Refresh your home with happy houseplants!
TAME TENSION WITH A BROMELIAD BASKET
“Flowering houseplants are such a great pick-me-up,” says Steinkopf. “The colorful spiky ‘bracts’ around guzmania bromeliad flowers can last for months, bringing so much happiness with their bright hues.” Plus, the plant is known to release oxygen into the air to reduce stress and enhance focus. To get the look, line a colorful basket with a cut-to-fit trash bag, add river rocks (for drainage), fill with well-draining soil and drop in guzmania plants. Give bright light and keep the cup-shaped center of plants filled with water.
SOOTHE SEASONAL SYMPTOMS WITH ORCHIDS
“Orchids add instant beauty to any space and are easy to care for,” says Steinkopf. And the pretty plants boost humidity by releasing water into the air to ease seasonal ailments like dry skin, itchy eyes or a scratchy throat. To make a windowsill focal point like the one shown, drop 2 pink plastic-potted orchid plants into a pair of pink cachepots. Give some light and water when soil is dry. To water, remove plastic pots, run water over soil and let drain in sink; return to cachepots.
Every day feels sunnier when you surround yourself with plants that offer surprising health benefits! Here, The Houseplant Guru Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, author of Houseplant
Party, shares ideas for flowering plant displays that can boost joy, reduce stress and so much more!
FIGHT BRAIN FOG WITH AN AZALEA DISPLAY
An indoor azalea is a pretty surprise in any corner, since the pink flowering plant is often found blooming outdoors seasonally, notes Steinkopf. “And the happy hues of this checkered pot scream spring!” Not only will azaleas brighten up a room, but they have also been shown to filter out airborne formaldehyde, a toxin often found in upholstery and carpeting that can cause headaches and brain fog. To do: Simply drop a potted azalea into a checkered pot and set in a rectangular serving tray. Give the plant bright light and keep soil moist.