You know the joy that greenery can bring to a home. Decorating with plants and flowers adds a pop of color and a breath of fresh air to an interior that is hard to replicate any other way. Now just imagine the above photo without the stately fiddle fig or the sumptuous orchid. A lot less inviting, right? Plants just add a natural (living) warmth to a space.

Infusing your home with green leafy plants helps to make your space feel fresh and have a welcoming atmosphere, not to mention they help purify your air and create positive Feng Shui energy. And all of that together creates a space that feels homey and cozy and also nicely styled.

Gardening isn’t just for people with backyards and floral budgets, either. Anyone can be an indoor gardener. You can grow a ficus in your living room, create a permanent centerpiece of succulents, add some flowing ivy vines in your kitchen, add a miniature topiary or a creeping fig in the bathroom. Spend your free time building delicate fairy gardens (or mermaid gardens) to line your kitchen windows, grow herbs in the windowsill. or create a tiny garden on your balcony.

Adding plants to your interiors will not only beautify your home but will also help to improve your home’s indoor air quality. According to the EPA, the average American home’s interior air quality is much more toxic than that of the air outside. This is why decorating your home with plants is the perfect solution, working double duty as a decorative accessory and filtering your air.

Now you can see why green plants will help to breathe life into any space. I have many examples here, of how plants can beautify your spaces, and add that welcoming warmth to your home. If any of these inspire you, let me know which are your favorites. I’d love to come up with some suggestions as to how plants can add a breath of fresh air into your interiors.

If you have small children or furry friends in your home, some indoor plants can be toxic, especially for our family pets, who often will chew on the leaves or flowers of plants. Here is a link to the ASPCA which has lists of common plants toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. And here is a list of common houseplants dangerous to children. The good news is that most houseplants are safe for infants and toddlers. If you click on the link, scroll down a bit in the article to view the actual list. You can do additional searches to determine if any plants you might be interested in could be a problem. The most important thing is to keep our little ones safe and well.

If you’d like to explore how plants can brighten and enliven your interiors, I’m always available for a consultation to help you decide on the best plants for your levels of light, and ease of maintenance and other conditions in your home or business. There are so many options and almost always perfect solutions for any space. If interested, let’s talk more about decorating with plants. Choose a contact method right below this blog post, or click this “contact” link. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399.