Decorate with Indoor Houseplants to Enhance your New Home Build
November 17, 2021
Decorate with indoor houseplants to bring life to your new home (and improve your own health!).
Houseplants are taking over. Literally.
And it’s a trend well worth getting on the bandwagon for. Decorate with indoor houseplants and style it well for both a beautiful AND beneficial addition to your home and health.
Plants need 5 things in order to grow and flourish –
- Sunlight
- Correct environmental temperature
- Moisture
- Air
- Nutrients
Let’s first explore the benefits of filling your home with plants.
Houseplants are Natural Air Purifiers
Plants can reduce the level of pollutants in your home, according to ongoing research from NASA. Stagnant indoor environments can be breeding grounds for carcinogenic chemicals – including benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. Indoor plants can help lessen the levels of these household toxins as well as carbon monoxide. Your indoor plants take one for the team here by breathing in this toxins, and replacing them with oxygen.
Pretty magical isn’t it?
Best Plants for Air Purification: Peace Lilly, Boston Fern, Chrysanthemums, Devil’s Ivy, Bamboo Palm, Dragon Tree
Houseplants Increase Humidity Levels
This is especially desirable in the winter when our homes are often dryer due to central heating and closed windows. Our skin, eyes and even cells aren’t big fans of this extra dry re-circulating air. Our immunue systems don’t care for low humidity levels either.
Plants release water vapor into the air, thereby increasing the moisture (aka humidity) levels in your home.
Focus on plants with bigger leaves, as they’ll release more moisture than those with smaller ones.
Best Plants for Humidifying: Boston Fern, Spider Plant, Jade Plant, Areca Palm
Houseplants Lift Your Mood
Along with improving your physiological health, studies show that indoor plants also benefit our mental health. Simply sitting in a room with a plant can improve our mood, and they help reduce our levels of coristol, the stress hormone.
Taking care of plants also lifts our spirits and provides a feeling of content. The act of nurturing and caring for your plants provides a consistent and rewarding part of your day.
Onto the plants themselves – and next week, we’ll discuss how to style them into your home.
Most plants do need plenty of light, but harsh direct sunlight all day long can also be damaging to certain types. It’s important to do your research and know where to put each plant, rather than placing them simply for aesthetic.
Below, we go through a quick list of the easier plants to care for as you start your indoor houseplant journey.
Decorate with These Easy Indoor Houseplants
Boston Fern
Low maintenance yet provides a lot of plant in a pot. The Boston Fern is a great air purifiers and humidifiers, they prefer indirect sunlight and warm soil. Mist daily to keep healthy and if it starts to look less lush, pop it into a steamy bathroom every now and again to revive it.
Peace Lily
This plant comes in a variety of sizes and blooms beautifully. The Peace Lily is one of the best natural air purifiers out there. Place it outside sporadically for some fresh air and you really only need to water it when its long stems begin to slightly droop. This plant can take a bit of neglect, so if you travel often for a week or two at a time, or live in a home with low light, this is the plant for you.
Spider Plant
The Spider Plant is always on the list for easy-care houseplants. Indirect light and water just once a week (you could probably get by with watering it every 2 weeks if you’re not a natural nurturer or forgetful) and it should live for years. The Spider Plant purifies the air and is a good antioxidant, giving off high levels of vitamin c.
English Ivy
A resilient houseplant that doubles as a great outdoor plant too. Prefers shady spots where you might normally think nothing would grow. And can equally manage with direct sun.
Cast Iron Plant
Suffer from a dim home? Forgetful when it comes to watering once a week? This is the plant for you. Perfect for low light conditions, the Cast Iron plant hates to overwatered as well.
Shamrock Plant
A small and delicate plant perfect for the mantle or the corner of your desk. Make sure they have access to a sunny window and water when the soil has dried to avoid scorching (overwatering).
Bamboo Palm
The pefect plan for a tropical vibe with low maintenance. It’s a great air purifier and will grow based on the available space in its environment. Indirect sunlight and consistently moist soil will keep the Bamboo Palm (and you) very happy. Mist with soapy water every once in awhile to ward off spiders and mites.
