Go Green to Spruce Up Your Home

What do all of the happiest-looking homes have in common? Greenery, and lots of it.

Adding plants to your home can help you go green and spruce up your space at the same time.

You can try your hand at caring for real plants, opt for faux plants, or even decide to do a mix of both!

Plants can be one of the best accessories to add to your home to give it a natural, organic, and inviting look--That’s because plants and nature in general, make us feel happier, calmer, and more relaxed.

Photo Wade Griffith Photography

Why Go Green

Whether you decide to go with faux, live, or a combo of both, you can't go wrong with using plants to spruce up your space!

Plants instantly change the atmosphere and add that kick your decor needs to stand out and to feel complete. There are lots of ways in which you can include plants into your home's decor and they don't all involve the classical vases and pots.

Indoor plants also enhance the overall appearance of a space. Plants have been shown to provide benefits that include boosting moods, increasing creativity, reducing stress, and eliminating air pollutants — making for a healthier, happier you!

Two Tips so your HouseplantsThrive

It's easy to hesitate at the thought of adding live plants to your space. You may be unsure of how to care for them or just might feel stuck on which plants to add to your space.

The best way to ease your mind is to research plants that can thrive indoors and are low maintenance. The two most important things to consider is making sure the plants you choose have the right type of light, and knowing what their water needs are.

1.Watering:

I recommend using a water meter to detect how dry/wet your plants really are because so often the soil appears to be dry but deep down it is still moist. The meters are inexpensive and carried in most hardware stores.

The best way to remember your plants' watering needs is to come up with a color-coded sticker system that you place in an inconspicuous place on its pot. For example, for plants that like to be completely dry before watering, use a red sticker. If a plant likes to stay moist, use a green sticker.

2.Lighting:

South facing windows, sun-loving plants like Jade, yucca, and pony palms are your best bet.

East/West facing windows, plants such as philodendrons, dracena, and ficus will thrive.

North-facing windows are best for low-light plants like sansevieria, pothos, and prayer.

Four Easy Live Plants to Care For

We have listed a few low-maintenance plants to help you get some ideas of live plants to spruce up your space.

Snake plant- Beware--No rattlesnakes here!

If you are looking for a hardy plant, then the snake plant is your new best friend. This plant does well in any type of room whether it has low light or is full of bright sunlight. It also does not need a lot of water and doesn't require any additional care. They are great for purifying the air in your home.These plants are resistant to pesky bugs, but be aware their leaves are toxic to children and pets.

ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant is one of the easiest houseplants to care for because it is virtually indestructible. It thrives in areas where most plants won't. It is great as a bathroom or office plant because it requires very little water (about every 3 weeks) and low light.

Spider Plant- Don't worry, there aren't any actual spiders in this plant!

The spider plant is a low-maintenance plant because it thrives in indirect sunlight. It looks great in a hanging pot since it has lots of “baby spiders” that cascade off the main plant.

Chinese Money Plant-

With this plant, you’ve hit the jackpot. Moderate water needs (about 1x week) and thrives in indirect sunlight. If you like to propagate, this is a great plant as it creates lots of shoots. Propagating is a great way to increase the amount of plants in your home without having to spend a dime!

Live plants are a great addition to your home because they liven up your space. They also have a lot of other benefits including increasing humidity, noise reduction, and numerous health benefits.

Incorporating Faux Plants

You may be avoiding using faux plants because you have seen them displayed in a cheesy way.

Faux plants can actually add a lot to your space while looking stylish at the same time.

Here are a few tips to help turn your faux plants into something that looks like the real deal.

• Re-pot your large faux plants. Typically, the pots they come in are way too small for the scale of the plant, making them look unnatural. Getting them out of their original pot can be a bit challenging but it makes all the difference. When you re-pot your faux plant, use real soil, and please do not put that brown moss on top! Get your creative juices flowing and find unique containers to put your plants into so they have a natural, organic look.

• Put your faux plants where you would normally place real plants but make sure direct sunlight does not hit it. The bright light could highlight the fact it isn’t a real plant.

• Not all faux plants are the same. Remember to shop higher quality plants for a better look. Good quality plants can be pricey, but keep in mind it is a one-time investment that’s as low maintenance as you can get (except for dusting them occasionally). Avoid going to arts & crafts stores--instead, buy from higher-end furniture and home goods stores since they tend to have the best quality and selection.

• Not every type of plant looks good as a faux plant--fiddle-leaf fig plants, bamboo palms, cacti, and succulents can be your best bet.

Get into Action

If you are ready to spruce up your space and make your home feel warm, while contributing to a natural, relaxing ambiance, it is time for you to head to the store and get yourself a cart full of plants be it faux, the real deal, or a combo of both!