If you need to freshen up your living area and want something that never goes out of style, bringing the outside in is always a good idea—nothing brings more life to a space than the addition of a houseplant. Whether it’s herbs in the kitchen, a small tree in the living room, or succulents in the bathroom, plants are always a designer’s favorite.

Find your ideal area
Walk through your living space, and look at all of the areas where a plant could work. You want to place your plant in an area where it will be most visible. A beautiful plant in your home’s entryway, for instance, sets the mood from the moment you walk in.

Vary the sizes
Mix up the plants that appear throughout your home for variety. Try incorporating different types and sizes for what is needed throughout your living area. For example, a tall tree can add height to a living room with a low couch, and a short plant on the kitchen table draws the eye to the center of the room.

Try a vertical garden
You can still enjoy the benefits of having plants even if you have limited floor area. A vertical garden on a wall or a hanging plant in an unused corner of a room make great use of space.

Use a living centerpiece
Most everyone would love to have fresh-cut flowers on their kitchen table year-round, but it can become expensive. With a planter, you can have real flowers on your table at all times, for a fraction of the cost. If you want to mix it up, have two or three planters that you rotate to different locations around the house.

Think of functionality
Plants can be more than decorative. Bring your favorite herbs into the kitchen, and they can provide a tasty complement to your meals, as well as greenery to your kitchen window ledge. Because of its many health benefits, aloe is another great plant to have in any home.

Adding plants to your home’s decor will create a more vibrant living space. Take an interior design tip from Mother Nature and bring a touch of the outdoors inside your home!