What Plant Should You Get For Your Space

One interior design element that brings life, color, and warmth into any room of any style is a plant. Plants can add life and a sense of comfort to any environment, which is a must for all designers in order to complete a space. However, how do you know what kind of plant to get? There are a ton of different plant options out there, so it could easily get overwhelming.

In this post I’ll share a few of my favorite easy-care indoor plants, as well as my plant maintenance tips to keeping your plants happy. Unfortunately, there are no plants that don’t require some level of care (unless they’re fake ones), so you want to get a plant that will fit your home's natural environment as well as your lifestyle. Succulents, Cactus, ZZ plants, and Pothos are a few great options for those who forget to water, travel, or just don’t have much time to keep track of a water schedule.

The typical order of events when purchasing a plant is usually something like this: you realize you want a plant, then find the perfect one at the store that is too pretty to leave behind, then you take it home and place it in the empty spot that needed some life. At that point, you start to see the plant fade away after a month or so and you don't know what happened. I know… I have fallen victim to this in the past. So how should we go about getting a plant and caring for it?

• Know the environment: the first step in selecting a plant should be to first consider the environment in your home. Is there a lot of light in the room or is it dark? Is the light direct (bright sun), or indirect light (meaning that light comes onto the room as a reflection off of another surface)? What’s the moisture level in your home (I live in California so it’s pretty stable throughout the year)? Some plants require more humidity, so depending on where you live you’ll need more maintenance e.g. spraying your plants often or getting a humidifier.

• Search for good fits to the environment: once you know the environment, then you can start your search for your ideal plant. I recommend doing some online research first for the type of plant that will fit the space and the environment, then searching them out at your local nursery.

• Decide based on style: the next step is knowing what plant goes with your style that will complement your space and not turn your beautiful contemporary room into a tropical jungle (unless that's what you’re aiming for). Once you purchase the plant, then decide on the planter. The planter will add to your home decor as well, so pick something that falls inline with your decor and the right size. As to sizing, you should know the size of the plant you purchased so you can get a planter that’s a little bigger.

• Don’t stress the plant - water / repot only when needed: once you bring the plant home, what I've found to work great is to not replant it so quickly, so let it sit in the nursery container and just put that container inside the larger planter you bought. Then, wipe the leaves clean and water it only if it needs water (if it doesn't, then leave it until the soil is dry). I don’t like to keep a schedule as I find that sometimes plants are still wet when it’s time to water them (perhaps because I watered them more last time, or because it got colder). Because of this, I go week by week. When you start to see roots at the bottom of the container, then it’s time to repot into the planter.

Here are four of my favorite indoor plants that I've found to be extremely easy to care for with just a little maintenance:

1) Monstera Deliciosa

I'm sure you've seen this beauty all over the internet. It has a very tropical feel and is truly stunning. This plant is pretty easy to care for as long as you water it weekly, as it’s a pretty thirsty plant, but it also doesn't freak out when you forget to. At that point, you’ll notice the leaves droop slightly and you’ll know it needs water. Know that you’ll need a good space for this plant as it grows large (seriously). This plant loves bright indirect light and a clean wipe of leaves once a month with a wet rag to help keep it looking clean and shiny. The Monstera Deliciosa looks great in spaces that have a boho, eclectic, or earthy organic feel.

2) Fiddle Leaf Fig

Although this plant has a rep for being fussy, it really isn’t difficult. The key I’ve found to this plant is that it likes to be watered only when it’s dry, so touch the soil with your fingers and if it’s remotely moist, wait another day or two until you feel that it’s completely dried. Watering depends on how big your plant is but, in general, don’t drown the plant in water. Give it some water, then let it absorb it. This plant thrives in bright indirect light, and it doesn’t like to be moved. If you find the perfect spot where the plant grows new leaves seemingly effortlessly, leave it there and maintain the leaves clean with a wet rag. Fiddle Leaf Figs work really well in a lot of different styles, be it traditional, transitional, eclectic, or modern.

3) ZZ Plant

One of my favorite plants! It's beautiful with its shiny leaves, and it’s extremely easy to care for. You could get away with putting this plant in pretty much any room regardless of sunlight exposure, as long as you avoid intense direct sun. Water it when the soil dries out (every 1-2 weeks). ZZ plants are great additions to spaces that lean more modern, boho, or eclectic.

4) Pothos

Perfect for boho or modern styles. This plant is a true survivor and is super easy to care for. I found one abandoned in my office, and it had gone through months without water. I finally took it home, just watered it, and it came back to life. This plant thrives in bright indirect sunlight but can also survive in low light rooms, or even rooms with fluorescent light. Pothos like to be watered when the soil is completely dry. Style these hung or draped on a book shelf or dresser, or even to style a bathroom.

Thanks for reading my blog. I’m by no means a plant whisperer or professional botanist, but have dealt with my fair share of plant issues over the years and have done my best to learn from them. I’ve been lucky enough to figure out what works and what doesn’t for my plants, with some exceptions (e.g. just killed a string of pearls plant last month). Picking and caring for plants is definitely a learning process, so don’t beat yourself up on the issues you’ll come across along the way.

Until next time!

Janiece