The Best House Plants for Every Room

Sarah Yang

February 24, 2017 at 12:08 PM·10 min read

The biggest factors to consider when picking out house plants are natural light, humidity levels, and aesthetic.

A little bit of greenery can transform a space—and breathe new life into a room. But not all houseplants are created the same—and that means they all won't thrive in any old place. To choose a plant for a specific spot in your home, you'll want to keep two things in mind: plant care and your home's aesthetic. Fortunately, there are more than enough houseplant varieties to suit any dwelling and design style.

Christopher Satch, an in-house plant expert at The Sill, shares his plant picks for every room in your home—from your living room to your child's bedroom. There's good news for people who travel a lot or just don't have the time to look after something daily: Most of these plant recommendations are low-maintenance. Read on for the best plants to choose for every room in your house.

Meet Our Expert

Christopher Satch is an in-house plant expert at The Sill, a plant company that was founded on the motto: plants make us happier, healthier humans.

House Plants for the Living Room

Make a statement in a space that gets a lot of foot traffic. "The living room is your respite from the outside, as well as your cozy collaboration space with friends and family," Satch said. "Show off your elegant side with a bird of paradise or rubber tree plant. Or, show off your colorful and fun side with philodendrons, begonias, or cacti and succulents."

Tips

Choose plants based on the type of sun exposure your living room gets. For general reference, there are four kinds of exposure: bright, direct light (full sun); bright, indirect light (partial shade); medium, indirect light; and low, indirect light.

Bird of Paradise

Bird of paradise is eye-catching and will easily add interest to your living room. Its large green waxy leaves are gorgeous. Place by a window in your living room for best results. Low maintenance, this plant only needs to be watered weekly to stay spry.

Rubber Tree

The rubber tree will add a little pop of color with red veins hidden under its leaves. The uniform leaves give an aesthetic flair. Water only once a week to keep this houseplant happy.

Philodendron

The philodendron is bright and beautiful, and a great way to add color to your living room. Place near a window, and water weekly.

Begonia

Incorporating begonia (or even cuter Polka-Dot Begonia) into your living room is an easy way to add a pop of color with its big red and green leaves and stems. Begonia will need to be placed by a window and be watered weekly to stay healthy.

Cacti or Succulents

For a calming and low-maintenance plant, choose a succulent for your living room. It will need lots of light, but only monthly watering. Succulents come in a large variety of shapes and sizes, and you can find one that's perfect for nearly every nook in your living room.

House Plants for the Dining Room

For the dining room, Satch suggests the same lineup of plants you'd choose to display in the living room—that's because both rooms are places where family and friends congregate.

Mix things up: If you chose a rubber tree for the living room, try a begonia in the dining room. Either way, make the space feel special by selecting greenery that's eye-catching and ready to impress.

Bird of Paradise
Rubber Tree
Philodendron
Begonia
Cacti or succulents

House Plants for the Kitchen

"The kitchen is a source of water and, although it's not as humid as the bathroom, it's more humid than the rest of the house," said Satch. "Counter space is also limited, so hanging things will be optimal."

Ferns

Ferns are simple and aesthetic, and they hang well! It only requires a little indirect light to stay happy and prefers humidity. (AKA it's perfect for the kitchen!) You only need to water weekly, which will seem like a piece of cake when the sink is right there. Talk about a convenient plant!

Air Plants

Air plants are so easy, they don't even need a pot. This means you can get super creative with where you put it. Think of a hanging glass vase, or inside of a magnetic pot on your refrigerator. Because of their small size, they look darling on the window sill in front of your sink. They only need spritzing daily.

Herbs

Potted herbs on your window sill are both decorative and useful—just grab a couple of sprigs to sprinkle onto dishes. Water every few days.

Trailing Pothos

Hang pothos from a basket to best see its cascading leaves and vines, and save your counter space. Pothos are a pretty hands-off house plant, you just need to water it weekly.

House Plants for the Bedroom

Your bedroom is meant to be a restful sanctuary, so add a bit of greenery to create a peaceful atmosphere. "Plants have been shown to boost moods, decrease stress and anxiety, and filter toxins," Satch said. For the bedroom, he recommends varieties that can improve indoor air quality. But don't go overboard with your selections—an uncluttered space is a calmer space. One or two plants, max, will suffice.

Snake Plant

This plant not only helps to purify the air but can also tolerate low light which makes it an ideal houseplant for your bedroom. Its variegated tall leaves exude an aesthetic, modern style. Water once a month, or when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch.