10 Creative Ways to Decorate with Indoor Plants

The value of indoor plants is often overlooked, despite the substantial impact many indoor plants have on humans. They have a whole array of positive impacts on human mental and physical health, from filtering toxic chemicals out of your indoor air to calming you down to allowing for a good night’s rest.

Additionally, plants have always been a big part of interior decorating. Professionals and amateurs alike use them in all kinds of beautiful and innovative ways to give houses a calmer, more comfortable energy.

Check out our ten creative ways you can start adding plants to your home and reap the benefits of indoor plants while keeping your decor on-trend.

Disclaimer: Products and/or links included in this article are not sponsored.

1. Air Plant Wall Decorations

The air plant is a major trend in today’s decorating. They don’t require soil, so they don’t need a pot or container of any kind. You can literally just put them on your counter as they are and they’ll be fine.

They survive this way because in the wild, they are epiphytic (tree-dwelling) rainforest plants. Their roots hold onto the trees, and their leaves soak up water.

Air plants are quite easy to care for and can be used in unique wall decorations. They can be attached to the wall with minimalist implements or used as a part of a larger decoration. Check out Etsy’s air plant page to buy an attachment piece or for inspiration to make your own.

2. An Herb Garden for Your Kitchen Wall

If you like to cook with fresh herbs and want your kitchen to be filled with the fragrance of thyme or basil, a wall herb garden may be perfect for you.

This can be a simple decoration, requiring only jars or pots attached to either reclaimed wood or a minimal metal wall attachment. Then, add rosemary, basil, sage, mint, or whatever your heart (or mouth) desires! There are tons of ideas and DIY guides for kitchen herb gardens online.

3. Plant Hangers

Another trend that has reappeared in interior decorating (or perhaps just evolved into new forms) is the hanging plant. Macrame hangers have been a big deal for the last few years, though other types of more modern hangers can create different vibes.

Not only are they beautiful, but hanging plants also allow for more floor space. So even if you’re squeezed for space, you can still take advantage of the health benefits and beauty of plants.

To hang your plants, use a suspended wooden planter, metal fixtures from the ceiling, or other creative types of hangers. Whether you want to buy someone else’s creation or make one yourself, hanging plants can add another level to your home design as well as a unique beauty.

4. No-Soil Water Plants

Want a plant with zero hassle and a unique, beautiful display? There are multiple types of plants you can cut from and grow the cuttings in nothing but water. Use a glass container and you’ll be able to see the shapes of the roots, which makes a great addition to your interior design.

These will add an almost otherworldly shimmer to your home. Though they’re not difficult, they do seem impossible at first glance, so they’re sure to wow your visitors.

5. Living Walls

Another trend that has been around for awhile and is still going strong is the living wall. Living walls require a little more involvement than some of the ideas listed thus far, but their beauty is worth it.

Designs for living walls vary from simple to very complex. A relatively cheap and simple way to create a living wall is to buy what is essentially a frame with pockets attached, into which you can put different plants. You can also make one yourself or, for more money, buy one with a built-in watering system.

You can also create succulent living pictures—which are certainly on trend right now—out of repurposed picture frames. Or, have professionals install a big living wall that gives your home the feel of a huge piece of art.

6. Fun Pots

Whether you want to involve your children with your plants or you just want to add a little fun to your home, a pot can make all the difference.

There are pots like these Pokémon Bulbasaur planters that are designed to be completed by a specific plant (in this case to make the creature’s bulb for which it's named).

You can also make recycled materials, like mugs, tires, shells, pipes, tree stumps, or teapots, into some interesting and stylish planters. Get your children involved in finding interesting items they’d like to plant things in and painting or decorating it. It’s a fun way to get children interested in responsible sourcing and taking care of living things!

7. Furniture and Room Design Made for Planting

One way to use plants in your home is to involve furniture and building design that has specific spots for plants. This requires higher involvement than other plant decoration ideas, but it has stunning results.

There are a lot of different types of furniture that have spaces for plants, like coffee tables with sides you can put plants in, side tables that include moss in the design, and other interesting furniture.

If you want to go one step further, you can design your home with plants in mind. Some homes have a glass-enclosed area for plants or raised areas where you can plant trees. This kind of design is very modern, and it allows you to bring gardening inside.

8. Plant Shelves, Ladders, and Tables

One way to conserve floor space and bring your plants to different levels is to add plant shelves to a room. They’re easy to make and can also hold books or other decorations.

Or, if you want to have a million plants but aren’t sure exactly where to put them, a plant ladder or stand is perfect for you. These can fit a whole bunch of plants while providing a substantial decoration piece for the room. They also provide an easier watering situation, since the plants are grouped and can be watered at the same time.

9. Bathroom Decor

Though you may not think of the bathroom as a great place for your plants, the humidity can help some plants thrive. Additionally, using plant decor in your bathroom will give the space a zen-like quality and break up the hard surfaces of tile, mirror, and glass.

There are many interesting ways to use plants in your bathroom. Make sure your bathroom has the right amount of light for the plants you choose, and then you can design however you want. Use hanging plants above your bath, put a huge plant next to the bathtub, or sprinkle some spilling pots here and there for texture.

One of our favorites is the moss bath mat, which is what it sounds like: a bath mat made of living moss. It’s soft under your feet and thrives with the moisture you drip after a shower as well as the general humidity of the bathroom, and it's fairly easy to learn how to make one yourself.

10. Stairway Accents

A simple yet fresh way to use plants in your decorating is to space them out on our around stairs. It can add nice levels into your design, while bringing life into what is often a plant-less space.

If you have a staircase with any curve to it, a huge plant on the floor near the curve is also a nice statement. Similarly, any ledges near the staircase can be filled with plants to give a vibrancy to the area.

May Your Thumbs Ever Be Green

However you choose to do it, using plants indoors is a good move both in design and in psychological and physical health. We hope these tips are helpful for you in making your home a more clean, relaxing, and alive.