how to decorate with house plants

I’m Danielle and I’m so excited to be here today!  I’m new to contributing here on domino.com but have been sharing some fun DIYs and decorating tips on my blog Finding Silver Pennies for the past 3 1/2 years.  We live in a 1927 Dutch colonial on Boston’s South Shore.  Our home is very influenced by the New England Coastal Style.  I’m not sure if you’ve seen the weather but our area has been badly effected by blizzards and record breaking snowstorms. We’ve had 71″ of snow in the last 17 days and more is on the way!

As you can imagine, I’m craving spring!  I want to fill my home with greenery, plants, and succulents.  I want to be surrounded by nature, despite the freezing temperatures outside.
I’ve used succulents in a large planter in our living room.  Succulents are pretty easy to care for and they look smashing with the warm leather on our tufted Chesterfield. Plants have a way of bringing warmth and so much life to a room.  Artist and blogger, Lucy Akins of Craftberry Bush uses plants to give a summer feel to her living room. These plants complement her artwork, a contemplative seagull on the shore.

You can feel the sun and love shining through this family home in Florida! Jen Smith has brought nature in and it gives a warm and welcoming feel to the room. Fiddle leaf figs are my new obsession!

House plants can do wonders in short term rentals, too.  Liz Marie Galvan styled her southern rental with a gorgeous fiddle leaf fig and other neutral elements.  This allowed for the period details to pop and also provided a warm and inviting home.
I know what you’re thinking.  You might kill a plant.  I certainly haven’t had luck with orchids.  If you have black thumbs, then you might want to try air plants.  These are very easy to care for and you only need to dunk them in water once a week.

I ordered my air plants on Etsy and put the in assorted shells to create a coastal centerpiece in our French dining room. These sweet little spikey plants also look great hanging in glass orbs, scattered on a mantel or having one next to your cup of coffee on your desk. Living areas are not the only places that can benefit from a little greenery.  Think about adding them to your bathroom!  This simple black and white space is made more inviting by a houseplant in a rustic pot:

Speaking of planters, try to think outside the box (or pot for that matter).  Jennifer Zuri shares a way to make a planter out of an old book. A brilliant upcycle and such a gorgeous result.
Bedrooms also benefit from a touch of green.  Blogger Jennifer O’Brien used this sweet one in her modern coastal bedroom makeover. I love the little gold pot she chose for this small plant.  It shows a small plant can make a big impact.