The Very British Edit: Why Houseplant Styling Has Become My Favorite Design Tool – It's the Oldest Decorating Trick in the Book
I've always loved decorating with plants, but over the past year, they've become one of the hardest-working design elements in my home
The Opening Note
This week on The Very British Edit, I’m talking about something that has quietly become one of my biggest home obsessions over the past year – indoor plant styling. While I usually spend this space discussing interiors, decorating ideas and seasonal updates, I’ve come to realise that the best indoor plants deserve a place in that conversation too.
I've always liked having a few plants around the house, but somewhere along the way a couple of pots turned into a proper collection. What started with a peace lily on a side table has gradually evolved into Boston ferns, spider plants, ZZ plants, a Christmas cactus and several statement plants dotted throughout my home. Looking around now, I can't imagine my spaces without them.
What I love most is the way plants make a room feel alive. You can have all the right furniture, lighting and accessories, but there's something about a touch of greenery that softens a space and makes it feel more inviting. It's often the final layer that turns a room from looking styled to feeling like home.
Bringing the outdoors in is one of the oldest decorating tricks there is, and it's never been easier. A quick trip to the local garden center can transform a neglected corner, empty shelf or uninspiring window ledge. Even if you're not ready for a collection of houseplants, a vase of seasonal flowers can have much the same effect.
Over the past year, I've learned that styling plants is every bit as important as choosing them. A large monstera works brilliantly as a focal point, while trailing spider plants soften shelves and bookcases. Boston ferns add movement and texture, and even a small pot of indoor herbs on a kitchen windowsill brings color, fragrance and a little everyday pleasure.
One of the reasons plants work so well in interiors is that they add qualities that are difficult to achieve any other way. Alongside color and texture, they introduce shape, movement and an organic softness that helps balance harder surfaces and straight lines. They create layers and make spaces feel more considered without looking overly styled.
There may even be benefits beyond aesthetics. NASA famously studied the air-filtering properties of certain houseplants, highlighting varieties such as English ivy, spider plants and peace lilies for their ability to absorb some airborne pollutants while releasing oxygen. While experts point out that you'd need a considerable number of air-cleaning indoor plants to improve air quality, there's still something pleasing about surrounding yourself with living greenery. At the very least, it will help you to feel happier at home.
The containers we choose are just as important as the plants themselves. Lately, I've found myself drawn to beautiful ceramic planters, woven baskets, sculptural stands and hanging planters that allow greenery to become part of the overall design scheme. The right planter can elevate even the simplest plant, turning it into a decorative feature in much the same way a lamp or piece of artwork might. A plant isn't simply another object in a room; it becomes part of the home itself.
The older I get, the more I appreciate these quieter design details. Houseplants have become one of the easiest ways to make a home feel welcoming, relaxed and thoughtfully put together. They don't just fill empty corners or add a splash of green. They bring character, texture and a sense of life that few other decorating elements can match.
In this shopping edit, I'll be sharing some of the pieces I've been drawn to lately, from elegant planters and plant stands to decorative accessories that help showcase greenery at its best. Whether you're building a collection of statement plants or simply introducing a little more nature into your home, there really is no better time of year to do it.
The Edit: Indoor Plant Styling
In the Queue
Next week on The Very British Edit, I'm talking about one of my favorite summer decorating projects: decorating and designing an outdoor living room that feels just as welcoming as any room inside the house.
Now that I've fully embraced houseplants as part of my decorating style, taking that idea outdoors feels like a natural progression. Once you start bringing greenery into your interiors, you begin to look at your indoor-outdoor spaces differently. At least, I did. I found myself wanting my patio, terrace, and garden seating areas to feel less like separate spaces and more like an extension of the house.
The more I decorate, the more I'm convinced that nature provides the best design inspiration. Whether I'm choosing paint colors, fabrics, or accessories, I always seem to gravitate toward shades that already exist outdoors. Soft greens, sandy beiges, weathered wood tones, terracotta, stone grays, and muted blues never go out of style because they're familiar, calming, and easy to live with. They're also the perfect foundation for three-season rooms, which we often only use during the warmer weather.
The same goes for materials. If you've read my recent piece on houseplants, you'll know how much I love introducing natural textures into a room. Outdoors, those materials become even more important. Woven rattan, wicker, seagrass, jute, natural wood, linen, and stone all help create warmth and character while making a space feel connected to its surroundings. I've also come to appreciate the role of curtains and blinds in a sunroom or indoor-outdoor space. Lightweight linen drapes or woven shades help soften harsh sunlight, keep the room cooler on warm days, and add another layer of texture without taking away from the view.
I've also become increasingly drawn to sunrooms and outdoor living rooms that can be enjoyed for much more than just a few weeks of the year. Done well, a sunroom can become one of the hardest-working spaces in a home – a place to read, entertain, work, or simply relax with a cup of coffee or, in my case, a favorite matcha tea.
What I'm increasingly drawn to are spaces that blur the line between indoors and out. The most successful ones don't feel overly styled or staged. They feel lived in. They invite you to sit down, linger a little longer, and make the most of the warmer months. For me, that's always the goal. I want outdoor spaces to feel every bit as comfortable and considered as the rooms inside my home.
In next week's shopping edit, I'll be sharing some of the pieces I'm currently eyeing, from comfortable seating and woven accents to portable lighting, outdoor rugs, and decorative accessories that help create that indoor-outdoor feel. Because if houseplants have taught me anything, it's that our homes are at their best when we find ways to connect them more closely to the natural world around us.
The Very British Edit is a shoppable guide to beautiful living with a distinctly British twist. From heritage patterns to timeless decor inspirations, each edition blends personal insight, design expertise, and a love of craftsmanship. It is stylish, trustworthy, and endlessly inspiring.
