Plant Life: How much is too Much?

Sometimes in life, it’s nice to bring the outside in and the inside out. Think of a vase of flowers on a table; a picnic blanket on a lawn.

A simple bloom that may die in a week, might seem trivial, but the role of flowers in our lives is not. For many centuries flowers have occupied a special place in our home, a feature of beauty on a table: a message in a beautiful vase on a birthday.

Of course, we can go overboard. A bouquet of red roses might scream desire, but a roomful would be too intense. This is because flowers are used as a place holder for important messages. A rare orchard seems to whisper, I think A LOT of you, while roses whisper secrets of love and desire. Nature is used to provoke feelings of happiness and love, along with tranquility and relaxation, all things we want in a home!

Buyers are interested in seeing more calming elements in their homes, a way for them to feel connected to the earth and their roots. This is easy to achieve by incorporating more plant life in your home, along with sustainable, handmade pieces, that will make the home seem more airy and open. If it suits the home, I am not afraid of bringing nature in along with a little twist! But too many fake plants can make a home feel busy and dirty – after all, we quickly think of dirt, water, and bugs when we look at potted plants.

So how much is too much?

Fake flowers used to have a poor reputation as being tacky and cheap. Manufacturing has come a long way in this regard, and the quality is getting better every day. Now we love using them around the house as a simple design trick to make a home look effortlessly contemporary and homely, with just a pop of colour and texture. Faux plants have many benefits: they need zero maintenance, are far cheaper than their real counterparts, and can’t be killed. And for those who have pets – they won’t be a desirable chew toy. It is important to have a plant or bouquet that looks real to the touch.

Flowers may be gorgeous but more suited for adorning a coffee table rather than in the kitchen or laundry. And while a quirky cactus might be fun, you would not want your potential buyer to accidentally bump into one in the entry way or in your bathroom. Natives are an easy sell as they are more believable than an orchard weighed down by blooms. A simple – neutral vase flatters all kinds of stems and blooms. Each room has its own needs and takes a while to understand the correct amount of blooms/plants.

For a decade I have been toying with the role plastic plants have played in our home, along with those fresh real blooms that come unexpectedly into the house (thought I’d squeeze a nod of appreciation to my husband and my girlfriends in here). It’s nice to have a space for these unexpected surprise, just as it’s nice to have fake full blooms all year round.

A general guide would be to try and limit yourself to one plant in a small room. Too many and that pop of colour and texture that a little succulent brings can make the space look dirty and cluttered. As with all things, sometimes less is more.

Co-authored by Stephanie Bradley and the uber chic Christie Board