How to Bring Greenery into Your Home

Vanessa Obioha

Houseplants have increasingly found their way into Nigerian interiors, moving from the outdoor spaces where they traditionally lived to becoming part of the home’s decor. For a newbie, it can be difficult to navigate how to bring greenery into your home. You are mostly confronted by questions such as: Do I really need houseplants? Do I have space for them? What kind of greenery should I choose? And how do I maintain them?

If you are considering bringing greenery indoors, the first step is to think beyond simply buying a beautiful plant. Instead, think of the plant as another piece of decor to invest in your home or even your workspace. Aesthetics may easily come to mind, but a little greenery here and a houseplant there can give a room vibrancy, colour and warmth.

More than that, if well styled, houseplants can become functional.

See that awkward empty corner in your living room? You can place a houseplant there. But before you do so, consider the natural light available in the room. It is not enough to want to cover an empty floor space with a pot of plants. Plants need adequate light to grow well and maintain healthy foliage, so think about the lighting conditions before deciding where they should go.

For example, a Bird of Paradise needs bright light and is better suited to a spot near a bright window than a dim corner. Plants such as Snake Plants and ZZ Plants are more tolerant of lower-light conditions, making them useful for areas where natural light is limited.

You can also pull taller plants slightly away from the wall. The shadows they cast on the wall behind them add a second layer of visual interest for free.

But that does not mean every corner of your room must be occupied with plants. Choose a particular corner as a focal point to anchor the room. In this case, a statement plant such as a Fiddle Leaf Fig can be apt. Placing it next to a sofa or an armchair can create a cosy, inviting feel.

Make Use of Your Space

Space can be a conundrum when styling houseplants indoors. But if properly arranged, greenery can give your home visual appeal without making it feel crowded.

Instead of simply dumping one houseplant in a corner, why not apply the rule of three? Group plants of varying heights, shapes and textures rather than lining them up uniformly. This creates visual interest and gives the arrangement a more dynamic feel. Varying the height of plants can also draw the eye upwards, creating a sense of a vertical skyline while making the room feel less cluttered.

Corners, however, are not the only places for houseplants. You can build a shelf of small greenery or place trailing plants on top of a bookshelf or console. This can elevate the space and make it more visually appealing.

However, because Nigerian homes can experience humid conditions, avoid crowding plants together. Giving them enough breathing room allows for better airflow and also keeps the arrangement from looking overcrowded.

For a brighter outdoor space like the balcony, consider plants that can tolerate the amount of direct or indirect sunlight your balcony receives. Taller tropical plants can also help create a sense of privacy and greenery.

Choose the Right Plant

Before choosing your greenery, figure out the space and the lighting. Once that is done, you can think about the types of plants that will work aesthetically and practically in that particular space.

One of the most recognisable houseplants in Nigerian homes is the Swiss cheese plant, or Monstera deliciosa. Its large, glossy, heart-shaped leaves, with their distinctive holes and splits, give it a dramatic appearance. It needs bright, indirect light to develop healthy growth and its characteristic fenestrations. In insufficient light, new leaves may develop with fewer or no splits.

The Monstera can work beautifully as a statement plant in a corner or as a feature near a dining or living area. Keep its broad leaves dust-free to maintain their glossy appearance.

Then there is Pothos, also known as Devil’s Ivy. Its heart-shaped leaves come in various shades and patterns, from the bright green of Neon Pothos to the white-splashed Marble Queen and yellow-flecked Golden Pothos. It grows in long, elegant vines that can soften hard edges and make use of vertical space. A trailing Pothos can sit on top of a bookshelf, console or suitable bathroom window where there is enough light.

For homes where space is limited, plants that grow upwards or trail downwards can be particularly useful because they introduce greenery without taking up too much floor space.

Keep the Greenery Looking Good

Maintenance is key when styling plants in your home. No one wants to come into a space where the plants have lost their spark. The greenery must look alive and healthy, so before buying a plant, find out what it needs and whether you can provide those conditions.

For Pothos, for instance, allow the soil to dry somewhat between waterings rather than watering according to a rigid schedule. If the vines become long and sparse, you can pin sections of the vines back into the soil with a hairpin. They can develop roots at those points, helping the plant become bushier and fuller.

For Snake Plants, avoid overwatering. They are relatively forgiving and can tolerate periods of neglect, although they will generally grow better with adequate light.

The best houseplant doesn’t have to be the most expensive one, but the one that suits your lifestyle. Whatever choices you make, know that a little greenery can make your home feel more homely — and perhaps a little more alive.