Spotted at Adore, New York  City. Photo: Robin Plaskoff Horton, Urban Gardens.

Fashionistas say it: accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. On the horticouture side, the same idea works for your interior design scheme where plants can be the perfect interior design accessory.

Front porch at Bartlett Arboretum Designer Showcase by Liza Cousins and Barbara Boland. Photo: Robin Plaskoff Horton, Urban Gardens.

Living Decorative Elements
Just like a fabulous pair of shoes or dynamic scarf can make an outfit, a plant in a great container can be the singular home accessory that will alter and complete the look and feel of a room.

Minigarden modular vertical planters.

Plants provide texture, color, and shape, and like other decorative elements. They soften hard edges, create spacial transitions, establish focal points, at the same time bringing life and nature indoors. Like tossing an accent pillow on a sofa or chair can quickly modify your decor, it’s just as easy to do so by substituting a different plant or container.

Formal living room at Bartlett Arboretum Designer Showcase by Steve Watson Interior Design. Photo: Robin Plaskoff Horton, Urban Gardens. 

Natural Wellness 
Beyond accessorizing, houseplants are as valuable as they air you breathe. Literally. They multitask as natural filters, capable of purifying stagnant air and removing toxins.

Planted table at Bartlett Arboretum Designer Showhouse by Victoria Vandamm and Suzanne Bellehumeur. Photo: Robin Plaskoff Horton, Urban Gardens.

Indoor plants can also lower blood pressure and increase creativity–a good thing for telecommuters who spend hours at home working virtually as well as the increasing numbers of people who choose “staycations.”

Guest bath at Bartlett Arboretum Designer Showcase by Christman-Stuart Design. Photo: Robin Plaskoff Horton, Urban Gardens. 

Green Thumbs Up! Indoor Plant Decor: The Design Stylebook for Houseplants.
The brown thumbed (yes, that’s me) or design-challenged need not fret. My friends, plant and garden design experts Kylee Baumle and Jenny Peterson, will hold your hand and walk you through how to select, style, and care for houseplants.

In their new book, Indoor Plant Decor: The Design Stylebook for Houseplants, Kylee and Jenny share ideas and step-by-step projects for designing with plants and containers in ways that can create or compliment your personal decorating style.

The Stylebook
With eight basic style guides such as Peaceful Zen, Classic Elegance, Modern Eclectic, and Vintage Vibe, paired with photo collages of various elements and loads of color photos, the authors take readers through a journey sampling plants, containers, and placement suggestions to get the creative horticultural juices flowing.

For the crafty among us, the duo have rounded up some fun–and easy–DIY projects like a tabletop water garden, planted book, and twig planter (I’m trying this one out.)

Something For Every Level of Expertise
Although I love the design part of any project, I have a bit of indoor plant phobia. Never fear–Kylee and Jenny know very well that dead plants are not decorative so to help readers succeed they’ve included care tips for all environments. As I’m an indoor plant newbie, I’m particularly grateful for what I call the confidence-producing section of the book: three Houseplants at a Glance charts that list plants by ease of care: 1) easy 2) moderate and 3) design diva–plants for those seeking a challenge.

Want a sneak preview?

Kylee and Jenny’s Indoor Plant Decor Tips

1. Start small by investing just a little, you can always add more. They say think of it as “gardening on layaway.”

2. Focus on one area at a time.

3. Scour flea markets, garage sales, craft stores, and your own home for old objects you can use in new ways.

4. Be careful to not prioritize creativity over practicality: the most successful gardens, inside or out, balance both equally.

And this is my personal favorite:

5. You’re not a failure if you kill a plant on occasion, it’s going to happen as it has even to them. “So check your feelings of guilt and inadequacy at the door,” suggest the plant pros, “and forge ahead.

As you can see, this approach to decorating with indoor plants has come a long way since the 70s-era coleus suspended in a macrame pot hanger.

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Enter the Urban Gardens Woolly Pockets L’il Green Meadow Planter Giveaway!

Update: We have a winner! Congratulations to Faith Meakin! Even though the contest is over, please peruse the great ideas above! 

Leave a comment below for chance to win a Woolly Pockets Lil’ Meadow Planter (retail value $90) from our friends at Green Up.

The Lil’ Meadow Planter lets you to put roots down in places you never thought possible like on patios, balconies, and rooftops– the plantabilities are endless. Made from 100% recycled materials, Meadows are soft-sided, breathable, modular and infectiously fun!

Giveaway runs through Sunday May 12.
Winners will be picked at random and announced on Monday the 13th.

*Please note that due to shipping costs, giveaways are restricted to U.S. residents. Planter does not include plants.

Green Up is a family business that sources the globe’s most innovative and imaginative plant-based designs and green technologies.
82 Myrtle Avenue
Stamford, CT 06902
203-595-5099
info@greenupgroup.com
www.greenupgroup.com

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Virtual Book Tour: 10 More Giveaway Prizes, 10 More Opportunities to Win
Urban Gardens is one of 11 blogs on in this virtual book tour. Visit and comment on each participating blog for a chance to win the prize offered on that blog. The more blogs you visit, the more chances to win.

The Rainforest Garden
Gardening Gone Wild
Cowlick Cottage Farm
The Casual Gardener
dirt du jour
Gossip in the Garden
Digging
Not Just a Housewife
Personal Garden Coach
The Impatient Gardener

Buy your copy of Indoor Plant Decor now.