Not So Green Thumb

23 Jul Not So Green Thumb

At Guthrie Interiors we get questioned all the time about things to do around our friends homes. We know it’s our job, but often times folks forget that it’s THEIR home and take themselves completely out of the equation. We can tell you what’s new or trendy, we can take you to school on color theory and how certain patterns and textures can affect how a room feels. But what if all of our likes and suggestions aren’t exactly of the same taste as yours though? At the end of the day, it’s going to take some of your own input to make a space feel comfortable for you, with or without the help of professionals like ourselves. We mention all of this, because it seems like there is one thing in particular that many folks seem to enjoy, but are often too intimidated by, to include in their own homes. That item would be your common houseplant.

We know the excuses, “I don’t have a green thumb”, “I couldn’t keep it alive even if YOU came over and took care of it for me”, we’ve heard them all. The thing is, as worried as folks are that their plants will die, most would still agree that the addition of some foliage can really make a home feel complete. The added bonus of plants inside is that, just like they do outdoors, they can help clean and purify the air inside your home as well. This is probably one of the reasons it feels so good to have them in the house to begin with. From our side of things, especially, that makes plants a double barrelled weapon in the design department.

We can go on for days about what plants work the best indoors, and with the least amount of necessary attention. However, we’d rather let you do your own homework, at least a little bit, and rather just mention a few of our personal faves. Ones like the snake or spider plants, which are about as easy to care for as their namesakes are creepy. Or maybe an english ivy, which has an added bonus because it gives you the option of either hanging or keeping as a floor plant. Last is our personal favorite, as it’s one of the few low maintenance choices that actually flowers, and that is the Peace Lily. The one real downside to this one however, is that it is poisonous to pets.So if you’ve got any furry friends that may be tempted to get into things like this around your home, you may need to shy away.

All the choices we mentioned are relatively low maintenance and can normally sustain themselves in a variety of settings, so basically, low light and little water type of situations. As mentioned as well, different choices will give you the option of hanging vs floor, so find one that fits your preference and space. There’s a bunch of options out there that we didn’t mention or maybe you’d like better, so please don’t let us stop you in the search for what fits your home best. If you have any questions or need any help, you also shouldn’t hesitate to ask your local nursery for some help either. They’re the ones who are going to know even better than us, and there may be choices specific to your area and season depending on the time of purchase. So quit complaining that you don’t have a green thumb, we don’t either, but with a little ingenuity and research…you’ll be able to make it look as if you do.