Adding houseplants to your decor could not only improve your interior design but also improve your home's air quality and your health! John Elliott Interiors is the best interior designer at the Lake of the Ozarks, and we have the tips and expertise to design a beautiful space for you. Plants can help bring some of that fresh design and beauty into your home. Read on to learn more about the benefits of houseplants!

Air Purifying 

Plants have the surprising ability to purify the air, filtering harmful substances out of the environment. These substances are called Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs, and they can come from paint, carpeting, drywall, flooring, certain cooking materials, cleaners, and more. So many home materials produce these compounds, it's no wonder that there can be high concentrations in your home.

Plants can help capture these materials and filter them out of the air. Textured leaves can help with this even more because of the increased surface area they have. If you do have allergies, try to avoid plants that produce pollen or spores, as that could make your symptoms worse.

Mood Enhancing

There have been studies that show environments with plants have a calming effect. In offices, it has been shown that employees are happier, more motivated, and take fewer sick days when there are plants in the office. Plants get their nutrients by converting sunlight and carbon dioxide into food for itself and oxygen. That increased level of oxygen in your home is a great benefit to having plants as part of your interior design.

Moisturizing

Plants help add moisture to the air naturally and cleanly. This is another great benefit of using plants in your home. You could buy a humidifier, but they aren't always attractive pieces of equipment and they require attention and maintenance regularly. Plants are beautiful and many types require very little maintenance. You never have to change a filter with a plant! Winter air is especially dry due to the increased use of heating systems. Try a plant or two in our main living spaces and see what a difference it can make.

Great Purifying Plants

There are a lot of beautiful plants that you could use to decorate your home, but there are a few that are particularly great at purifying the air. Read below to see what kind of plant may be right for you!

English Ivy
This plant has been known to very effectively remove a large portion of mold from the air. Environmental mold can be a big problem in Missouri, so having some English Ivy around could help improve asthma and allergy symptoms caused by mold.
(This plant is not safe for pets.)

Boston Ferns
NASA ranked this plant as great for removing formaldehyde, plastics, and cigarette smoke from the air. In fact, Boston Ferns will take these compounds and use them for their own development.

Snake Plant
This plant is effective at removing xylene, toluene, and trichloroethylene from the air. An extra benefit to the Snake Plant is that it continues to turn carbon dioxide into oxygen through the night. Having one of these plants in your room could help you sleep better due to the increased level of oxygen in the proximity.
(This plant is not safe for pets.)

Gerbera Daisy
This plant also produces oxygen through the night and could help with sleep. NASA rated the Gerbera Daisy as the most effective plant at removing benzene from the air.

Mass Cane
This is a slow-growing and low-maintenance plant, so it's a great option for people that don't have a "green thumb". It is also ranked as the number one plant at removing formaldehyde from the air by NASA.
(This plant is not safe for pets.)

Interior Decor at the Lake

Plants quite literally bring life to your interior design. It's a great way to brighten up the design of your home after the holidays. If you aren't sure how to incorporate plants into your interior, call John Elliott Interiors! We are the best interior design company at the Lake of the Ozarks and we would love to help you create the space of your dreams.