Plants literally breathe life into your home and can make a super focal point, so put them in every room!
Credit: wallpapercave.com
The best overall look will come from having plants of varying heights and sizes placed at different levels throughout your home. Just keep them in proportion with the space and don't overwhelm smaller rooms.
On the other hand, if you have a large surface and/or high ceilings, you can afford to go big with your arrangement. For instance, a tall vase of flowers or blossom branches can add a great touch of drama to a kitchen island or table.
And for a pretty look, put plants and flowers together with lamps and candles - it brings a sense of calm and a cosy feel to any room.
You can't go wrong with peace lilies
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I'm putting peace lilies front and centre as the ideal home staple because they tick every box:
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They have lots of lush, green leaves and white flowers that go with any colour scheme
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They flower repeatedly through the year
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They're happiest in low light, so can be used to perk up rooms that are north facing and areas that don't get much natural light, such as hallways and the corners of rooms
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They're resilient and almost can't be over-watered (unlike lots of other houseplants)
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Their ideal temperature range is 18-29°C (64 - 84°F) so they naturally do well in homes
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I have two in my sitting room, one in the hallway and one in the corner of my bedroom, and it's the ones that get the least light that have the deepest green leaves. And I do not have green fingers, so the fact that I've managed to keep some of these going for a number of years proves how easy they are to care for!
My own peace lilies
Orchids
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Like peace lilies, orchids are an excellent low-maintenance houseplant. While you can spend a small fortune on gorgeous multi-orchid planters, which make a beautiful table centre, you can also pick one up at the supermarket for £10-15. That should then stay in flower for 2-3 months.
Put them anywhere - on a coffee table, in the centre of a dining table, on a side table, in the kitchen, even in the bathroom - and they'll immediately perk up the space. My default choice is white, but they come in a wide range of colours, so why not match them to one of the accent colours in your room?
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And when they've finished flowering, you can pop them in a dark corner and ignore them for 6 months, and there's every chance they'll start to come back again.
Artificial plants & flowers​
Finally, there are some excellent artificial options out there and it's 100% acceptable to have them in your home.
Go for plants that naturally have a waxy or rather 'unreal' look to them, make sure they're in a decent pot and put some soil around the base.
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I think they work best when you have mostly real foliage and blooms, and just the odd artificial piece here and there. They're particularly useful for brightening up a dark corner or recess and as long as you keep them out of bright light (and close scrutiny), it can be almost impossible to tell they're not the real thing.