We’ve all paused mid-scroll on a beautifully styled home in a design magazine. Look closely, and there’s often one quiet detail tying the whole room together: greenery.
Since the pandemic, more of us have found our way back to plants. The plant community has grown, plantfluencers included, and most of us have tried caring for at least one green companion at home. But amid all the advice out there, it’s easy to feel lost. Here’s a simple way to think about styling your home with plants.
Choosing the right houseplants for your light conditions makes caring for them much easier.
What Are Houseplants?
Walk into any nursery and you’ll notice a shaded, green canopy, usually a polyhouse. Everything growing under it thrives on indirect, bright light. These are what we call houseplants.
No plant survives without light, so before you bring one home, it helps to understand what it needs to thrive.
Understanding Light
Think of dappled sunlight filtering through a forest canopy—that’s indirect light, and it’s what most houseplants love. Indirect light comes in three intensities: bright, medium and low.
Before your next nursery trip, take a moment to read your space. Or look up the plant you’re eyeing to understand what it needs. Most houseplants do beautifully in bright indirect light, even gentle morning sun. Some manage fine in low light too, but remember, low light still means some light.
Layer plants at different heights to create a beautifully balanced living space.
Introducing Style The Eco-Friendly Way
Once you’ve picked your plants, here’s how to style them well.
- Home entrances set the tone. Use tall plant stands for smaller plants, and pot taller varieties like palms for instant presence. Slip nursery pots into jute bags or cane baskets for texture and character. Playing with height adds visual interest to any corner, and grouping plants in odd numbers makes for a bigger impact.
- TV ledges and shelves come alive with a few trailing plants, like Pothos or Syngonium, or any trailing variety that catches your eye.
- Coffee tables ask for balance: useful and beautiful at once. Add a tray with coasters, a candle and a small plant. Stack a few books for height or centre it all with a small terrarium.
Trailing plants and thoughtfully chosen planters soften the living space without being overwhelming.
- Corner tables love a statement. Try a large cluster of plants in a bowl-shaped planter, or a miniature garden or bonsai for something different. Pairing a table lamp with small plants adds depth; just be mindful of heat and light intensity. LED bulbs or grow lights are a safer bet here.
- Let your plants match your theme. Boho interiors sit well with tropical plants like palms, philodendrons and ferns, while structured varieties like snake plants or the fiddle leaf fig suit a modern, minimal look.
- Pots matter as much as plants. Shiny ceramics, matte metallic finishes, earthy cane, the choices are endless. Still unsure? A good old terracotta pot never goes wrong.
 |
Mix planters, textures, and plant heights to add depth and character to quiet corners of your home.
Water and Soil: The Soul Of A Plant
Just like light, understanding your plant’s moisture needs takes a little observation and patience.
- Water only when the top two inches of soil have dried out. Check by inserting a finger two to three inches into the soil; if it comes out clean, it’s time to water.
- Water thoroughly until it runs out through the drainage holes, then leave the plant alone until the soil dries again.
- Succulents follow a different watering rhythm altogether, so ensure you look up specifics.
- Be mindful of overwatering; it washes away the nutrients your plant needs.
Houseplants add colour, texture and a sense of freshness that ties an entire room together.
Aside from keeping an eye on your plant itself, make sure you take a minute or two to check in on its soil to make sure it’s rich and well aerated. Tight, compact soil lets water run straight out through the drainage holes without ever reaching the roots.
To begin, you can pick up a premixed soil from your nursery or order one online. Once you understand how your plant grows and what it prefers, feel free to experiment with your own soil mix.
Aditi Khattar is the founder and chief stylist of The Greenish Affair, an urban landscape design studio. She left her corporate career behind to bring green spaces to India’s cities. Explore more of her work on outdoor spaces and plants and follow her journey on Instagram @thegreenishaffair.
