5 Houseplants to add value to your home
There are many ways to de-stress at home from yoga to music with many other options in between (myself, I to enjoy a fine glass of wine to sort my stress levels). A favourite for many, and looking around my house we must think along the same lines, are house hold plants offering a natural way to both calm our minds as well as sharing air cleaning capabilities.
Another great reason to opt for house plants at home is that they can be eye catching and decorative options for interior design / staging of property that are on the market. Many will offer striking appearances that will freshen up the look of rooms / spaces in property.
I am sure we have all visited a family member or friend who will have that old houseplant that looks uncared for, in a much too small pot and surrounded by shed leaves. They are usually taking up too much space and undoubtedly look sorry for themselves and can bring the atmosphere of the room down enticing you to say “do you want me to water this plant for you?“.
For those of us with a little bit more time, care and possibly money to put towards them, houseplants are a good investment and can be complemented by both what they are planted in and the in some cases the furniture which displays them. There are many different styles and sizes of pots for houseplants from cheaper solution via outlets such as Ikea or Amazon to more designer and antique options from boutiques and antique stores. Plant stands are also highly popular from modern minimalistic designs to standard column / pillar styles.
So what about the plants themselves?
It is stated that there are nearly 400,000 different types of plants out there most of which are those that flower. For our homes we can also select are wide variety to share our rooms with us with – Here are five great houseplants that will bring nature indoors and aid in styling your home:
- Ficus Microcarpa Ginseng (Bonsai Tree): Always a delight when we see homes with well kept bonsai trees and especially those sizeable ones in ceramic Bonsai pots. These plants do require plenty of care and correct positioning in a room so may not suit all situations, they can easily be purchased at local DIY stores and prices from around £10, though for connoisseurs and collectors, prices can easily go in to the £100’s of £1,000’s.
- Monstera Deliciosa (Swiss Cheese) Plant: These can grow in to an impress size and can sometimes end up taking up more of the room that you would like so it is important to keep them pruned. This a tropical plant will also be fussy to where it is placed and it is not pet friendly in that its leaves are toxic to cats and dogs. It is though a regularly featured plant especially the leaves which you will see used in many forms of materials such as clothing / curtains etc. A well maintained Swiss Cheese plan can really add character and life to a room.
- Aloe vera plant: Another highly popular and eye catching plant for your home which many additional benefits to include being highly robust, provides a natural treatment for cuts and burns from its sap and it absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen at night. A popular choice for most rooms of the house though commonly found in bedrooms.
- Sansevieria (Snake plant): Easy to care for quite impressive, the Snake Plant is also stated as having one of the best air-purifying household plants ridding rooms of nasty toxins. In varied sizes it is ideal to sit as a focal point in room corners or smaller versions as a centre piece on tables / side cabinets.
- Crassula ovata (Jade Plant): These may require a slight more care attention, each day requiring a few hours of daylight and thrive best at room temperature during daylight hours, but prefer slightly cooler temperatures during nights and in the winter months. They are very attractive in appearance and can grow to a grand size.