The Dos and Don’ts of Houseplant Styling

Houseplants can soften or sharpen a room by bringing unique textures, colors, and shapes to an otherwise bland living area. Alongside furniture, they’re a piece of art, an ever-changing living sculpture—adding just the right touch to make a house feel like a home. Houseplant styling is one way you can take advantage of the potted foliage that might otherwise be scattered haphazardly around your home. Well, it might be that bad, but a little style never hurt anyone. Here are my top dos and don’ts for houseplant styling:

DO mix colors and textures. The varieties of indoor plants are virtually endless, and with them comes a vast range of leaf shapes, patterns, textures, and colors. Instead of buying multiple of the same plant (or family of plants), choose plants that have contrasting, but complementary patterns. Pair the multi-colored, wayward leaves of a Tricolor Stromanthe with the uniform, rich-green leaves of a ZZ Plant and the sharp, thick stalks of an Aloe plant.

DO vary plant sizes. Just as important as mixing color and texture, group plants of varying widths and heights for a more organic look. An easy way to stagger plant heights is by incorporating plant stands or hanging vine plants from the ceiling. This houseplant styling trick can add dimension to any room and can help fill in corners that would otherwise be left awkwardly empty. If you don’t have enough plants to style a room corner or are short on plant stands, a large floor plant like the White Bird of Paradise will fill in the cobweb-y corners in no time!

DO follow the odd-number rule. Grouping plants in pairs around your room can quickly lead to a symmetrical and formal look instead of the urban jungle you were hoping for. When styling, arranging plants in odd numbers (groups of three is a safe bet) can give your room a more casual feel, especially if these plants also vary in size, color, and texture. For the floor, group a Parlor Palm with a Snake Plant and Chinese Money Plant. For a shelf, pair a vining English Ivy with a Bird’s Nest Fern and Blue Columnar Cactus.

DON’T overlook your pots. It may come as an afterthought, but your pots can play a big role in how styled your plants are, too. Choose pots that complement the color and texture of the plants they hold. For a more modern look, shy away from pots that flare at the top and instead choose straight-edge designs with solid prints, two-tones, lines, or geometric patterns. Different textures, such as shiny brass planters or rough, woven baskets also add style without being overbearing.

DON’T leave home decor behind. While you can use plants to fully furnish the shelves, floors, and side tables of your home, that doesn’t mean you can’t also collect fun and unique home decor as well. Books, photographs, candles, ceramic elephant sculptures (basically anything you would find at HomeGoods) will all add visual variation to your furniture, not to mention a potential pop of color. If you’re not ready to commit to vast numbers of plants in your home, this is a great way you can incorporate your foliage and decor styling skills, without the added responsibility of plant care.

DON’T forget to research. You might be ready to jump right into houseplant styling, but always remember that plants need unique care. Make sure the plants you’re grouping together all have similar requirements for water, light, and humidity. Golden Pothos, which remains healthy even in low-light conditions, may not do well when paired with a Fiddle Leaf Fig near a brightly lit window. Similarly, grouping plants that all thrive in humid conditions, such as ferns and succulents, allows them to create a pocket of moisture to help each other grow.

Ready to get creative?
Styling your plants can be a fun adventure, especially if you have the base knowledge to do it properly. I’d love to hear about how you’re making your home more stylish with your plants!

XO,
Micah