Cheer up a bathroom

with peace lilies

Displaying these elegant white flowers in a bathroom creates a stunning focal point

and helps prevent mold buildup in corners and on shower-curtain liners, notes B.C. Wolverton, Ph.D., author of How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants that Purify Your Home or Office. His research shows that rooms decorated with peace lilies have 50 percent lower levels of allergy-triggering mold spores and other airborne microbes. “Peace lilies love moisture and tolerate very low light,” says Martin. But the plant is susceptible to root rot, so she recommends placing a layer of pebbles or charcoal beneath the potting soil in order to encourage proper drainage and help these beautiful blooms last longer.