Lush and Innovative Indoor Garden Ideas for Every Space
Outdoor space is not a finite resource. For many renters and urban homeowners, growing a traditional garden isn’t an option at all. If you fancy yourself the owner of a green thumb or want to try your hand at growing herbs and vegetables, indoor gardening is the next best thing. All you need are a few containers, potting soil, some plants, and great indoor garden ideas.
Of course, indoor gardens can be both functional and beautiful. Check out these indoor garden ideas to learn how to incorporate your favorite plants into your existing home decor.
1. Decor Ideas for Your Indoor Garden
For a full-fledged indoor garden, you’re going to need to invest in some designated furniture and decorations. And, of course, don’t forget to shop around for the best planters. With the right container, you can turn your favorite plant into the focal point of your entire home design.
Wall-mounted shelves are a must if you want to save floor space and cover up the bare walls in your home. You can use regular floating shelves or get special ones designed for indoor gardening.
Use plant stands to add style to your houseplants. Stands are available in all different sizes and design styles, so you can easily match the rest of your home’s decor. For hanging plant ideas, look for baskets made with interesting materials or some that feature geometric shapes.
2. Creative Hanging Planter Options
Not only do hanging baskets save space, but they are also the best way to show off viney or draping species like golden pothos, Boston ferns, and spider plants. Excluding hanging plants from your indoor garden design idea is just wasted potential!
Hanging planters are a great way to utilize your home’s windows and all of the direct sunlight they provide. Simply install hooks in the ceiling above and enjoy your new hanging garden. Vary your plants’ heights for a more interesting design.
One super popular trend is to use a piece of driftwood as a support for your hanging baskets. You can go with a traditional clay pot or use a mason jar to match the organic look. For a modern or contemporary spin, hang plants from a metal curtain rod or repurposed clothing rack.
3. Exploring the Beauty of Vertical Indoor Gardens
For the most space-conscious indoor gardening idea, you’re going to need to think vertically. You can create a quick and easy vertical garden anywhere in your home using an old bookshelf or ladder.
Small plant species are the best candidates for growing indoors with this method. Larger plants will need to stay firmly on the ground, but you can incorporate vining plants into the upper levels of your vertical garden.
Of course, you can adorn your vertical garden with more than just plants. Mixing in other decors can help draw attention to your garden design without overloading the space with foliage.
4. Innovative Plant Shelves and Stands
To get the most from your indoor garden, look past the plant and its pot. Arranging planters on a shelf or stand can take your design to a whole new level. And there are plenty of creative ideas out there just begging for a chance in your home.
Plenty of dedicated plant shelves are available on the market, but you can turn any bookcase or hutch into a stylish plant display. Select a piece of furniture with as many levels as possible. This will allow you to vary your plant heights and take full advantage of trailing leaves and vines.
Plant stands are a great way to highlight a favorite smaller plant or keep your pots up off your flooring. While you can find basic plant stands at any hardware store, look for inspiration in other furniture trends. Side tables are one versatile option, and you can find one to match any decor trend.
5. Integrating Wall Shelves and Planters
Wall-mounted layouts are another great way to conserve floor space with your indoor garden idea. Simply place pots on floating shelves throughout the space. You can also create a garden wall with specially designed mountable planters.
Space several small succulent arrangements along your wall for a fairy garden-inspired feel. Or hang planters close together and fill them with lush greenery like ferns and pothos for a DIY living wall.
If you want to explore growing vegetables or an herb garden indoors, this is the perfect chance to play around with hydroponic gardening. You can find pre-made hydroponic garden setups that mount directly to a wall or other support system. You can also use hydroponic gardening to propagate your favorite houseplants without any soil.
6. Embracing Nature
Large windows are a godsend for anyone looking to bring their favorite indoor garden ideas to life. With the right space and the right window arrangement, you can essentially turn a single room into a giant terrarium.
Vary your plant collection with species of all different sizes, shapes, and colors. An indoor garden with both large and small plants spread throughout the room is much more interesting than one featuring a bunch of pots similar in size.
Remember that bright sunlight only penetrates a few feet into any room, even if the room seems bright and well-lit. You’ll still need to keep your succulent and cactus collection close to the light source. Also, soil sitting in direct sunlight will dry out faster than it might in the shade–keep an eye on your containers!
7. Bringing Life to Your Dining Room and Kitchen
Potted plants make excellent dining table centerpieces. This is just one way you can add plant life to your dining room and kitchen, so don’t neglect these spaces when planning your indoor garden.
Chances are, you don’t have a ton of extra space in your kitchen and dining areas. You’ll want to focus on cultivating many small plants rather than a few big ones. You can fit a ton of plants on top of wall-mounted cabinets without losing any functional space. Floating shelves are a great option, as well.
If you’re interested in growing an indoor herb garden, there’s no reason to limit your passion to an outdoor space. Many edible plants thrive in indoor gardens. Plus, there’s nothing more convenient than growing herbs indoors and within arm’s reach of your cooking space.
8. Boosting Productivity
While a necessity for many, your home office probably isn’t the liveliest room in your home. Even if you love what you do for work, no one wants to spend too much time in the office.
An indoor garden is a great way to improve your office decor and boost your mood while keeping the space professional-looking for Zoom meetings or face-to-face clients. If you often find yourself taking video calls at home, be sure to place some of your plant collection behind your desk chair.
Avoid cluttering up your desktop with too many potted plants. While one or two small containers are fine, you’ll want to focus on shelves or hanging baskets to maximize space. Place a large plant like a ficus or sansevieria next to your desk for some vertical foliage.
You can contrast your office garden with sleek modern furniture or go with a more relaxed aesthetic. Utilize natural wood grain throughout the space for complementary color and texture. White walls will help your greenery stand out from the background.
9. Revitalize Your Bathroom
Most of us dream of owning a bathroom reminiscent of a luxury spa retreat. Well, there’s no better way to elicit this feeling than with lush greenery. As long as you know what you’re working with, the bathroom can double as a life-size terrarium.
Stock your bathroom garden with humidity-loving tropical plants, but be careful of choosing species that are sensitive to sudden temperature or moisture changes. You may need to install grow lights, even if your bathroom has a window. Remember, all plants need at least some sunlight to survive.
Flat surfaces can be rare in a bathroom, so invest in a compact shelving unit to display smaller plants. Use plants with large, draping foliage–monstera and palm fronds are good options–to frame your tub or shower. Hang viney plants overhead and let them trail down to maximize the available space.
Here’s a bonus tip: when it’s time to water your indoor garden, skip the watering can. You can save time by giving your plants’ soil a group shower instead!
10. Serenity in the Bedroom
Next to the master bath, your bedroom will benefit significantly from housing a mini indoor garden. We all know how good indoor plants are for our physical and mental well-being, so why not enjoy those benefits in the very room in which you sleep?
Choose one or two large plants to keep on the floor as statement pieces. Hanging baskets are an incredible asset when designing a bedroom zen garden. Use shelves or the tallest parts of your bed frame to hold pothos or an air plant collection. Or install ceiling hooks overhead to mimic the appeal of a canopy bed.
Disguise cold terra cotta pots with woven planter covers to soften the overall look of your bedroom garden. Macrame rope hangers work great in a bedroom with a modern, bohemian, or rustic decor theme.
11. Living Room Indoor Garden Ideas
Contemporary living rooms vary greatly in layout, aesthetics, and even purpose. While creating an indoor garden in your living room does require a green thumb, it’s no more difficult than decorating any other room in your home.
Decide what the focal point of your living room is–for many, it’s a TV or fireplace–and build a smart garden design around this item. Use oversized plants with lush foliage to frame this area. You can use smaller, more structured plants elsewhere in the room.
Don’t forget to coordinate your containers with your living room’s existing decor. Mismatched pots work well in a boho-style room but less so in a formal living space. You can always paint your containers or invest in matching covers for a cohesive look.
FAQs
How do you add light to a dark room?
Providing your plants with adequate sunlight is the hardest part of indoor gardening. Even seemingly bright rooms won’t meet the needs of some plants.
Most popular houseplants do well indoors because of their low light requirements. Stick with species recognized for being good indoor plants–others will look nice for a time but soon after get sick or die altogether. And if you want to grow a successful herb garden indoors, good lighting is a necessity.
Keep in mind that regular light bulbs don’t provide the type of light that plants need, so a grow light will be extremely useful. You can replace some of the room’s light bulbs with grow lights or invest in a few small terrarium setups for your needier plants.
While these lights are a requirement in a space without windows, they can also supplement natural sunlight in a room with windows.
Where is the best place to buy houseplants?
The most obvious (and most convenient) place to buy new plants for your indoor garden is your local garden center. Most garden centers stock some house plant species alongside their outdoor annuals and perennials. You can also check your area for specialty retailers devoted to succulent cuttings and indoor plants.
When it comes to getting your hands on rarer species or variants, though, online retailers are actually a great option. If you’re having trouble finding a specific plant online, try searching on a platform like Etsy.
Shopping online does come with a few challenges. Instead of full-size plants, look for sellers offering established cuttings. These cuttings are easy to ship, more affordable, and will quickly grow to their full potential.
What are the best plants to grow in an indoor garden?
The best plants for indoor gardens depend on factors such as light availability, temperature, and personal preference. However, some popular choices include pothos, snake plants, peace lilies, spider plants, and philodendrons, as they are low-maintenance and can thrive in various indoor conditions. Herbs like basil, mint, and parsley are also great options for culinary enthusiasts. Succulents and cacti are known for their ability to withstand dry indoor environments. It’s important to research each plant’s specific care requirements to ensure they receive proper light, water, and nutrients.
