Lifestyle: Enhance Your Home

Enhance Your Home With Houseplants

(from left to right) Chinese Evergreen (water rooted), Air plant in ceramic, cat pot (not water rooted), and Heart-Leaf Philodendron (water rooted).

There are many benefits to having indoor plants in your home. Most importantly, “they make for a happy environment, help purify the air, and lighten the space,” says General Manager Kristina Haysley of Mahonia, a home decor store in the NuLu area of downtown Louisville. Research published by NASA found that houseplants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and help absorb other indoor pollutants. Indoor plants also add a beautiful touch of live decor and soothing energy. Not sure where to start? We’ve found the perfect plants for every area of your home.

FILLING IN CORNERS

Filling in gaps and dark corners can help brighten a space and add a pop of color that can complement any room. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) suggests easy to care for plants for older adults, like the ZZ plant (pictured back right) and the Pothos (front left). Both thrive in low-light and require minimal care.

Plants in photo left to right: Money plant, Chinese Evergreen, Staghorn Fern (on coffee table), Peace Lily, HeartLeaf Philodendron (hanging), Snake plant

THEY MAKE FOR A HAPPY ENVIRONMENT, HELP PURIFY THE AIR, AND LIGHTEN THE SPACE.

THE BEDROOM

Plants situated in the bedroom evoke a sense of calm and relaxation. The Snake plant (right, on table) is one of the few plants that converts carbon dioxide into oxygen during the day and night, a process that typically happens only during the day with most plants. This makes the Snake plant a good choice for the bedroom. Kristina says it is versatile to light availability: it can tolerate a low-light space, but will grow faster in a more direct light environment. It’s also easy to care for and requires little water.

CREATE A HEALTHY HOME

Research suggests reduced stress levels, increased feelings of happiness and well-being, and shortened recovery time from illness are a few of the benefits of indoor plants. Air plants are another great option for ease of care. Most Air plants prefer direct light.

A shelf can make a great home for an indoor plant, like the Air plant (top) or the water rooted Heart-Leaf Philodendron (bottom).

SPREAD THE LOVE

Once you have your favorite plants in place, learn how to propagate by water rooting from cuttings. This is a great way to add more plants to your home and share them with others.

Leslie F. Halleck’s book, Plant Parenting, contains a wealth of information on how to make more houseplants from the ones you already have and love.

If you want to meet more like-minded plant folk, Mahonia has a plant swap every first Friday of the month starting around 6PM. Check out their Facebook page for dates, times, and details. facebook.com/mahoniastudio

Story and Photos by Melissa Donald

Summer 2023 / Today's Transitions