “Plants hate underfloor heating, which makes their roots dry out,” says Broom-Hughes. “If you have a large plant that sits on a heated floor, think about relocating it.”
To help diagnose any pests or diseases, use an app such as Picture This, which can identify your plant, spot any signs of ill health and suggest how to treat it.
Seven plants that make an instant impact in any room
Road Kill cactus
This easy-care plant makes a style statement.
Zamioculcas zamiifolia
A foliage plant that can cope with full sun and darker areas. Its glossy leaves suit modern settings.
Fiddle-leaf fig
Grows up, rather than out, making it a good option for adding height to a narrow space, and has large, distinctive leaves.
Monstera ‘monkey mask’
Plants with ‘holey’ leaves have grown in popularity.
Succulents
Good for sunny spots, and require little care.
Date palm
An easy-going plant that brings an instant tropical vibe to a room; place near indirect light.
Caladium ‘Miss Muffet’
The unusual fuchsia veins and speckles make this fashionable.
This article is kept updated with the latest information.
