The Dos and Don’ts of Houseplant Styling

potted plants 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

6 Unique Plants to Give Your Home an Exotic Touch

red agleonema unique plants

By now, you’re probably all too familiar with the usual assortment of houseplants. You know, the fiddle leaf figs and philodendrons that add a splash of green without giving off too much flair. But if you feel your plant collection is starting to look similar, it might be time to add a few unique plants to the mix.

Like the Red Aglaonema pictured above, a great assortment of unusual plants exists that can give your home a pop of the exotic. The good news is that none of these unique plants need special care, so they’ll be an easy addition to your plant family!

1. Rose Painted Calathea
This tropical plant is known for its fun patterns and lavish colors, notably the magenta undersides of the otherwise green leaves. Like most plants, it enjoys a life in bright, indirect sunlight though, unusually, it prefers soil to be moist at all times and high humidity.

2. Fishbone Cactus
With leaves resembling a zig-zag pattern (or ric rac ribbon, if you’re into sewing), this exotic plant initially grows upright before gracefully vining. If you need more unique hanging plants, this one is it! These plants prefer partial sunlight, humidity, and warm weather and prefers the soil to dry out complete between watering.

3. Red Algaonema
Known for it’s beautifully pink and red leaves, this plant can add an elegant pop of color to your home. These plants thrive on bright indirect sunlight, where it will produce the richest leaf colors. A lover of high humidity, they enjoy routine misting and prefer the soil to remain moist during summer.

4. Bird’s Nest Fern
These tropical plants have large, light green fronds that appear wavy along the edges. These fronds emerge from central fuzzy rosettes hidden at the plant’s base that resemble bird’s eggs (hence the name). These ferns prefer filtered sunlight and humidity, with consistently moist, but not wet, soil.

5. Nerve Plant
Aptly named, the nerve plant has delicate, silver, pink, or light green veins running through its richly green leaves. Though more temperamental that other indoor plants, it’s a good choice if you can fulfill its request for high humidity. These plants prefer partial shade and may collapse if the soil is not kept moist.

6. String of Dolphins
Uniquely shaped, like most succulents, this plant has leaves that look identical to miniature jumping dolphins. This oceanic vibe makes the humidity-loving succulent a fun addition to the kitchen or a child’s bedroom. Keep this plant where it receives bright and indirect sunlight and allow the soil to dry completely between watering.

Ready for a new plant?
I hope you’re feeling as inspired as I am to take a trip to the nearest plant nursery. If you buy one of these unique plants, I’d love to know. Share which one in the comments!

XO,
Micah

DIY Project: Minimalist Painted Flower Pot

terracotta flower pot of marigolds

Today marks an important day in my life—my birthday! And to celebrate, I decided to spruce up my ghastly-orange terracotta flower pot with a little paint and some spring flowers. This project consisted of two of my favorite things, plants and painting, so it was the perfect activity.

I chose Marigolds, mostly for their deep golden color, but also because they can withstand the summer sunshine where I live. They’re also known for keeping insects away, which I wouldn’t mind now that the mosquitoes are back.

supplies for painting terracotta flower pots

You’ll only need a few supplies for this project, most of which you may already have around your home:

  • Terracotta pot and saucer
  • White paint
  • Black spray paint
  • Paint brush or roller
  • Painter’s tape
  • Flowers
  • Potting soil

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Step 1 Prep the Flower Pot

taping

The design of your flower pot is completely up to you! I chose to paint the main pot white, with one horizontal stripe along the rim for a classy minimalist. Using painter’s tape, I covered over the rim of the flower pot. Be sure to secure the tape to the pot by pressing along the edge. This will keep the white paint from leaking below the tape.

Step 2 — Paint the Base Color

painting white

I picked a pure white paint color, mixed into a paint sample. You can also use acrylic crafting paint, which provide a greater variety of colors for more vibrant designs. (The mini roller and tray were a set, and I highly recommend them!) After the white paint dried, I used the tape again to mark off where I wanted the horizontal black stripe along the rim.

Step 3 — Spray Paint the Design

spray painting the pot

I first made sure that all the white paint on my flower pot was concealed with tape. Then, with even strokes and sprays, I covered the rim of the pot with black paint (I painted two layers). The spray paint I chose was glossy, but once it dried into the terracotta, it took on a matte finish. When the spray paint is fully dry, carefully remove the tape from around the pot.

Step 4 — Plant the Flowers

planting marigolds in the flower pot

I filled my flower pot about half way with potting soil. Next, I spread the soil to the edges of the pot to create a hole in the center. Then I placed the marigolds into the soil, while adding additional soil around the stems. Be sure the base of the stem is slightly below the soil line (which I like to keep about 1/4 inch below the pot’s rim. Spritz the soil with water, then press around the stems gently, but firmly to help set the flowers in the soil. Set your pot in an area that receives indirect light and enjoy the view!

woman holding flower pot of marigolds

The best thing about this fun project is the practically endless designs you can create on these pots! Have a flower pot you’ve been meaning to paint? I’d love to see your designs!

XO,
Micah