Design with Plants
![View of a living room corner, showing a dark green fabric and brown leather couch with floral graphic throw pillow, a side table with 4 white vases in varying sizes and shapes, and in the corner, a wall planter filled with leafy greenery. At the front of the image is a coffee table with a bowl of green and red grapes atop a stack of books.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Designing-with-Plants-Wall-Planter-Closeup-580x871.jpg)
A plant is the world’s oldest housewarming gift (other than a bottle of wine), because nothing makes your home feel fresh and lived-in like live plants. Bonus that they naturally clean your indoor air, too!
Here’s a brief look at which plants to include when designing your home, with tips to get the most out of specific situations.
Best for Beginners
![Image of a snake plant in a large brown ceramic pot on the floor, next to 3 white shelves stacked above each other that hold art, framed photos, and vases of flowers, plus green air plants, against a background of cornflower blue wall paint and blond wood flooring.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Designing-with-Plants-Snake-Plant-580x870.jpg)
Snake Plant (Sansevierias)
Snake Plants are some of the toughest plants around. Indoors or on your balcony, these spiked lovelies can deal with nearly anything.
Care tips: They’ll grow faster in strong natural light and slower in low light, so decide where to place them. Buy darker-leafed varieties for low light. No direct sunlight like a west or south window – they burn! Always ensure the soil is nearly completely dry before thoroughly watering again, though these will do well in a bathroom, too. Snake plants are mildly toxic to cats and dogs.
North-Facing
![Photo of tan fabric backdrop featuring a ZZ plant in a grey planter on the light-colored floor, with a white and blond wood stool behind it, dressed with a clear pitcher and glass of water. The ZZ plant has oval-shaped dark green leaves.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Designing-with-Plants-ZZ-via-Bloomscape-580x708.jpeg)
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
Roots called rhizomes help this plant stay hydrated, while its variegated leaves go from bright green to a dark emerald.
Care tips: Low light and not much water, so it’s low-maintenance. Water when the soil is dry, or every two to three weeks. Poisonous if eaten, so keep away from kids and pets.
South-Facing
![Photo of a delicate fern in a plain green planter, sitting on a pale off-white surface with a matching plain wall background.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Designing-with-Plants-Asparagus-Fern-via-Terrain-580x580.jpg)
Asparagus Fern (Asparagus setaceus)
Stunningly delicate, the Asparagus Fern does better as a houseplant than an outdoor plant since it’s considered an invasive species.
Care tips: Keep in a sunny spot and let it dry out between waterings. Keep away from cats and dogs – it’s toxic to them.
![Photo of a plant with round dark and light-green leaves with red veins, in an orange ceramic pot, sitting on a light-colored surface with a nearly-matching wall background.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Designing-with-Plants-Maranta-via-The-Sill-580x751.jpeg)
Maranta (Marantaceae)
Known as a prayer plant because the Maranta’s leaves will raise and lower with the sun throughout the day. Gorgeous variegated leaves include shades of green and bright pink.
Care tips: Medium to bright but indirect sunlight. Water weekly or every other week, when you see its leaves look droopy. Pet-safe houseplant.
Best Indoor Tree
![Photo of a midcentury modern dining room, with patterned chairs and a deep wood table that nearly matches the flooring. Beyond, against the rear wall, is a bright blue sideboard dressed with a vase of fresh cuttings, a lamp, and a bowl of glass balls. Above the sideboard is a wall-mounted driftwood sculpture with multiple air plants and mosses growing. To the left of the sideboard in the corner is a tall fiddle plant with dark green leaves.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Designing-with-Plants-Fiddle-580x870.jpg)
Ficus Altissima (Variegata)
For those who love the look of a leafy indoor tree like the fiddle leaf fig, try a ficus altissima with large velvety yellow and green leaves. “This plant makes a statement without the more complex care instructions that come with the Fiddle!” explains Joyce Mast, a horticultural expert at Bloomscape.
Care tips: Place this hardy plant in bright, indirect light, then let it grow. Indoors, this statement plant can gain six to eight feet in height (outdoors, up to 40 feet!) Toxic to dogs, so take care.
![Photo of a traditional dining table and chairs in front of a cityscape view out the window. Just between the two windows stands a tall leafy green plant. On the dining table is a bunch of white flowers, a fruit plate, a pair of orange juice glasses and a pair of breakfast plates with fruit on them. The dining chairs are dark wood and scrolled patterned fabric, while the dining table is covered with a textured tablecloth that reaches the wood floor.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Designing-with-Plants-Dining-Room-580x870.jpg)
Kimball Starr Interior Design creates healthy homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a socially-distanced in-person or remote consultation.