Using plants as functional decor

Having indoor plants can be a beautiful way to add a touch of nature to our homes. But beyond just aesthetics, plants can serve a functional purpose as well which can help transform your space in a practical and meaningful way. Here are some ways to use plants as functional decor to elevate your home.

Natural room dividers

In bigger open-concept spaces, you can use bigger indoor plants like fiddle leaf figs or bamboo palms as natural partitions By doing this you will be able to convert one big open space into several defined areas without using big bulky furniture and will be able to maintain an airy, organic flow while still offering you privacy as a partition.

Acoustic benefits

Many modern workplaces adopt the open concept plan for their offices, while this is great for collaboration it might not be the best for focus. With an open-concept office space and only having hard furniture around noise management is important. Unwanted noise is not only bad for concentration but can also lead to heightened stress levels. Certain plants wield a unique ability to minimise noise through deflection, absorption and refraction, like natural sponges. Plants with dense foliage are the best such as a Monstera or a Calathea (Prayer plant). You can even bundle them together to create a beautiful green sound-buffering wall.

Another way that you minimise noise disruption is by implementing moss into your space. An innovative solution is to implement a moss wall. This is a modern and space-saving way to use plants but they also have strong sound-absorbing properties. It is also fire-safe and hypoallergenic, making it the ideal material for your office space or even to add tranquillity to your home.

Centrepieces

Ways to draw attention to certain parts of a room can be done with beautiful plant centrepieces. Although art and sculptures are great ideas for centrepieces, plants would also be a viable option and a fun talking point. Adding smaller decorative plants can help create a flow through a room and can help connect everything. They can help bring life and positive energy to any room.

Functional green shelving (living shelves)

A way to brighten your home vertically. Living shelves. These living shelves maximise space and add more greenery to smaller areas. You can use cascading plants such as a Pothos plant of a string of pearls you can mix them with books and other decor items. This will allow you to create a dynamic visual display.

Plants as light filters

Taller plants with big leaves such as a Fiddle Leaf Fig plant or even an Elephant Ear Plant for that jungle vibe, can act as natural light filters. As they filter natural light they create beautiful shadow patterns and reduce glare in bright rooms. Placing them near windows not only enhances the natural aesthetic but helps regulate light flow for a more comfortable ambience.

Author: Charlotte