Office Plants and Plant Decorating Ideas to Improve Your Mood at Work!
Lately, we have been hearing and reading a lot about bringing plants into our homes, to not only improve the air quality of our spaces, but to boost our mood and enhance the look of our rooms. As you know, I am a big advocate of this topic, and because I truly believe in the the health and mood benefits of surrounding ourselves with plants, I want to give you some ideas on how to recreate that same inspiring vibe into your work space.
After all, we spend the majority of our day at work and great part of it, sitting at our desks. If we believe in the benefits of plant decorating our homes, we better bring that belief into our work space as well!
Whether you work from home or go to an office, here are some ideas on how you can plant decorate your work space to improve your mood (and your desk) at work!
Before we start looking at the different work spaces options, I just wanted to share some cool and cute ideas that will help you put a smile on your face and will catch your coworkers eyes and attention…
Photo Credit: Country Living
Photo Credit: Francesca’s
Private Office or Home Office
If you work in a private enclosed office or in your home, chances are you have access to a window. If not, don’t worry, I have options for you too, (just go through these ideas first so that you can apply them to the right type of plants you’ll find at the end). In addition to natural light, private enclosed offices have the benefit of space, or at least a bigger space compared to open office desks and cubicles. For this reason, you can take advantage of your walls and shelves, your floor, your desk and perhaps a window sill!
Here below are some ideas that apply to the different opportunities you have to decorate your working space with plants!
This home office is beautifying the space by adding a Fiddle Leaf Fig on the floor and a few plants on the window sill, including a Monstera.
Photo Credit: Wood Workings
This office clearly takes advantage of both shelves and desk to add plants to the work space.
Photo Credit: Domino
Big, statement plants can be used in large offices with access to natural light.
Photo Credit: UltraLinx
Plant stands are definitely one of the best solutions for private offices as they are not simple pots. Their design contributes to the whole look of the room and ties in with the furniture.
Photo Credit: HookandStemCo
Cubicle DESK
if your work space is confined within the panels of a cubicle, you can still take advantage of your four walls to hang some plants! Most likely, your desk is your best surface for a plant or two, or three…You can have one big plant or a collection of small succulents and cacti!
Let’s see some options here below.
This picture shows a perfect example of how plants can be hung on partition walls. This is a great way to take advantage of an otherwise bare wall!
Photo Credit: Green Clean Designs
If your desk is relatively small and fully occupied by paper, computer screens and keyboard trays, this is an ingenious way to place a plant on your desk. Elevating the plant with this type of desk stand so that you can still put all your office supplies on the desk is pretty smart!
Photo Credit: Buzz Feed
If you have space on your desk surface, having a collection of smaller plants can actually dress up your desk! Carefully selecting the right plants and pots can completely transform the look of your desk!
Photo Credit: Garden Guides
One single medium size tropical plant in a nice pot can be a statement for your desk!
Photo Credit: The Strategist
Open DESK
If your work space is an open desk, you have limited real estate for greenery but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it! I worked in an open space office for my entire career and I learned quickly the personal space etiquette! Even though privacy can be an issue, the advantage of open offices, either than being a great collaboration environment, is that you have more access to natural light. This translates into a good place for plants. Ideally, your coworkers are nice and share your same green love and values. If they don’t, you can trick them into believing that plants in between your desks are like a visual fence and can provide them with more privacy so you don’t have to stare at them munching on their muffins! It is a kinder and more delicate way of creating your own space as both of you can enjoy the beauty of a living partition screen.
This picture shows an example of small individual plants at people’s desks. It is a nice and classy touch!
Photo Credit: Home Designing
This is a perfect example of using plants as dividing screens between desks. I honestly think there is no better way of creating privacy between desks than using plants!
Photo Credit: Buzz Feed
On the other hand, if you really like your coworkers and need constant communication, having a plant in between desks may not be effective to your work efficiency. This one is a good elegant option to bring a touch of green to your desk.
Photo Credit: Home Edit
A Terrarium is a beautiful plant decorating option for your desk, whether you are in a private office, cubicle or open office. Terrariums combine the beauty of plants with the beauty of the container, decorative layering and rocks. It’s more than just a plant in a pot; it’s a composition that can tie in with the office furniture quite well! It does require more maintenance though!
Photo Credit: Inc. Com
Hey Plant Loving Woman!
Are you a middle age mom?
Do you constantly feel overwhelmed and anxious?
Do you believe in the healing power of nature?
To reveal your #1 Personal Houseplant that best
helps you reduce your anxiety.
IDEAL PLANTS FOR YOUR WORK SPACE
Now that we have a better idea on what you can do to beautify your desk to provide you with daily inspiration even at work, it’s important you evaluate which plants are most suited to your work space and your needs.
Of course lighting is the first thing to consider when choosing the right plant for your space, however, maintenance and the level of care you want to provide to these plants play a big factor in this choice as well.
Here below I provided a list of low maintenance plants I recommend, divided by lighting requirements.
LOW LIGHT
If your office is lacking natural light, like many offices out there, these are the plants you should consider.
Snake Plant, (Dracaena Trifasciata)
This is a relatively large plant that thrives in every lighting condition. It requires to dry out well between waterings.
This plant is well know for its air purifying qualities.
Photo Credit: Patch Plants
ZZ Plant, (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia)
This is a relatively big plant. Even if you buy it small, it grows fast! With this plant you can test the low light limits to the extremes!
It requires regular watering but it’s very easy to care for.
Photo Credit: Patch Plants
English Ivy, (Hedera Helix)
This trailing plant is highly ornamental and thrives in low natural light environments.
It needs to dry out well between waterings
Photo Credit: Patch Plants
Staghorn Fern, (Platycerium)
This plant does exceptionally well with small amount soil and little natural light.
It requires little moisture around its roots.
This plant can be hung on walls to create beautiful wall plant decorating effects!
Photo Credit: Pistils Nursery
Echeveria
Echeverias are among the most common and popular succulents. Some varieties of Echeverias do really well in environments with low natural light.
Like the majority of succulents, Echeverias need little watering.
Photo Credit: The Little Botanical
Zebra Plant, (Haworthia Fasciata)
This type of succulent doesn’t need much natural light to thrive.
It should be watered like all other succulents, depending on the environment they are in and the type of pot used, but roughly every two weeks.
Photo Credit: The Little Botanical
BRIGHT LIGHT
Fiddle Leaf Fig, (Ficus Lyrata)
This plant comes in medium to full tree dimensions! It’s exceptionally easy to care for but it likes a nice window spot in bright light and doesn’t enjoy to be moved!
Water frequently about once a week or less, depending on the environment it’s placed in.
Photo Credit: Patch Plants
Birds of Paradise, (Strelitzia Reginae)
It is a large floor plant. Like the Fiddle Leaf Fig, this plant needs a lot of light.
Watering should be frequent as it likes moist soil in spring and summer and drier soil in fall and winter.
Photo Credit: Patch Plants
Rubber Plant, (Ficus Elastica)
This plant comes in small to medium size. It grows quite fast and requires bright light.
Watering is infrequent as it likes to dry out completely in between waterings.
This plant comes in a beautiful variegated version that can be quite attractive in stark offices!
Photo Credit: Patch Plants
Pony Tail Palm, (Beaucarnea Recurvata)
This plant is virtually impossible to kill, provided that is placed in a bright spot and not over watered. It thrives by being neglected…if you remember to water it every once in a while.
Photo Credit: Green Fresh Florals
String of Pearls, (Senecio Rowleyanus)
This succulent is a very interesting plant that loves sunlight, even direct sunlight and is drought tolerant, which means it can survive with little water.
Depending on the area is placed, this plant can be watered every two to three weeks, up to once a month in the winter months.
It definitely is a conversation piece!
Photo Credit: Fresh Flowers Co.
Living Stone, (Lithops)
This plant belongs to the succulent family. It grows in full sun light and is extremely drought intolerant, for this reason it require minimal watering.
It’s definitely an interesting plant, so if you don’t feel like you want too much of your co-workers attention, you should avoid purchasing this plant for the office!
Photo Credit: Gardening Express
And there you have it!
I hope you enjoyed this article!
Don’t hesitate to submit any questions you should have here below or email me directly! I’ll be happy to answer all your questions!
Cheers!
Cecilia
Hey Plant Loving Woman!
Are you a middle age mom?
Do you constantly feel overwhelmed and anxious?
Do you believe in the healing power of nature?
To reveal your #1 Personal Houseplant that best
helps you reduce your anxiety.