How to Arrange Plants in Your Living Room | Wayfair (2024)

Plants offer a wonderful way to bring a touch of nature indoors. Available in a range of sizes, textures, and hues, these lovely, mood-elevating accessories are sure to refresh and warm up your living room space. And whether you prefer a few verdant beauties sprinkled on tabletops and shelves or if an exotic jungle vibe is more to your liking, we'll help you get the look just right.

To discover how to arrange plants in your living room, read on to learn about plant grouping and placement for creating a perfect floral oasis at home.

Care: Make sure you read the care instructions. Some plants need more attention than others.
Lifestyle: If you are hardly at home during the day, on weekends, or you travel a lot, better to opt for a low-maintenance plant.
Budget: Plants come in as many price points as they do options. Be sure your new green addition doesn't surpass your estimated expenses plan.

Ready to get started? Here's a complete guide on how to arrange plants in your living room:

The size of the space combined with your personal style will determine what plant size and height to select. You can play with the height of most small and medium plants by placing them on furnishings or elevated planters to create interesting arrangements, where large plants are almost always floor plants.

Mini/Extra Small

Mini or extra small plants add color and character to tables, corner nooks, or shelving. They are best used in sets or paired with other decorative items in an assortment of pottery that accents your decor. Height is rarely a consideration with plants this tiny.

Small

Small plants of varying heights work well as centerpieces. They can also add a bit of pizzazz placed on stacked books or next to heirlooms on shelves, window sills, or fireplaces. These plants typically extend outwards and downwards and look stunning when they "spill over" your furnishings.

Medium

Medium plants are arguably the most versatile, as they are eye-catching on table surfaces, hanging from the ceiling, or set on the floor, usually accompanying plants of greater size. Heightwise, they may stand tall, reach across, or hang down in vines.

Large

If you really want to make an impact when arranging plants in your living room, select a few large, ornamental plants. These lush showstoppers can brighten up a minimalist space or stand majestically beside your furniture or terrace entrance. The only height consideration to make here is how close to the ceiling you want them to be.

Focus on your living room's aesthetic to determine what colors and textures work best. For example, if you're working in an elegant room adorned with minimalist furnishings, go for uniquely-textured plants in a few contrasting hues to offset the stark space. Carefully select colorful plants for an eclectic living room featuring wood furniture and animal prints, since these will complement the bohemian space without looking haphazard. Regardless of your home’s aesthetic, remember to select a base color (usually green) a secondary color, and an accent color to keep things cohesive.

As plants are living things, it’s important to learn how to arrange plants in your living room so that they get the level of sunlight that they need. You should also make sure they aren't placed too close to areas that are either too hot or cold (like on a radiator or next to a single-pane window). Read below to learn where we suggest incorporating plants in your living room.

Tabletop

Tabletop plants can stand alone or be accompanied by other decor on any flat surface in your living room, including your coffee tables, side tables and end tables. Plants shine as a centerpiece on these tables for a living bouquet that catches your attention.

Floor

We love tucking a few large floor plants in a spare corner, next to a TV stand, or at the entrance of the living room. Floor plants are often large enough to be placed in boldly patterned or multicolored pots that double as beautiful decor pieces for your living room.

Hanging

A hanging plant adds flair to your living room and draws attention to a shelf display or window area. Hang a macrame plant hook for a romantic, homey look, or choose a chain or metal hook for a more industrial feel.

When adorning a space, always position your plants in groups of three to avoid your arrangements looking too uniform and formal. These groups can be arranged by selecting various different heights and sizes to add depth, or by choosing three of the same plant positioned together to create a symmetric balance. For a standout look, you can also arrange plant trios around the room based on color and texture.

Now that you know how to arrange plants in your living room, you're all set to shop for your favorites!