House plants are some of the first ways that people can personalize their homes. Plants brighten up the spaces, bringing a sense of life to the room. Fresh flowers, whether cut or potted, bring a nice fragrance to your home. What many people do not realize is that live plants actually purify the air, cleansing hundreds of cubic feet of air every hour. There are some species of plants that do this job better than others, but placing them in indoor house plants specifically designed for the spaces will maximize not only the health benefits of house plants, but make them more enjoyable and a pleasant addition to your home.
Choose Lighting
If you have south facing windows or skylights, you have a great opportunity for growing healthy house plants. Place the indoor planters in the optimum place to use light from these sources. Of course, you are not going to place planters in the idle of the floor or in traffic areas, but they can be used quite effectively in corners and in transition areas between rooms. For example, in an open floor plan, a large copper planter can serve for space definition. Gauge the depth of the planter based on the height of the ceiling. It should be only one fourth to one third of the height of the ceiling. The plantings you place in it should make up three-fourths or two thirds of the distance to the ceiling. The lighting will determine direction of growth of the plants, so try to keep the planter where it can receive even lighting.
Some plants are very shade tolerant. These will not require a great deal of light from windows, doors, or skylights. It is hard to find trees that can thrive in these conditions, but properly planted houseplants can do quite well. For example, a large planter with pothos ivy will look wonderful with a topiary form around which the ivy will be trained.
Choose Materials
There are so may materials these days out of which planters can be made. Metal planters are more popular than ever, especially considering that they are much less expensive than they used to be. Copper planters, zinc planters, steel and aluminum all have their own unique look. Some, such as copper and zinc, develop a great patina over the years. Of course, you can polish them, but the patina is part of the appeal of these planters. Steel and aluminum are sleek and shiny, contributing to the look of modern décor. People who like smooth lines and simple design will tend to choose these two metals for their indoor house planters. Those who want more detail will often look for the copper, because it is soft and easily hammered into various designs.
Wood is another great material for planters, because of the natural look of grain and color. Whether you choose metal, wood, brick, concrete, or some other material, keep in mind that your planters will add beauty and life to your home.