Decorating your home with plants adds greenery and life, enhancing both the beauty and atmosphere of your living space. In many modern cities like ours, with numerous apartments but few trees, people are increasingly bringing plants indoors—onto rooftops, balconies, and tables at home. Plants not only look nice but also uplift our mood, bringing a calming and balanced vibe to our spaces. This is why more homeowners and interior designers are incorporating plants into their home decor. To start cultivating your indoor oasis with plants, focus on understanding plant care basics and choosing strategic placements.

Style

When buying plants for the first time, it's important to choose wisely. When designing an area of your home with plants, consider the interior style of the space.

"It can be tempting to buy every plant in the store or anything that catches your eye, but always opt for easy-to-grow plants such as snake plants, spider plants, pothos, succulents, and cacti. Selecting plants that fit the look or style of your home is also important. For example, if you prefer a mid-century modern style, then consider plants like the rubber tree or fiddle leaf fig," suggests Syeda Marjuka Maliha, Founder & Designer at ektu.arc Studio.

If your home features a modern style, aim for simplicity and grandeur in your plants. Your interior design is likely quite refined, so now is the time to introduce some drama with large, lush plants like palms and fiddle leaves. Consider Monstera plants, fiddle leaf figs, rubber plants, snake plants, etc.

"We use oversized plants, such as Boston Ferns or fiddle leaf figs, to make bold statements in a bedroom or living space. Flowering plants can also elevate the space and add colour," says Syeda.

For a traditional home with wooden furniture, accessories made of jute, and birch wood accents, you might be aiming for a boho-chic decor style. Plants such as Spider Plant, Snake Plant, Fiddle Leaf Fig, ZZ Plant, and Pothos would fit well. Beni Bonoon, a home decor shop, offers beautiful baskets made from organic Bangladeshi jute, which you can use to cover your plant pots, adding a unique and traditional touch. With prices ranging from BDT 945 to BDT 2,075, these natural and eco-friendly baskets can enhance your plant display.

If your house receives a lot of sunlight, placing a large Ficus, fern bushes, Bakul, or Spanish cherry plant in the sunniest area of the room can give guests a warm first impression. Choose plants that feel light and airy, allowing natural light to pass through them. Skinny trees or "money plants" are ideal for coffee tables.

Size

Ensure your plants match the size of your room. For tall rooms, select plants that can reach upwards. The snake plant, for example, grows straight up and can achieve a tall and spacious look.

Tall plants work well in empty corners, cascading plants can hang from shelves, and large leafy plants can fill gaps nicely. Stick-like plants also make lovely centrepieces on dining tables, while perforated leaves, such as those of the monstera plant, are great in front of windows because they don't block too much light. These placements can enhance the look and feel of your home decor.

Large plants are ideal if you want to fill a space without making it feel crowded. For a focused ambiance, choose one plant with an interesting shape.

Small plants are versatile and easy to care for, making them perfect for any room in your house. You can arrange them in groups of three or five with other decorations, or use one as a centrepiece on your living room coffee table. A small fern on your dining table can draw attention when setting it for four or six people.

When floor space is limited, hang plants from the ceiling. This trick can make your room seem larger by drawing the eye upward, and it works especially well in bathrooms! Instead of spreading your plants out, group them to create a focal point. Things often look better when there are more of them in one place.

Small succulent plants, such as Ghritakumari (Aloe Vera)—a common succulent used in many homes around Bangladesh—can complement other decorations beautifully and give your house a fresh, aromatic aura. Try adding some objects alongside your plant arrangements or incorporating plants onto your shelves to make your space more interesting. For example, a fern, cactus, or spider plant can look nice next to books or decorative pieces. Consider using a small bonsai tree as the focal point on your living room coffee table.

"If you want a farmhouse look, which many Bangladeshi homes have, go for functional plants like herbs, aloe, succulents, or even eucalyptus," recommends Syeda.

Placement

Accent a wall or window

If you have empty floor space and a plain wall that needs some attention, why not create a beautiful green garden? Simply place long rectangular planters or small pots filled with lush plants in a row. You'll see your room transform from dull to delightful. This not only adds natural charm but also makes your space feel warmer and more welcoming. Even adding just 2 or 3 plants can make a significant difference and alter the feel of the space.

A plant corner

As mentioned before, an awkward corner can be turned into a lively green spot by placing a plant there. Add variety with different sizes and colours, and see how quickly your corner transforms from dull to stunning. To make it even more interesting, consider using different heights with small step stools. Experiment with where you place your plants—try ones with hanging leaves that touch the floor, or group them by colour to create a beautiful gradient effect.

Shelves

Consider putting up floating shelves and filling them with beautiful plants. As mentioned earlier, you can mix in decorations if you like, or keep it simple and let the plants be the focus. This is a great way to bring life and energy into your space. Use plants in various shapes and sizes, and experiment with different arrangements to create a lively and attractive display.

Additionally, if you have wide windowsills, you're in a good spot! Just find a sunny place for your plants that love sunlight, and they'll thrive. If your sill is narrow, don't worry! With a little creativity, you can make more space for your plants. Try installing larger shelves so they have enough room to grow well, and add small, attractive planters with charming plants to enhance your space immediately.

Hook the plants

Hanging plants is a creative way of showcasing plants and adding a decorative touch to any space. If an area has less space and there is not enough room for a pot on the ground, hooking them or hanging them is a great option. Bathrooms are an appropriate place for hanging plants as they are usually small spaces and adding plants can give the air a very refreshing feel. Million Hearts, Kangaroo Pocket, and Green Leaf plants are some well-known hanging plants.

"For humid places like bathrooms - ferns, orchids, and peace lilies thrive with the added moisture in the air from the shower. Plus, a plant or two can add warmth to an otherwise utilitarian space in your home," advises Syeda.

Bedside table accent

If it's your bedside table we are talking about or a sofa-side table, adding some green plants to a side table is a fast and simple way to make the space look better. There are lots of planters and plants to pick from, so you can easily find one that matches your decorating style. Whether you like modern and clean looks or something more natural and relaxed, there's a planter that's perfect for your side table. Succulents are also a great option here, but if you are looking for something more eye-catching then the spider plant or money plant are good options.

Where to look?

You can find many small nurseries all around Dhaka city. In places like Mohammadpur Beribadh Road, Dhanmondi Abahani Ground, Taj Mahal Road, Kalabagan Main Road (beside the park), and more, you'll discover nurseries selling indoor and semi-indoor plants. You can also buy indoor plants from online platforms and Facebook marketplaces.

Brikkhohaat, an online Nursing and Gardening store, provides a variety of plants, seeds, soils, fertilizers, and gift opportunities to customers all over Bangladesh.

"We provide a variety of plants to homes and even corporate spaces. If the corporate space has a specific layout we design accordingly, and if there is no given layout, we provide them with design ideas and take charge of beautifying the space with our plantation," says Subril Rahman, Founder of Brikkhohaat

"Our highest-selling plants are the different types of Pothos, Monstera, Palm, and Dracaena. These usually cost between BDT 100 - 350 only without the planters. Larger-sized plants can go up to 1000+ BDT. We have different planters as well, plastics which are the cheapest, clay, metal which we craft ourselves, and ceramic," says Subril.

A big Monstera plant with a cement pot can cost anywhere from BDT 1,500 - 20,000 in Brikkhohat.

Plants such as snake plants, spider plants, and ZZ plants can range anywhere from BDT 250 - 750, in shops such as Satvai Nursery, an online store selling various plants. Some other online stores are Green World Nursery and Green Foliage.