Before we begin, do me a favour and take a look at the Instagram pages of some of the top interior design magazines:
House & Garden, Vogue Living, Elle Decor, World of Interiors, Homes & Garden.
You probably won't actually go and look now, but do keep an eye out.
They may not all be to your personal taste, but it's safe to say that they know what they are talking about when it comes to interiors.
Apart from the fact that 99% of every picture has been painstakingly styled, perfectly designed and photographed by a pro, one thing they all have in common is very conservative use of indoor plants. Not to say there aren't any, but nobody had to pillage Columbia Road to take any of those pictures.
Now, take a look at that Instagram page that keeps popping up on your feed, your mate's mate who's doing up their flat and has made an Instagram page out of it. We all know the one. Sharon, that posts the same picture every three days and just moves the plants and pillows around the room.
"27 plants in a single photograph of a room does not a good interior maketh."
(you can find that in Proverbs somewhere)
I get it though, we all want to bring the outdoors in (a topic I'll get to on another day) so we cram our windowsills/bathrooms/kitchen shelves/fireplaces with as many plants as they can hold, call them your #plantbabies and replace them every six weeks when they inevitably lose their will to live.
Now before I get accused of the pot (plant) calling the kettle black, I do own pot plants, I own a fair few, but what I don't own are shares in Kew Gardens.
An indoor plant, or the ever reliable vase of eucalyptus, can bring much needed balance, softness and life into a room. Often economically with three for a tenner. However if your living room has a carbon footprint of minus one, it may be time you ask yourself what your interior is really lacking to otherwise bring in these elements in a tasteful and meaningful way.
So while you figure that out (gives you reason to keep reading the blog) this is my advice to best flora your four walls.
Keep in mind this is an interior design blog. Plants can make the world of difference to a shit room, but so can turning off the lights. Which we all know isn't really the point.
Keep your plant count to one per vista. Two if the proportions allow. What is a vista? This is basically the insta money shot. The vista in question may never end up being photographed or put on Instagram, but let's not pretend you don't think about it after the seventh time you've rearranged the books on your self. What this will do is force you to find balance around the room with other items, without having your plants do all the work.
All indoor plants were not created equal. Some plants don't belong in your house. Do a quick Google of "office plants" and you'll know which to avoid.
Same goes for the pots they come in. If you're buying a plant to step your interior up a notch, for the love of God make an effort on the pot. Those bucket planters with the criss-cross legs are not the one. There are loads of online retailers that sell some amazing, and pretty affordable planters, that will make you look like you have at least tried a little. There is no excuse to have your plants sitting in the same plastic shite you bought them in. The pot or the planter needs to work with, and add to your space, so don't over look this.
And finally, and probably most importantly, do not fake it 'till you make it. There is no excuse for fake plants or flowers. Except of course if you live in a windowless room and travel for work six days a week.