Plants that clean the air while adding ambiance

Today we’re going to talk about some of the benefits of adding plants to your space, what places we can add plants for the biggest impact, and some of the plants we can use that will actually help to purify the air.

As we talked about in our class “Designer Secrets: Layering and Texture”, adding plants is one of the most important final steps in making a space feel complete.

But today we’re going to go beyond that and talk about why it is truly so important to add these literal pops of life to your home.

A variety of studies have shown that there are certain houseplants that can actually purify the air of VOCs, bacteria, and other air pollutants. Not only can these plants improve the air quality in your home, but they can help regulate humidity. And – as we all know they produce oxygen and will absorb the carbon dioxide we breathe.

Another really important thing to consider when talking about plants in homes, or in any space for that matter, is the idea of Biophilia – which is the idea that human beings need to feel connected to nature to enjoy a sense of psychological, physical, and social well-being. Keeping this in mind when thinking about bringing plants into our homes is essential! It should be something everyone strives to incorporate into their home, as it offers us a chance to bring nature – indoors, and to reap all of the benefits that plants have to offer.

When talking about some of the places we can incorporate plants in our homes – think of adding them to places like corners that are too small for a piece of furniture, but otherwise feel empty. Or think of empty spaces in your home that feel like they are missing something.

A great way to do this is to walk around in your space and look at it from different angles. Are there spaces that feel empty or like they’re missing something? A plant might be the answer.

Some other great places to for larger plants are at the edges of windows, and at the end of furniture like hutches and buffets – pieces that have a large flat surface that will benefit from having some plants to soften those surfaces with a natural element.

Bathrooms and kitchens are great places to consider adding some plants as they are typically spaces with lots of large, hard surfaces. Adding a small potted plant to a bathroom or kitchen counter is a great way to soften up those spaces and add a pop of color.

An important thing to remember here when thinking about bringing in plants to our homes – is that they really go with any design style and are an easy way to add color without competing with your existing color scheme.

Now before we get started – we know what some of you are thinking – “I can’t keep any plants alive!” But we’ve thought about you and some of the plants we’ll talk about here are the easiest plants to care for – and better yet – the hardest to kill!

Let’s take a look at a few great examples of spaces that have incorporated plants into their design:

In this image, we can see how the addition of plants brings much needed color into the space. It adds depth to the room that would otherwise be missing. Here we can see how the use of the trees at the back of the space visually softens the edges of the windows and balances the space.

When thinking about what plants to bring into your space, remember – they don’t all have to be a rich and tropical green. Sometimes the softer green of a plant like a small olive or eucalyptus tree are just what a space needs!

Here we can see how they have used plants to fill in corners and open spaces of wall. Thoughtfully placing plants around your space is an important way to add a level of completion without adding unnecessary clutter.

Here is another great example of a plant being used to liven up a corner and soften the windows at the same time! We can also see how they have brought in a beautiful arrangement to use as a centerpiece on the coffee table. Using plants in a few spots in your room is a great way to evenly distribute pops of green throughout your space.

 

Here are two great examples of how just adding one plant make a big difference. Both of these spaces greatly benefit from this small pop of color and softening of the space.

Now let’s talk about some of the plants we can use that will help to make the air in our home even better!

All of these plants remove harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, ammonia, benzene, and xylene – to name a few!

Here are a few of the larger plants on our list. These will work well in those bigger spaces that we’ve talked about.

The snake plant and dragon tree or dracaena tree are two are particularly easy to care for and a great start for any beginner plant enthusiasts.

 

Some other large plants that are air purifying include:

Broad lady palm

Weeping fig

And bamboo palm

Here are a few air purifying plants that are on the smaller side and are great additions to countertops and tables:

Spider plant

Aloe

Chinese evergreen

And Pothos – and the great thing about pothos is it’s one of the easiest to care for on our list! It can adapt to both high and low light environments and is very hardy. This is a great one if you’re just starting out with plants!

And as a bonus – while these are not technically houseplants, these flowering plants are not only a beautiful and colorful addition to your home – these too will help to purify the air! These can be great additions to coffee tables and in centerpieces.

Barberton Daisy

Chrysanthemum

These are just a few to get you started – there are plenty more out there! If you take a quick look online for air purifying plants you’ll find a wide variety and surely one that will work perfectly with your design style!