You've probably seen indoor plants in trendy Pinterest posts and lifestyle shots. Bringing plants inside is definitely a growing trend (see what we did there?), serving the design of the room and also contributing functional benefits. Ready to create your own green space? We’re here to help. We’re talking about the pros (and cons) of bringing plants into your space and sharing a some of our favorite plants to create a leafier, greener bedroom sanctuary.
Plants have many benefits, including:
- improving air quality
- helping you breathe (they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen)
- keeping you healthy and promoting healing (have been found to decrease dry skin, colds, sore throats, coughs)
- reducing stress and anxiety
- bringing you hygge and happiness
You don’t have to grow an indoor garden to experience the benefits of an indoor plant. Even introducing one or two plants into your space can make a difference.
Ways to Introduce Plants into your Space
When you’re ready for an indoor plant (or your own personal garden), where do you start? For those of us who don’t have the greenest thumb, especially, keeping an indoor plant alive may seem daunting. Don't stress! From novice plant parents to garden gurus, we are sharing a few ways to incorporate greenery into your home and bedroom.
Choose Plants you Can Handle
When it comes to choosing the right plant for your space and your experience level, think about your daily routine. If you often find yourself running out of hours in the day (as many of us do), a plant that needs a lot of upkeep is probably not be the best option for you. To reap the benefits of an indoor plant, you want something you’ll be able to keep alive and thriving, not one that ends up shriveled up in the corner. On the other hand, if you’ve got a green thumb and a little more free time, you could choose a plant that’s a little more involved.
When you purchase an indoor plant, consider how much water and sunlight it needs, as well as what temperature it prefers and compare that to your space. For example, if you’re choosing a plant for your bathroom, you need one that doesn’t mind a little humidity (especially if you like hot showers). If you want a plant for a windowsill, you need one that likes a lot of direct sunlight.
Consider Plant Size
For more green and less work, choose a single, larger plant or a plant with big leaves or hanging vines. That way, you’ll get more green in your space without having to take care of multiple, smaller plants. If you want pops of green more sporadically in your space, go for a few plants that are each a little smaller.
Pro Tip: vary it up for a more interesting aesthetic. Try plants with different textures, leaf colors and heights. Coordinate pot sizes, colors and styles, too.
At the same time, be mindful of your space. Your plant shouldn’t take up your entire dresser-top and you should have to step over a floor plant in your kitchen every time you walk by. That takes away from the functionality of your space and may cause more stress than the plant is worth. Your space needs to be functional, first and foremost, with plants (and décor in general) as accents.
Don’t Forget the Bathroom
The bathroom is generally a place where, design-wise, you want things to be clean and simple, so adding even a little greenery can be very effective. Specific plants look and function well in bathrooms, which we’ll talk about a little later.
If you’ve got a large bathroom space, choose a floor plant or display your greenery on a decorative plant stand. If your space is tighter, opt for smaller plants and pots that fit on shelves and in nooks. Choose a fun pot that complements your space to tie your bathroom together.
Best Plants for your Space
Whether you’re trying to get better rest in the bedroom or just want to cozy-up your space, you may find that plants are your solution. If you want a large, leafy plant or a smaller, simple one, we have the perfect plant suggestions for your space.
Great Plants for Any Space
A peace lily is a great, low maintenance indoor plant, with shiny leaves and white flowers. They do especially well in front of windows that get plenty of sunlight but will also thrive in low-light spaces. They're easy to take care of, too. These plants will let you know if they need water—you’ll notice wilting leaves that perk up when watered.
A parlor palm is another great plant that requires very little attention. These plants thrive with little to no natural light (the sun actually burns their leaves) and will also help keep pests away. Bonus: since they’re native to Guatemala, they love humidity and do well near or in the bathroom, too.
You’ve probably seen a fiddle leaf fig plant on Pinterest or in a magazine—it’s one of the trendiest indoor plants. It features large leaves and prefers everything in moderation: light, water and temperature. It likes a little humidity, too. If you're not keeping your fiddle leaf fig in the bathroom (they're kind of big), you can provide humidity by keeping your fiddle leaf fig plant on a bed of rocks and water.
A corn plant looks more like a tree than a house plant (but won’t grow quite as tall). With long, multicolored green leaves and thick trunks, this is a more substantial plant option for your space. They can be kept in the shade but also love the sun. Just be careful—corn plants are poisonous, so they're probably not great to have around pets and young children.
Best Plants for Your Bedroom
While the following plants would be great in any room in your house, they’re particularly beneficial in your bedroom. Many of these plants have been found to help you get better rest in the bedroom.
Lavender is not only pretty to look at but can also help you get better rest. Lavender is one of the most common natural sleep aids, known to help you fall to sleep faster, stay asleep and generally improve your quality of sleep, too.
English ivy also makes our list of awesome indoor plants for the bedroom, commonly seen with tendrils spilling over the pot and hanging down. Ivy can be trained to grow on a vine or hoop for a more interesting-looking house plant. It's simple to maintain, too, and can survive in any amount of light with very little water.
Mother-in-law’s tongue, also known as a snake plant is a great air purifier, making it a great option for your bedroom sanctuary. With tall, green and yellow leaves, it also offers an interesting visual for your space.
Orchids and succulents also improve air quality in a space, specifically once the sun goes down. At night when photosynthesis stops, most plants start absorbing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. Orchids and succulents, however, do the opposite, providing better air quality while you sleep. (Bromeliads do this, too!) Not to mention, both are beautiful additions to your bedroom aesthetic.
Chinese evergreen plants are great houseplants for beginners, especially (they're often referred to as the toughest houseplant). It can live in most environments and need very little attention. Plus, they're pretty, featuring pointy, dark-green leaves with white, grey and cream patterns. They’re another air-purifying plant, which makes them great for the bedroom.
Best Plants for your Bathroom
As we mentioned before, parlor palms are great for the bathroom. Other plants that will thrive in your bathroom space include:
Aloe Vera plants do well in the bathroom and offer an interesting aesthetic with spiky green leaves. Plus, their juice can be used on scrapes and burns. Aloe Vera is pretty low maintenance and prefers indirect sunlight (so don’t sit it in your windowsill).
Bamboo will thrive in most environments, but especially likes a humid one, making it great for the bathroom. It grows quickly and needs very little attention and only a little water. It can grow quite tall and features skinny, green leaves and a strong stalk.
A fern will also grow well in your bathroom, too (or really anywhere in your home). It can handle the temperature changes and humidity of the bathroom. Make sure you consider the sunlight in your bathroom when choosing a fern. Depending on the variety of your fern, it may need anywhere from a little natural light to a lot of direct, bright sunlight.
Of course, growing an indoor garden can only take your bedroom sanctuary so far. Get the perfect bedroom setup with Leesa and create a space you love spending time in.
