The simple way to add instant character to any room – without spending thousands – could be to go more green
telegraph.co.ukdecorative impact, few things give as much bang for your buck as a well-placed houseplant. A flash of green leaves brightening up a shelf, cascading from a mantelpiece or cheering up a dull corner brings instant character and life to a room – and often at a much lower price than an artwork or piece of furniture.Our predilection for bringing the outside in has roots in the 18th century, and took off in the 19th century, when potted palms, ferns and aspidistras became fashionable features of the middle-class Victorian home.
The current vogue for indoor greenery has come about partly as a result of social media, with houseplants among the top three design trends on both Instagram and TikTok, thanks to the fact that a bouncy fern or stately fiddle-leaf fig does wonders in lifting the mood of a room, in a photograph as well as in real life.Indeed, biophilic design, the practice of bringing nature into the built environment to enhance human wellbeing, is another top interiors trend this year according to Pinterest.
Research by biophilic design experts such as Oliver Heath has found that bringing elements of nature into the home can reduce stress and blood pressure, heighten feelings of positivity, and aid concentration.
A study by Nasa found that plants such as peace lilies, rubber plants, palms and devil’s ivy can filter common indoor toxins such as formaldehyde and benzene from the air.
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