Natural greenery in your home adds a breath of fresh air and a break from city life. Adding plants to your urban living not only lifts your mood, but can also help clean the air in your rooms and reduce stress! There's no question that we feel more zen in the garden than on a busy street, so creating an inviting interior with natural accents is a great way to bring that feeling indoors. Special thanks to fellow admirer of nature, plant enthusiast and incredibly gifted photographer, Tracey Ayton, for sharing her amazing photos with us.
Keeping it Simple
Adding natural greenery doesn't mean you have to crowd your living space with huge planters, especially if you live in a condo or apartment where every square inch is already accounted for! Instead, try using smaller sized plants to punctuate different areas in your home. A little punch of green goes a long way!
Other bold greenery that adds a simple touch of natural beauty, yet aren't too needy, include: Pilea Peperomioides, Spider Plants, Philodendron, and the Zee Zee plant. Find a plant that has a style you love, works with your interior lighting conditions, and brings you joy when you pass by!
Keeping it Clean
Not only will plants help you de-stress, but they also clean the air in your home to create a healthier environment. Your natural greenery works hard for you, adding benefits such as:
- Reducing carbon dioxide levels
- Increasing humidity
- Reducing levels of certain pollutants, such as benzene and nitrogen dioxide
- Reducing airborne dust levels
In order to be effective, it's suggested that you have at least one plant per 100 square feet of space in your home. The top plants for air purification in your home are: Snake Plants, Peace Lilies, Chrysanthemums, Bamboo Palm and English Ivy. You can find more air purifying plants in our helpful blog post here.
Keeping it Tasty!
In the kitchen you can add helpful plants by using beautiful herbs in pots to accent your countertops and window ledges. These delicious additions will create an indoor garden feeling, add fresh scents to the air, and come in handy when it's time to cook! Try growing basil, cilantro, thyme, dill, or any of your other favourite herbs indoors for year-round culinary natural greenery. Make sure to look at their light recommendations to find out if they should go in the window, or need some indirect sunshine.
Keeping it Classic!
A classic addition to your home, that fits with any decor theme and colour scheme, is to use white and green natural accents. These set off your home decor without creating a busier look. We love the simple white and green approach, especially with all the different hues of green available in the nursery these days!
Going with a monochrome colour scheme doesn't mean you can't add your own style to your natural accents! Beautiful sophisticated orchids can fit into this design, with their giant white blooms and dark green foliage. They contrast nicely with shorter, bushier houseplants such as ferns. Not sure how to care for your orchid? Take a look at our blog post on Pampering Your Orchid here.
As well, you can be playful by adding natural accents like moss (real or faux) in stunning pots and grouping them together to create little garden vignettes. Use pots with similar colour schemes, but play around with shape and style, for added interest.
Create your own white and green garden glade with our DIY video below! A breath of fresh air, this planter creates a zen, natural feeling. We especially love the Blue Star Fern with it's blue-green fronds that gracefully drape over the whole planter. Paired with soft Selaginella and white blooming Kalanchoe, you start to feel like you're in a wild forest glade!