The new year always starts with resolutions and good intentions. So why start with something new and renovate your home? No, we are not talking of major renovation - sometimes a splash of colour is all you need to make a room look different. Plants are a quick and cheap solution that can drastically change a room’s appearance. Here are the hardiest evergreens for decorating homes brightly. These easy-care plants are perfect for everyone, including those of us who do not really have a green fingers.
The advantages of plants in the home
Plants provide a number of advantages:
- They complete the furniture. The different shapes of the leaves, the shade of green and any flowers mean that each variety suits a certain style or specific colour. A room’s harmony also depends on the position of the plants and their size and colour. A white wall gains character with a Kentia while a Spathiphyllum will make a bathroom welcoming and relaxing.
- They improve air quality. It is well known that plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during the day, which makes them ideal for improving the quality of the air in your home.
- They make rooms pleasant. If you live in a big city you are likely to miss a little greenery. Having plants in your home helps you regenerate and relax at the end of a stressful day at work.
Hardy evergreen house plants
Having firmly established that you need plants in your home, you now have to understand which ones to buy. A lot depends on the exposure of your home, as well as on its size and your green fingers. The room the plants will be put in also matters. Let us now see which low-maintenance varieties are most suited to each room.
The perfect plants for darker areas with more moisture
If your bathroom is plain and you want a touch of character in this often neglected room, go for a Kalanchoe - small, hardy and brightly coloured. However, this plant thrives in direct sunlight, so if your bathroom is relatively dark, you are better off choosing a fern, a Ficus Benjamina or a bamboo plant.
Plants for the living room
House plants often grow better away from direct sunlight, so it is not difficult to find one that suits your home. Some plant varieties can be rather large, so in this case the best position for them is the living room, where they can be a good furniture accessory and at the same time benefit from more space. Kentia and Ficus Benjamina are very popular and quite impressive - you will feel as if you were in a garden.
Plants in the bedroom? Yes, here they are
Not all plants are suitable for bedrooms. At night we need a healthy environment, so we need to choose a plant that releases oxygen (and not carbon dioxide) during this time of the day. Sansevieria is a perfect example for this purpose - not only is it attractive to look at, it also cleans the air by absorbing formaldehyde and releasing oxygen in the night. These properties are shared with Orchidea Phalenopsis, Aloe Vera and Begonia.
