A Guide to Choosing Houseplants for Every Home

Houseplants are a simple way to add warmth, colour, and character to your home. They can help soften interiors, improve wellbeing, and make everyday spaces feel more inviting. With Houseplant Appreciation Day on 10 January, it is the perfect time to explore how to choose plants that suit both your rooms and the conditions within them.

This guide looks at the best houseplants for different areas of the home, as well as how light, warmth, and humidity can affect your choices.

Living rooms and bright spaces

Living rooms are often the brightest and most spacious areas in the home, making them ideal for a wide range of plants.

If your living room benefits from plenty of natural light, plants such as monstera, fiddle leaf figs, rubber plants, and succulents can thrive. These larger plants work well in corners or near windows, helping to fill empty spaces and create a strong visual feature.

For shelves and side tables, trailing plants like pothos or philodendrons add softness without taking up floor space.

Darker rooms and low light areas

Not all rooms receive lots of sunlight, but there are still plenty of plants that cope well in lower light.

Snake plants, ZZ plants, cast iron plants, and pothos are all excellent choices for darker rooms, hallways, or north facing spaces. These plants are known for being low maintenance and forgiving, making them ideal for areas that receive indirect or limited natural light.

They prefer consistency, so placing them in one spot and avoiding frequent movement will help them thrive.

Kitchens and warmer spaces

Kitchens are often warm with fluctuating temperatures, which some plants handle better than others.

Herbs such as basil, mint, and rosemary are a popular choice for kitchen windowsills, offering both decoration and practicality. Spider plants and aloe vera also adapt well to warmth and occasional changes in temperature.

Choosing compact plants helps keep worktops clear while still bringing greenery into the space.

Bedrooms and calmer environments

Bedrooms benefit from plants that create a calm and restful atmosphere.

Snake plants, peace lilies, and lavender are well suited to bedrooms, as they cope well with softer lighting and cooler temperatures. Smaller plants placed on windowsills or bedside tables can help make the room feel fresher without overwhelming the space.

Low maintenance plants are often best in bedrooms, especially if the room does not receive bright light throughout the day.

Bathrooms and humid rooms

Bathrooms usually have higher humidity levels, which many houseplants enjoy.

Ferns, peace lilies, bamboo, and calatheas thrive in humid conditions, particularly in bathrooms with natural light. Hanging plants work well in these spaces, adding greenery while keeping surfaces clear.

If your bathroom has limited light, choose plants that tolerate both shade and moisture to ensure long term growth.

Home offices and working spaces

Adding plants to a home office can help create a calmer and more pleasant working environment.

Plants such as pothos, ZZ plants, and succulents are ideal for desks and shelves as they require minimal care. These plants suit a range of light levels and do not need frequent watering, making them easy to maintain during busy working days.

Dry or heated rooms

During the winter months, heating can make indoor air feel dry.

Succulents, cacti, rubber plants, and yucca are well suited to drier conditions and cope well in rooms with consistent warmth. It is best to keep plants away from radiators and heat sources to prevent soil from drying out too quickly.

Creating a home that works for you

Choosing houseplants that suit both your rooms and your home’s conditions makes caring for them easier and more enjoyable. By understanding light levels, temperature, and humidity, you can create a greener, more welcoming home with minimal effort.

At eastbrooke homes, we believe that thoughtful living spaces go beyond design. Simple touches like houseplants can help turn a house into a place you truly enjoy living in.