Houseplants That Create Natural Bathroom Bliss
Explore the types of lush houseplants that add instant calm and cool vibes to your bathroom
You don’t need to travel the tropics for an exotic spa-style sanctuary – simply introduce one or more lush houseplants into your bathroom and be transported. Houseplants help purify the air and bring instant personality, colour and drama to a bland bathroom. Don’t worry if your bathroom’s on the dark side, as the low light and high humidity simulates the natural environment in which many shade-loving tropical plants thrive. Think steamy rainforest floors dappled in sunlight, or dark woodland forests covered in dewy moss. Bliss!
The bathroom is in fact the best room in the house to watch your plants bloom. So embrace this super-easy, low-cost way of transforming your bathroom into a haven of serenity and enjoy their natural delights.
The bathroom is in fact the best room in the house to watch your plants bloom. So embrace this super-easy, low-cost way of transforming your bathroom into a haven of serenity and enjoy their natural delights.
Likewise, big houseplants such as areca palms (Dypsis lutescens) are a great way of separating parts of the bathroom to create a sense of cosy cocooning. For example, place a tall plant in front of the bath and it’ll immediately enclose the tub so you feel protected and closed off from rest of the world and your cares – for a little while at least.
If it wasn’t for the dashes of rich green dotted around this all-white bathroom, the room could feel cold and clinical. Houseplants are such a simple yet amazingly effective decorating device that will fill a room with soul, sensuous colour and interest, especially when you play around with scale and combine a few different varieties. Try a fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) and a succulent as pictured. The styling opportunities are endless!
Not sold on a houseplant yet? You might like to try starting off with a bold floral display. This way you can change the look when you like, and not have to worry about keeping it fed and watered.
Asian plants
Thanks to its flourish in the ’70s and ’80s, indoor bamboo plants can be seen as a little dated and have fallen off the popularity bandwagon. However, you can’t get more Zen-inspiring than oriental bamboo with it’s minimal shape and restful tones. Plus, bamboo does’t even need soil in which to grow. Simply place some bamboo stalks in a glass vase with pebbles and water and watch the roots twist and turn. Magical!
Thanks to its flourish in the ’70s and ’80s, indoor bamboo plants can be seen as a little dated and have fallen off the popularity bandwagon. However, you can’t get more Zen-inspiring than oriental bamboo with it’s minimal shape and restful tones. Plus, bamboo does’t even need soil in which to grow. Simply place some bamboo stalks in a glass vase with pebbles and water and watch the roots twist and turn. Magical!
There’s something captivating about beautiful orchids. Their delicate flowers perched high upon delicate stalks are a wonder. However, on the inside, the plant is adaptable and strong, thus making them ideal for the ever-changing conditions of a bathroom. Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) are the most suitable type for bathroom conditions as they love heat and humidity, having originated in the tropics. They also enjoy indirect sunlight, so if you have a frosted bathroom window, this is a great spot for your plant. If your room is windowless, share your orchid with another bright room so it can bloom.
Pop a stand-out orchid against a contrasting background and it’ll jump out and capture attention.
Ferns
Picture an image of a tropical rainforest and immediately you can imagine a bed of ferns nestled below the tall trees. Ideal for adding a big dose of colour and shape on a vanity or ledge, ferns enjoy shady, moist conditions, but they’ll also enjoy touches of bright sunlight too. Try a sword (Nephrolepis exaltata) or maidenhair (Adiantum) fern, which both need consistent moisture to thrive. Maidenhairs do best on the windowsill. Be sure to move them to a less bright spot if you see their leaves drying out at the ends, and misting them with a light spray will also help maintain their full, green form.
10 hottest indoor plants
Picture an image of a tropical rainforest and immediately you can imagine a bed of ferns nestled below the tall trees. Ideal for adding a big dose of colour and shape on a vanity or ledge, ferns enjoy shady, moist conditions, but they’ll also enjoy touches of bright sunlight too. Try a sword (Nephrolepis exaltata) or maidenhair (Adiantum) fern, which both need consistent moisture to thrive. Maidenhairs do best on the windowsill. Be sure to move them to a less bright spot if you see their leaves drying out at the ends, and misting them with a light spray will also help maintain their full, green form.
10 hottest indoor plants
Draping plants
Hankering after a houseplant but don’t have the space? Try fitting a plant hanger above the bath space where there’s generally plenty of height. It’s also ideal for getting its daily shower. A trailing plant will then add character and personality, particularly if you group two or more, and bringing the focus up towards the ceiling will make a small bathroom feel larger.
Hankering after a houseplant but don’t have the space? Try fitting a plant hanger above the bath space where there’s generally plenty of height. It’s also ideal for getting its daily shower. A trailing plant will then add character and personality, particularly if you group two or more, and bringing the focus up towards the ceiling will make a small bathroom feel larger.
Similarly, a draping plant can also add character and interest to bathroom shelves and will stop them feeling over cluttered with toiletries by softening the display with attractive greenery. Devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum) is a good draper and needs very little care, so you can display it as high as you like.
Tiny pot plants
Tiny pot plants
Spiky plants
The intimidating spikes of a snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), or mother-in-law’s tongue as it’s affectionately known, are a great companion in a sleek and sharped-edge contemporary space. The size and scale of the imposing leaves add a powerful punch of green, while making a bold, modern statement. This bulky plant is also great for disguising areas you want unseen, such as exposed pipes or unsightly storage. Pop it in a long, narrow planter and you have an instant screen.
The intimidating spikes of a snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), or mother-in-law’s tongue as it’s affectionately known, are a great companion in a sleek and sharped-edge contemporary space. The size and scale of the imposing leaves add a powerful punch of green, while making a bold, modern statement. This bulky plant is also great for disguising areas you want unseen, such as exposed pipes or unsightly storage. Pop it in a long, narrow planter and you have an instant screen.
Palms
Make a loud splash with a statuesque plant that’ll steal the show. Even in this modern bathroom featuring a show-stopping tub and quirky mat, the houseplant successfully holds its own, and delivers its bold statement proudly.
TELL US
Do you have a houseplant gracing your bathroom? If so we’d love to hear or see photos in the Comments below.
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See more spaces designed for plant lovers
Make a loud splash with a statuesque plant that’ll steal the show. Even in this modern bathroom featuring a show-stopping tub and quirky mat, the houseplant successfully holds its own, and delivers its bold statement proudly.
TELL US
Do you have a houseplant gracing your bathroom? If so we’d love to hear or see photos in the Comments below.
MORE
See more spaces designed for plant lovers
Set a tropical scene in your bathroom with a lavish plant. Look out for shapely numbers, such as philodendron, which have wonderfully lush, green leaves and thrive in the high humidity. They’re also fabulously easy to care for and will bring some vibrant drama to a plain room. Position the large plant where it’ll make the biggest impact without infringing on any space. Popping it on a stool will help create a sense of more height, especially in compact bathrooms.
Feelgood indoor plants