How to Arrange Plants in Living Room
Decorating your living room with plants brings a refreshing, calming feel to your space. Indoor plants add a touch of nature, bringing the outdoors inside.
Large, leafy floor plants like the fiddle leaf fig or snake plant can serve as focal points, while smaller potted plants on shelves or tables provide charming accents.
The vibrant colors and varied textures of different house plants create a visual contrast against the backdrop of furniture and decor. Also, the air-purifying qualities of many indoor plants contribute to a healthier atmosphere.
Whether placed in a corner or spread throughout the room, arranging plants in your living room will help to make it a great space to be in.
In our living room, I have plants literally everywhere! Large plants on plant stands and sitting on the floor, and smaller plants on the bookshelf, on the coffee table, and end table.
That may sound like a lot of plants, but it isn’t. Strategically placing plants throughout your space is key to making it feel cozy and inviting.
Let’s talk about all the different ways you can arrange plants in your living room.
20+ Ways to Decorate Your Living Room with Plants
On side table next to couch
An easy place to put a plant in your living room is in a pot on the side table next to your couch. It looks great next to a small table lamp to add a little life to the table.
Arrange stems in a vase on table
Putting faux stems or fresh flowers in a vase on a table is a great way to add height to a table in your living room. I love these faux stems that look like olive branches.
Make a plant pot cover for faux trees
Faux trees often come with skimpy pots that look silly just sitting on the ground by themselves. To cover it, make a fluted plant pot cover like this!
In an empty corner
Larger plants take up a lot of space and are great to use in an awkward corner. They can fill wasted space with visual interest.
A snake plant, rubber plant robusta, or monstera plant are great choices for tall plants if you have high ceilings. For a corner that doesn't get direct sunlight, choose a type of plant that will thrive in low light and are relatively easy to care for.
Whether you use real or faux plants, place them in decorative pots to compliment your decor.
Next to a chair or sofa
Instead of an end table, place a tall plant at the end of the sofa. Sitting a plant behind or beside a chair will make your living room feel cozy.
They can sit directly on the floor or place them on plant stands to give them a little extra bit of height.
Spread small plants throughout the room
One of the easiest ways to get started adding plants to your home with small and affordable plants sprinkled throughout the room.
You can see here that Lauren incorporates several small potted plants in this living room: on the coffee table, on the console table, on the desk by the window, and on the built-in shelves.
Make a concrete plant stand
This concrete side table works perfectly as a plant stand for a large plant next to the sofa in a living room. This DIY concrete side table was so fun to make & looks so cute!!
The arch lines were an easy add to the plastic pot. I simply used leftover paint to add those instead of buying an expensive pot for the plant.
In front of a window
When deciding what plants to place in front of a window, check the lighting your plant needs. If it needs indirect light, be sure your window has a sheer curtain or blind that you partially close.
Taller plants can sit on the floor, in baskets, or on low stands. Pick plants of different heights and textures to group in odd numbers to bring a touch of nature to your living room space.
On a sideboard
A sideboard is a versatile piece of furniture with storage space and a flat top, perfect for keeping dining essentials and serving during parties. In a living room, the sideboard is a great place to keep a potted plant to bring a little bit of life to the room.
Anchoring both sides of the fireplace
Large houseplants are great for sitting next to a fireplace. They help to draw attention to the focal point of the room. I love how Mandi puts one plant on each side of the fireplace to anchor it.
Place them on the hearth when the fireplace is not in use or to either side when it is so the heat won't damage your favorite plant. You may want to consider an artificial plant next to the fireplace instead.
On a bookcase
A bookcase is a great place to decorate your living room with plants. Choose plants with low light requirements unless your bookcase doesn't have a back and is near a window to get natural light.
Trialing plants like golden pothos are great for the top shelf of a bookcase. Combine a variety of plants with decorative items for curated living room decor.
Related - Learn how to decorate shelves like a pro here!
On a coffee table
Small plants are perfect for decorating your living space. You can put them anywhere. Layering them on top of a coffee table book or in a basket on the coffee table is the perfect place to add greenery to your living room.
Placing one plant on your coffee table as part of a group of three things satisfies the home decor rule we often hear interior designers discuss.
Large tree in pot in corner by window
I love this gorgeous living room from Hamilton Park Home. If you have a large picture window like this, it can help to place a large tree in the corner to fill the space. I love this olive one in a wicker basket.
I also love the two potted plants on the end of the console table, which is another great place to arrange plants in a living room.
Put potted tree in the corner
Here's another example of a large potted tree in the corner of the living room near a window. Choose a tree that loves sunny places, like a Fiddle Leaf Fig that needs full sun (or at least bright indirect light).
On a mantle
Placing a plant on the mantle balances a large piece of art. It draws the eye which helps make this fireplace the room's focal point.
I also love the ladder to the side that gives that gorgeous Swiss cheese plant a place to grow and stretch out its foliage.
Related - Check out these other fireplace accent wall ideas!
Incorporate into a gallery wall
Small air plants are a great way to add texture and interest to a gallery wall. These brass plant holders are the perfect touch and fit perfectly with the rest of the art surrounding this TV.
Air plants are easy to take of, but add some artificial ones if you don't have the magic touch. No judgment here.
Related - Get inspired with how to decorate around a TV here!
Put potted plant on sofa table
A sofa table (or console table) is a great way to add another surface space to your living room. This sofa table provides storage for pillows and blankets in the baskets on the bottom shelf and the top of the table looks great with a potted plant, two table lamps, and some decorative books.
She also has other plants arranged throughout her living room, with the tree in the corner and more plants sprinkled on the built-in shelves.
Related - Check out more sofa table decorating ideas here!
DIY a planter wall
This planter wall is a great way to add the freshness of plants to your living room, and the pop of color from the terra cotta pots creates a dramatic effect against the white wall. Use any plant you like for your planter wall.
The mix of leaf shapes, colors, and different textures really make this a stand-out feature for the living room.
This reminds me a bit of the planter wall that I have in our backyard, don't you agree?
Use plant stands
Plant stands are a great way to decorate your living room with plants. You can have a single plant stand or you can have one that has multiple levels to have plants of different sizes displayed in your space.
This brass plant stand can hold three, and I love the mix of metals and natural materials for the plant pots.
Related - See more plant stand ideas here!
Use hanging planters
Hanging planters aren't just for outdoor plants. They are perfect inside, hung from the ceiling in front of a window or in a corner.
Trailing plants love hanging planters and can grow to amazing lengths when properly cared for. Hanging planters made with different materials grouped together add interest to your living space.
Adding plants to your living room can bring life, freshness, and a touch of nature to your space. Whether you go for a minimalist look with a single statement plant or create a lush jungle oasis with lots of different plants (even hanging from the ceiling), these arrangements can transform your living room into a cozy, vibrant space that you and your family will love.
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