Quick one before we get into it. I've just opened up a new service called the Room Audit, where my team and I personally review your space and give you a clear plan for what to fix, what to change, and where to start.

Every audit is done by hand using the C.O.Z.Y.™ Method, and I personally review everything before it goes out. Spots are limited each week, so if you've been stuck on a room and want someone to just tell you what to do, check it out here.

Alright, let's talk about plants.

I used to kill every plant I brought home.

Not on purpose, obviously. But I'd grab something that looked good at the nursery, stick it in the corner of my apartment, and then wonder why it turned yellow and crispy within a month.

Took me longer than I'd like to admit to realise the problem wasn't me. It was where I was putting them.

Once I figured that out, plants became one of my favourite ways to fix a room.

Project AS (left) & Marcus Meisler (right)

They add colour, organic shape, and texture in a way that no piece of furniture or art can replicate. And they cost a fraction of the price.

If your space feels a bit lifeless or overly "put together," a well-placed plant can change that in a day.

Here's how to actually make them work.

Start with light

This is where most people go wrong. They pick a plant because it looks great on Instagram, bring it home, and watch it slowly die.

Different plants need different types of light. And the light in your home isn't the same everywhere.

Walk through your space at a few different times during the day. Notice where the sun hits directly, where it's bright but not direct, and where it stays dim. That's your light map.

Then match your plants to it. This graphic breaks it down nicely:

One thing to watch for: light shifts with the seasons. That sunny windowsill in January might be baking in July, and vice versa.

And if you have pets, pay attention

Some of the most popular houseplants are toxic to cats and dogs. Monstera, pothos, peace lilies, snake plants, ZZ plants... all of them can cause real problems if your pet decides to chew on a leaf.

If you've got a curious cat or a dog who eats everything, look into pet-safe alternatives like spider plants, calathea, or Boston ferns. Or keep the toxic ones well out of reach on high shelves.

It's easy to check before you buy, and not fun to deal with after.

Think about scale and placement

A big plant beside a sofa or in an empty corner can anchor that part of the room the way a piece of furniture would.

Smaller plants work well on shelves, grouped with books or ceramics at different heights.

A few well-placed plants will always beat a dozen scattered ones.

And tall plants do something special. They pull the eye upward and give a room depth.

Amber Interiors (left)

Most people only decorate on the horizontal plane, surfaces and tabletops, so anything with height instantly makes a space feel more considered.

Let your pot do some work

The pot matters more than most people think. A rough terracotta pot feels warm and earthy. A clean white ceramic reads modern and minimal.

Look at what's already happening in your room. What materials show up in your furniture, your hardware, your textiles? Let that guide the pot choice.

Eve Wilson (left) & Hilton Carter (right)

If you've got several plants in one space, keep some consistency across the pots, but don't go full matchy-matchy. A little variation feels more natural.

Use plants to fix problems, not just fill space

Awkward empty corner? A tall plant can become a statement piece.

Does the room feel too angular and sterile? Plants break up all those hard lines and straight edges.

Eve Wilson (left) & Hilton Carter (right)

Need a focal point? A big, dramatic plant in the right spot functions like a piece of art. It gives the eye somewhere to land.

Before you spend money on another decorative object, ask yourself whether a plant could do the same job. Nine times out of ten, it can, and for a lot less.

Cheers,
Reynard