The design conundrum of “how to make the most of a small space” gets a lot of attention these days. But creating a cozy environment in a lofty room can be equally challenging. One easy fix for looming spaces is to fill them with house plants.
Wondering how to fill a large room with house plants? Not to worry. This owner of a roomy abode has been doing some research. Here are five tips to design with indoor plants in rooms with high ceilings:
Houseplants as Furniture
![Designer Molly Wood says: “Interior plants add life, form, texture, and personality to a home.\2\2\1; She was a finalist in our \20\13 Considered Design Awards contest. See more of her work at Molly Wood Garden Design.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/fields/Molly Wood Garden Design_Gardenista Considered Design Awards 2013 Finalist-733x1100.jpg)
Houseplants as Chandeliers
![Ferns, succulents, and other moisture-loving plants hang from the existing ceiling joists in a bathroom. Explains London architect Simon Astridge, “The idea was to bring the outdoors in and make the space feel relaxing.” Photography by Nicholas Worley, courtesy of Simon Astridge Architecture Workshop.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/simon-astridge-clay-house-plant-filled-japanese-style-bath-photo-nicholas-worley-5-733x1063-733x1063.jpg)
For more of this bath with plants, see A Japanese-Style Bath in London, Greenery Included on Remodelista.
Houseplants on Wheels
![A fiddle leaf fig tree goes mobile.Photograph by Katie Newburn. For more, see Houseplants in the Bedroom, Teen Edition.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/teen-bedroom-fiddle-leaf-fig-gardenista-1-733x1100.jpg)
Put a heavy planter on a wheels with a rolling plant stand; the fiddle leaf fig tree shown above moves around the house with ease on a Socker Plant Stand; $6.99 from Ikea.
Houseplants on Repeat
![Six orchids in a row. From L to R, a pink Doritaenopsis hybrid, a fragrant Pansy Orchid, a white Moth Orchid, a Sharry Baby, a Lady’s Slipper, and a yellow Oncidium. Photograph by Mimi Giboin.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/orchid-mimi-giboin-176-733x489.jpg)
Repeat a theme by grouping several of the same sorts of houseplants together; the result will have as much visual impact as a single large houseplant. For more, see Best Indoor Plants: 6 Flowering Orchids to Grow.
Houseplants in the Skylight
![Photograph by Nicholas Worley courtesy of Simon Astridge Architecture Workshop.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/pink-house-kitchen-skylight-with-hanging-planters-simon-astridge-architects-london-nicholas-worley-photo-8-733x610.jpg)
A single suspended houseplant fills the empty space even in a large skylight, drawing the eye upward.
- Have a slightly less lofty home? Don’t worry, I already selected some favorite Mini House Plants for you.
- Worried that your apartment is too dark? The solution is Best Houseplants: 9 Indoor Plants for Low Light.
- Concerned that you’ll never get your orchids to re-bloom? See How to Make an Orchid Bloom Again.
N.B.: This is an update of a post published March 22, 2013.
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