How to Incorporate Foliage Into Your Home
Especially if you’re nervous about taking care of living plants.
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Photo By: Rhisang Alfarid
You Don’t Need a Green Thumb to Have Greenery in Your Home
Flowers, leaves and trees are natural decorations that can freshen up the look of your room, create a photo-worthy earthy backdrop or create a zen-like space for relaxation. If you’re not ready to take on the pressure of trying to keep plants alive, you can still bring a green space into your home with these artificial and low-maintenance options.
Garlands
While some may think of garlands only during the holiday season, their shorter lengths are perfect for drawing attention to specific parts of a room. They can be attached around door frames, windows and mirrors, transforming them into accent pieces. You can even DIY garlands and weave in glitter, sparkles, feathers or flowers.
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Ivy
Ivy is not a shy plant; it grows quickly over any surface. Faux ivy can be manipulated in the same way. With the use of adhesive hooks or tape you can make shapes on your wall or create a border across the top of the wall near the ceiling. If your room is small, consider hanging the ivy horizontally, which can make the room appear larger. You can even attach string lights, photos and flowers to the strands.
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Wreaths
Another decoration that is typically seasonal, wreaths are made with leaves as the base, but have ample customizability. A few ideas when you are looking, or adding on as a DIY project, are colorful flowers, pinecones, berries, branches, birds, butterflies, fairy lights and ribbon. These add-on can complement each other or match the room’s decor. They are easy to mount using a wreath holder or adhesive hooks.
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Potpourri
Pick up a decorative glass container (easily thriftable!) to house this mix of dried flowers and spices, which can serve as a centerpiece or accents. Different mixtures will create different colors, for example a cranberry-cinnamon mix will feature red and pink, while a lemon-rosemary will be more yellow and green. The flowers also add a bit of texture, and as a bonus, you’ll create a signature scent for your room.
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Palm Roses
This artisanal crafted flower is native to Gullah culture of Charleston, South Carolina. Fronds from the state tree, the sabal palmetto, are hand woven into roses and once they are dried out, turn from a light green color to a neutral brownish-yellow hue that pairs well with other colors. They can be tucked inside vases or laid across a dresser or nightstand.
Faux Hedges
A faux hedge wall is the latest decorative trend showing up everywhere from bars to beauty parlors. The fullness of the hedge transforms a plain wall into an Instagrammable backdrop. Depending on your level of craftiness, you can simply assemble a wall or add neon lights or flowers and other decorations to it. These hedges can also be cut into different shapes, just like the real ones, to add to the personal flair.
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Artificial Trees
A tree is a dramatic centerpiece or anchor object- after all, no one expects a tree to be inside! You can choose the species, height and volume of leaves to complement the room. You can also move the tree to different locations, such as in the bathroom, in a corner or by an entryway.
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Artificial or Dried Flowers
If a tree seems like a bit much, you can opt for an artificial arrangement as your statement piece, which can come in a pretty vase that adds to the decor. These smaller arrangements are still easily transportable, and can be placed on a nightstand, on a window ledge or on top of a dresser. If you have certain blossoms in mind, some craft and dollar stores have flower walls where you can create your own floral arrangements.
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Fresh Bouquets
A fresh bouquet with a beautiful array of colors will instantly brighten up the room and bring a touch of life to it, and since bouquets come with an expiration date, you don’t have to be as concerned as keeping the blooms alive. And if you buy them periodically, you’ve created a simple self-care routine that only requires a vase and a little water.
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Terrariums
If you think you're ready to ease into plant caretaking, a terrarium might be a good starter option. You can purchase a kit that comes with low-maintenance plants, such as succulents or mosses, and learn how to take care of them, as well as build the habit of paying attention to your plants' needs.
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