PLANTS ARE YOUR BEST INTERIOR ACCESSORY

Styling is an integral part of an interior designers arsenal of tools he uses to make rooms come alive. Of course, having the skill and ability to combine fabrics, rugs and wallcoverings is important. But, to borrow a phrase from Clairee in the 1980’s American treasure Steel Magnolia’s, “The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.” And one of my favorite accessories to use in a home is a live plant.
Plants create softness among hard objects.
Think about your rooms and the collection of objects that are sitting on tables, chests and in built-in cabinets. Many people simply arrange all of these items like little soldiers because they don’t know how to style a table or a shelf. However, if you place a plant among these items it softens the pieces in the collection and keeps it looking as if you are in the China Room in the White House. When selecting the perfect plant, keep in mind the shape of the plant. Pick one that is a different orientation than your objects. A shelf full of plates, pick a tall topiary. Candlesticks and figurines, select a trailing ivy. This change of shapes will help diversify your collection and give more visual interest.
Plants allow your eye to rest.
Nothing looks more museum-like than a house full of treasures and no plants. Plants are helpful as a reset for your eyes. It also gives a warmer and more relaxed feel to collections. When I am styling a cocktail table, for example, I want something tall, something low and something round. Plants are almost always my round shape. The trailing vines of an ivy or philodendron tuck in nicely among table top items and suit this need perfectly.
Plants bring life to a dead room.
Plants inject a sense of life in a room because, well, they are alive. When the air conditioner or heater turns on, the leaves of a plant flutter, bringing animation to a still space. This is particularly true of a large tree in a room. You can walk past the tree and it moves. This movement creates much more visual interest. A silk plant doesn’t move the same way because the leaves are heavier and are wired into place versus the suspended nature of a real leaf on a branch or vine.
Plants are inexpensive.
Clients are always amazed at how quickly their accessory budget adds up. A real budget saver is to fill containers with plants. A beautiful and healthy plant is much less expensive than the pretty bowl we just put it in and really elevates the look of the bowl. Also, if you can get your plant to thrive for 6 months and it starts to show age and look sick, just dump it and get a new plant. So many people get emotionally attached to their plants and won’t get rid of them. This isn’t your old Aunt Gloria having to be euthanized, it’s a sad looking plant. Look at all the joy you got from it for 6 months. The now half-bald struggling plant isn’t doing anything good for your beautiful living room so just let it go and try another plant.
Take a look around your rooms and see where a lively plant could perk up your collections. You’ll be thrilled with the look and feel they will bring to your home.