Plants bring a vibrant energy to any home, but how should you arrange them? If you’re curious about the best plant arrangements for your living room, you’re in luck.
We’ve researched aesthetically pleasing and practical placements that will inspire you.
We sometimes include affiliate links and curated AI content to highlight top design styles.
Plants are a natural source of color, clean the air, and instantly give your mood a positive boost. Check out our suggested list of ways to display plants in a living room:
- On shelving
- Display on a console table
- Use baskets
- Beside the sofa
- Hanging off a wall
- In the windowsill
- In the corner
Whether you have a small or spacious living room, adding plants provides visual interest and healthy benefits.
Create A Green Oasis At Home
Beautiful arrangements of plants peppered along a windowsill, standing majestically in a corner, or hanging near a sofa are just a few ways to transform a living room into a vibrant sanctuary.
Placing plants in a frequently used space adds a pop of color, cleans the air, and makes the room feel grounded. Check out our visual examples and learn how to achieve the perfect look for your home.
Shelf Display
Living rooms are natural places for showing off floating shelves, bookcases, and ladder-style shelving. So, why not add a nesting of plants on every level or surround small potted plants around framed pictures, books, or decor?
Depending on the amount of space between each shelf, it is best to use small potted plants that don’t take up too much space or require too much sunlight.
Brighten up a smaller living room using hanging or floating shelves with succulents, spider plants, or ivy. Display a large menagerie of flora using a mix of cacti, violets, or jade plants on a bookcase.
The Console Table
Move beyond the idea of using a console table to display vintage dishes, framed art, or a stack of magazines and display plants, too.
You can host one or two medium or large ceramic pots with a tall snake plant, bamboo, a fiddle leaf fig, or parlor palm for visual drama.
Cluster three or more plants together atop a console table in front of a window for a natural focal point of light and greenery.
Basket Planters
Create a modern jungle or an at-home oasis with plants in woven baskets.
Achieve a contemporary boho look by using baskets of different sizes in the same color family. This creates a nice contrast between the plants’ textures and the containers, adding an earthy mystique.
Place larger palms or indoor trees in corners and arrange medium to small plants on coffee tables, side tables, or beside the sofa.
Nestled Beside The Couch
Make a bold statement by embracing your sofa with plants on both sides. On one side, stagger plants of varying heights with shelves, stands, or end tables.
On the other side, place one or two towering indoor trees for contrast. This look creates a serene living room, turning your sofa into an enchanting space surrounded by greenery.
Hanging Off The Wall
If your living room wall has wainscotting or slightly extended areas where there is a ledge, you can hang or display plants here. Create a cascading wall of hanging ivy, ferns, or another vine-type plant to beautify your room.
Make things picture-perfect by arranging plants to hang off the wall behind a couch or between a pair of windows on the main wall. The mantle is another great place to hang plants that drape over for a chic touch.
Window View
The window is a perfect spot to display or hang plants. Use hooks for tasteful macrame pot hangers or stagger plants of varying sizes along the window sill.
This creates a beautiful view and provides sun-loving plants with the light they need to thrive.
Corner Star
Create a sophisticated look for your living room by choosing a stunning plant from the desert or jungle.
In a living room with soft tones of sand, beige, tan, or light brown, a plant that mostly stalks with striking long leaves in clusters looks amazing.
Make a plant a significant focal point in a living room by placing it in a corner where it immediately catches the eye.
What Indoor Plants Look Good Together?
Enjoy a living room filled with lush houseplants by grouping them according to similar needs for light, temperature, water, and aesthetic appeal.
Place ferns together like silver ribbon fern, lemon button fern, and staghorn fern. Create a lovely mix of a snake plant paired with a fiddle leaf fig and a ZZ plant. Find what plants inspire you and make a stunning display.
What Do You Put Under Potted Plants?
If you are looking for items to place under a potted plant, you have plenty of options. You can choose from baskets, cork pads, decorative plates, double up on your pots, or use a decorative stand made from wood or metal.
Remember, whatever you place under your potted plant should not obstruct airflow and allow for adequate water drainage as needed.
How Can I Water My Indoor Plants Without Making A Mess?
Thirsty plants need occasional watering, but that doesn’t mean your furniture and floors should risk being damaged.
You can choose to double pot your plants, place a saucer under the plant, or add a cork pad to absorb excess water but allow airflow.
Consider using a smart meter to alert you when your plants need water to eliminate guesswork and overwatering too.
In Closing
Arranging plants in your living room brings vibrancy and health benefits. From shelving and console tables to baskets and window sills, these seven suggestions offer creative ways to incorporate greenery into your space.
Whether you have a small or spacious living room, adding plants enhances visual interest and creates a serene atmosphere. Transform your living room into a green oasis and enjoy the beauty and freshness that plants bring.
Before you go, check out these other fantastic articles about decorating your living room:
Incorporate Plants to Bring Life and Freshness to Your Living Room [Design Tip]
Living Room Design Tip: Brighten and Expand Your Space with Strategic Mirror Placement