Decorate with houseplants, and you will add beauty, harmony, and fresh air to your home.

Houseplants as decorative accents work with all color schemes. Eyes are drawn to houseplants: there is a contrast created by bringing the outdoors inside. By choosing a houseplant with a striking or sculptural form, such as a bromeliad, you will create a focal point for your room. Plants like ferns and spider plants look good from all sides and suit pass-through bars and centered tables well. Trailing plants like ivy can be used to create a sense of mystery or lead a visitor to a different area. Ivies are also effective for softening sharp corners. Lucky bamboo creates a vertical accent that draws the eye upwards. Be creative and mix different plant forms together.

Houseplants create a sense of harmony. The color green is the most soothing to the human eye: out of all the colors of the spectrum it is the easiest for us to see. Houseplants give our eyes a place to pause and rest. Some Feng Shui practitioners practically require houseplants in certain rooms. Houseplants are considered auspicious, and are said to bring luck and a sense of balance. (1)

Houseplants are a breath of fresh air—-literally! In his book, “How to Grow Fresh Air,” Dr. B. C. Wolverton rates different plants on their ability to filter toxins from the air. The Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) and the Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) receive the highest rating from him. (2) For those of us with asthma or small children, houseplants can provide breathing relief.

Remember to pick you houseplants based upon their light requirement—-some can grow happily in a basement, while others need a sunny window. Enjoy your houseplants as they add beauty, harmony, and fresh air to your home!

(1) For more information on plants and Feng Shui, see: http://www.indiaparenting.com/alternativehealing/fengshui/002.shtml
(2) Wolverton, B. C., “How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants that Purify Your Home or Office,” Penguin Books, NY: 1997, pp 40-43.