Choosing the Best Plants for your Home Office

September 13, 2022

With hybrid work now the norm, its important that you take the time to ensure your home office is a comfortable, productive space that fits with your personal aesthetic. Plants bring a huge range of benefits to a working environment, from cleaner air and higher productivity, to stress relief and general wellbeing - everything you want for a home office.

Whether you want leafy floor plants or a green wall, there are a number of factors to consider when choosing plants for your home office. But don’t stress: we've laid out the basics to get you started.

@herrklar creates an inviting home office space with bold colors and plants.

Growing Conditions for Indoor Office Plants

Light

The most important factor to consider when choosing plants for your home office is natural light. All plants need light to survive and grow, so you need to choose the appropriate plants for the light in your home office. South-facing windows get the most daylight, and with east and west-facing windows you’ll enjoy the morning and evening sun. So, first thing's first: work out what direction your windows are facing, as many plant care resources will reference this.

Most houseplants will be happy with bright-indirect light, so if your home office gets the morning or afternoon sun, then you'll have a pretty large choice of houseplants available to you. However, don't worry if you're home office doesn't get much sunlight, as there are plenty of indoor plants that do well in darker rooms.

Humidity & airflow

Another thing to think about when choosing your home office plants is temperature and humidity: put a cactus in a damp corner and it will rot, whereas tropical houseplants need humid conditions. Where is the air in your home office coming from? Heaters can easily dry plants out, and drafty windows can be equally detrimental for your plant's health. Be prepared to change the position of your plants with the seasons, as what works for your plant in summer might be harmful to them in winter.

Be careful of plants placed above heaters during winter.

Plants and your Home Office

How plants should fit with the design and aesthetics of your home office will vary as much from person to person as it will from office to office, but here are our tips to get you started:

Small rooms

What do you do with a room that's too small for a bedroom? Turn it into a home office of course! While home offices are generally on the smaller size, don't think that you have to forego plants completely just because the room is small. Be aware not to overcrowd a small home office however, as this could leave you feeling anxious and stressed - the last thing you want when you're trying to work.

For small rooms, think about one large focal plant and a few secondary plants that won't compete for attention. If a larger plant isn't an option as a focal point, try a statement planter, like a colored pot or a plant with bright or textured leaves, like the Aglaonema crete.

A good way to utilise space is to add a hanging plant, either from the ceiling or placed on a shelf. This was you save space and get the added drama of trailing greenery.

Our pick for small rooms:

One tall Kentia palm by a window
Small succulents to be placed throughout the room (try one on your desk and two on some shelves)
One hanging Satin pothos from the ceiling

For small or cramped home offices, try not to completely fill floor space, by instead placing plants 'up' on shelves or tables.

Large rooms

If you have large home office you may think you have it easy, but sometimes filling a large space can feel just as overwhelming as a cluttered small room. First, if you have the luxury of moving your office desk around, increase your productivity by placing your desk next to a window for that natural light.

Secondly, identify areas for different focal points: an empty corner, a bright windowsill or a large white wall. When using plants as focal points, think about mixing a range of heights together to mimic the natural environment. Once you have a focal point (for example three plants of different heights) then you can be playful with smaller, complementary plants throughout the space.

Our pick for large rooms:

The main tropical focal point: one large strelitzia, an alocasia zebrina and a small ZZ
Two shelf plants, placed throughout the room: a calathea orbifolia and clusia
One small desktop plant: philodendron brasil

For those extra-large rooms:

Add a monstera or a philodendron imperial green

ficus elastica and cactus in front of green wall

Place plants of different heights together for a focal point in large spaces.

Once you have the structure and layout of your room finalised, then you can start playing with color, pattern and texture.

No matter the size of your home office, ensure you're at your most productive by adding greenery to your space in whatever way you can. If you're unsure, start small with one plant and build up from there.

The Plant Store is a service of Plantclub.io: rent office plants and transform your space into a green oasis, with flexible monthly membership options to suit your size. Diversify your employee perks with company-branded access to the Plant Store and your own company discount. Learn more, by booking a time to chat with us today.