By Shelley L.N. Bender
There are many valid design tips on how to make your home more inviting. But what if you could make your home, office, or business a more inviting place to be while improving your indoor environment, boosting productivity and rest, as well as your overall health?
Indoor plants are an amazing, natural way to do just that. Very often, people only think about bringing nature inside during spring and summer. But growing plants indoors is an essential way you can improve your mood, respiratory health, and air quality long term.
You can do it successfully even if you don’t know the first thing about caring for plants or have a dreaded black thumb.
In home design, the addition of live plants to any space is the equivalent of taking a deep breath after swimming underwater. They help create a space that is invigorated and full of life.
They absorb toxins from your environment and produce oxygen, literally creating that extra breath of fresh air. They add interesting visual texture and color, as well as purifying the air.
Likewise, when you are setting your home for staging, plants are an essential addition just like de-cluttering and neutralizing color choices. They bring life to a space. They can be added for minimal cost, and can be extremely low maintenance.
Some like the different varieties of snake plant require only a few drops of water each week. If placed in a bathroom or other humid environment, you may rarely have to water them at all. It is possible to have live plants in every room.
Healthline.com also cited claims from studies done by NASA (1989 Clean Air Study) and The Lung Institute wherein the emotional and physical health of participants was documented as significantly improved by long term exposure to house plants. Furthermore, medical studies have documented improvements in Alzheimer’s and dementia patients who were exposed to nature or horticultural therapy. The benefits of nature’s effects upon those with illnesses has been recognized by health professionals for many, many years.
Plants are not only a beautiful addition to any home, from a design and health stand point, but some are remarkably easy to care for. Michael Doherty, with One Green Planet Health, writes that the best indoor plants that improve your health are ones like Golden Pothos, English Ivy, Boston Fern, and Aloe Vera, and Spider Plant. Additionally, plants like the Peace Lily, which although they don’t thrive in direct sunlight, were among plants listed in NASA’s study, that are able to filter heavy toxins from indoor environments, such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Plants such as the Snake Plant, the Rubber Plant, and the Bird’s Nest Fern are high oxygen boosters and can handle quite a bit of neglect, for those of you without a green thumb. They are highly recommended for bedrooms. Beginners and avid gardeners love them.
According to our very own plant diva, Allison (Instagram, botanicalblondie) whom you may have met at one of our store events, Snake Plants are an amazing addition to any home or business setting. A structured, vertically growing plant, snake plants provide interesting visual texture and interest, as well as the health benefits they provide. They are used to humid environments and are adept at absorbing water from their environments, so also work well in bathrooms. Other indoor plants highly recommended by The Lung Institute are any Chinese evergreen, Areca Palms, Gerbera Daisies, and Money Plants (keep away from children and pets). Don’t have big budget? Start small and add a little plant at a time.
You’ll find you may even have a friend or family member that wants to get started too. Then you can share cuttings!
Bet you didn’t know you could have such a huge impact on your home, for so little effort, time, and money. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and add some green to your space today!
Sources:
Country Living Magazine https://www.countryliving.com/uk/wellbeing/a668/houseplants-to-purify-house-air/
NASA Clean Air Study https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930073077.pdf
The Lung Institute https://lunginstitute.com/blog/top-5-plants-for-increasing-oxygen/NBC News “Why Indoor Plants Make You Feel Better” https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/indoor-plants-can-instantly-boost-your-health-happiness-ncna781806
HealthLine.com “The Perks Of Being A Plant Lover” https://www.healthline.com/health/importance-plants-home
We also carry bouquets each weekend from Bloomchick Flower Company.
Her flowers are grown right up the road in Springfield, TN.
They go fast each week so get here early!