Back when I was a young girl growing up in a farmhouse in northeast Ohio, indoor foliage wasn’t a “thing.” At least not for my parents. I wonder, were people just not into plants back then, or was it just us? I’m not sure, but if memory serves me correctly, and I think it does — most of my friends didn’t have greenery adorning their homes either.
Let’s fast forward 30 years. We now know that decorating with plants not only adds a comforting outdoorsy touch to our homes, but plants have health benefits too! Studies show that plants in the home lower stress levels and help purify the air.
Foliage in the Farmhouse
When we think of farmhouse decor, we tend to focus on painting the wood floors or using barn wood in the living room. These are important considerations, don’t get me wrong! But bringing in the greenery can elevate your farmhouse’s charm tenfold!
However, adding plants isn’t as easy as it sounds. They need care, remember. They need water, a little food, and the right amount of sunlight.
So, let’s look at some ways you can add foliage to your farmhouse!
Plant Styling in the Farmhouse
It’s important to remember that plants aren’t just another decorative item. Placing a vase on a mantle that doesn’t get sunlight is okay for the vase; it won’t die. But a plant just might. You need to think about the plant’s needs and wants too.
And don’t forget to assess the amount of time and energy you have to take care of a plant. Succulents, for example, require very little maintenance. Others, like a banana plant (don’t get me started, these things are the primadonnas of the plant world), are pretty fussy and high maintenance.
When selecting plants for the different areas of your home, consult nursery staff who can help you find the ones that best fit your style and lifestyle.
Here are a few ways I like to style plants in the farmhouse.
In a corner…
Enliven a darkish corner with a pretty plant. A Chinese evergreen looks beautiful in a natural white stone planter and helps break up a room with many dark wood elements. This big leafed plant requires little sunlight, so it works well in a darker corner.
And keep in mind, corners can typically take on larger plants that other higher traffic areas of the house cannot. Giant palms, fiddle leaf figs, and ficus trees look great in corners.
In the kitchen…
I love plants in a kitchen–near the window, on the countertop, hanging from the ceiling in a natural planter. In a farmhouse, especially, a grouping of potted herbs on the windowsill is not only a sweet touch but also user-friendly! I place little pots of basil and thyme in the window just above the sink and take snips of the whenever I want to add fresh herbs to a dish.
A Rattlesnake plant needs only a slight amount of filtered sunlight, so it works well in a kitchen that gets a little bit of morning sun. A galvanized shallow pot looks good on matte granite countertops, and the Rattlesnake plant’s red-hued leaves add wplant’sgainst the coolness of a blue tile.
By a sunny window…
I have a sunroom where lots of my plants enjoy the sunshine all year long. If you don’t have that, try to find sunny spots around the house that look blank and can use some green.
A Rubber plant likes sun to partial sun. Find a spot next to a window and place it in a basket on top of an old wooden fruit box that’s been transformed into a shelf. Or hang a grouping of sun-loving plants from vintage macrame planters in a window.
Use just about ANYTHING as a planter…
You can use anything as a planter, but make sure water can drain so the plant doesn’t get soggy and suffer from root rot. If you want to put your plants into a cute coffee mug or teacup or any other bit of pottery that doesn’t have drainage holes, be sure to add some pebbles beneath the soil as a draining layer. This allows excess water to flow into the space with pebbles, away from the soil and thus away from the plant’s roots!
Do you have any tips for greening up a farmhouse? Please share in the comments below!
