Plants in Design

Today my heart goes out to all those in Oklahoma who experienced such devastation yesterday. I wish I could jump in my car and drive out there and help in some way. I watched the news until way too late last night and as soon as daylight hit I raced downstairs to see if there was any word from our friend Jennifer at Dimples and Tangles. Thankfully she and her family are safe, but so many others lost their lives, loved ones, and homes. Like Boston, I know the outpouring of help and love will be strong. As the Irish proverb goes:

It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.

God bless all our neighbors in Oklahoma.

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 So – lets talk about plants.

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A part of design that I really think makes a room sing is a bit of living greens. Even the most modern of spaces needs something organic and fresh to warm it up.

Take a look at these rooms and try to imagine them without plants. They would be pretty flat, wouldn’t they?

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 Pottery Barn stylists know the importance of a well placed plant in a room:

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Whatever way your decor leans – traditional, rustic, urban – plants give a space energy.

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{Classic Casual Home}

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The fiddle leaf fig tree is currently the sweetheart of the design world with it’s glorious leaves!

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In my experience they are a bit finicky, so read up on caring for fiddle leaf fig trees before investing in one.

I am the first to admit that I have trouble keeping houseplants alive. (My mother will gladly second that. She is constantly trying to revive small plants around my house.)  The ficus in particular does not thrive in my care. However, there are some house plants that even my neglect won’t kill. I have had wonderful luck with this variety – the Madagascar dragon tree:

The lighter green one on the right has been with us for almost a decade (!!!!!) and started out as a little baby. The dark green one on the left is a newbie and is filling up space in our under-decorated living room.

Are you hesitant to bring plants into your home because you have a special gift for killing them off? Here are some suggestions for you fellow black-thumbers:

[1] philodendron {via}  

[2] golden pothos {via}

[3] peace lily {via} 

[4] umbrella plant {via}  

[5] rubber tree {via}  

For more hard-to-kill houseplants check out this article at  DIY Network.

Not only do large house plants fill up space in a room and bring in some life, they improve the quality of the air you breathe. To read more about the best plant air filters, visit this article at Mother Nature Network.

So tell me……

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…do you love plants in design as much as I do???

{Source Unknown – House Beautiful??}