3 tips for decorating with plants

Once upon a time, I had this cute little plant that I kept in my basement bedroom of my college house.  Normally, I am absolutely terrible when it comes to plants, and this was the first one I didn't kill within a week.  In fact, I think I actually kept it going strong for 6+ months (which is quite an accomplishment for me).  Well, that year I went to Greece for three weeks, and since I was so proud of my plant that I had somehow managed to keep alive, I gave it to Noel for safe keeping while I was away.

And guess what....he killed it.  He loved it, cared for it, watered it, killed it.

Unbeknownst to both of us at the time, I managed to buy a plant that needed minimal watering (which was great because I remembered to water it maybe once a week if I was lucky), and was not supposed to be placed in direct sunlight.  So, my basement bedroom living conditions were perfect for it to thrive.  Well, hand it over to Noel who actually remembers to water it daily, and my poor plant drowned.  It was quite amusing in a tragic sort of way.

By now you're probably wondering where this story is going.  You see, I felt the need to establish that I in no way, shape, or form have even the slightest bit of a green thumb, so when it comes to decorating with greenery, I steer clear for the poor plants' sakes.  However, if you are a plant whisperer, A) I envy you, and B) this post is for you, because today we're going to talk about how to decorate your home with plants.  So without further ado...here are my three bits of advice when it comes to decorating with greenery:

#1) SCALE SCALE SCALE.  I cannot stress this enough.  It is so important that the plant you use is the correct size and proportion for you space.  If the plant is too small, the room will simply drown it out.  If the plant is too large, you room will start to feel like an overgrown forest.  Rather Obvious Tip: large plants are good for large spaces.  For smaller vignettes (like on a bookshelf, coffee table, or something of the like) opt for a smaller plant.  Think this:

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Not this:

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See how the plant on the left completely takes over the picture?  The plant on the right is scaled correctly, the but plant on the left would be better for a larger space.

2) KEEP COLOR IN MIND.  There are two parts to this tip.  My first suggestion is when you are incorporating plants in your decor, keep the color palette simple, and use neutral and natural colors. Do you see how the plants in the below pictures pop, thanks to their clean and crisp color palette?  

Image source: 1 // 2

That's not to say you can't use plants in a room with color, just make sure you don't pair them with a color palette that competes with your plants (also take note of the fact that they are appropriately scaled).  This, on the other hand, would be a no no:

Part two of this tip is to use the color of the plant itself as an accent color in your space.  In the living room below, Bryn used the plant to carry the emerald green of the sofa throughout the space.  

3) CONTAIN YOUR PLANTS.  For smaller plants in smaller spaces, free them from their pots and try displaying them in creative ways.  Below are some of my favorite plant holders.  

Image sources: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4

How do you decorate with plants in your home?  Do you have a green thumb, or are you like me, and every plant that enters your house is living out a death sentence?