25 Indoor Plants Decor Ideas for Small Spaces

A slim three-tier stand puts six or more pots in the floor space of one. Put the sun lovers on top and the plants that want a little less light on the lower shelves, where the upper tiers shade them. It's one of the most-saved "plant stand" looks for small living rooms.

A leaning ladder shelf needs no wall anchors in most cases and holds plants, books and a candle on the same piece. Keep the brightest shelf for the plants that need the most sun, and mix in a few books or a small basket so it doesn't look like a nursery shelf.

Zebra haworthia stays small, grows slowly and has striking white stripes. Three in matching mini pots make a neat sill display that fits even a narrow ledge. It is pet-safe per the ASPCA, which makes it a good pick if you want a succulent look in a pet home.

A Christmas cactus in bloom makes a cozy winter centerpiece on a side table near a bright window. It's pet-safe per the ASPCA and trails nicely over the pot edge.

The fastest way to style an empty corner: one tall plant on the floor, one mid-height on a stool or stand and one small on a table. A parlor palm in a basket, a calathea on a stool and a baby rubber plant on a side table are all pet-safe per the ASPCA and all like medium, indirect light.

Wall shelves get plants off the floor and up where they show. Mix pots with books and a few objects, then put one trailing plant on the top shelf so it spills down. A spider plant is a pet-safe trailer per the ASPCA; pothos looks similar but is toxic to cats and dogs.

For a soft bedroom aesthetic, put one small blooming plant on the nightstand. African violets flower on and off through the year, stay compact and like the gentle light of an east window. They're pet-safe per the ASPCA.

A Boston fern on a tall pedestal stand fills a bare spot with a soft, full shape and lifts it into better light. It's pet-safe per the ASPCA. Ferns like humidity, so a bedroom or bathroom with a window suits them.

Calatheas have painted-looking leaves and enjoy the steam from showers. A bathroom with a frosted window gives them the soft light they want. They are pet-safe per the ASPCA, which is handy since bathrooms are often where pets wander.

A small home desk looks better with one plant on it. The baby rubber plant (Peperomia obtusifolia) has thick, glossy leaves, stays compact and is pet-safe per the ASPCA. Set it on the window side of the desk.

In a small room, many pot styles can look cluttered. Repot or slip every plant into the same color pot, white or terracotta, and the room instantly feels calmer. Cover plastic nursery pots with a basket or cachepot instead of repotting if you prefer.

The cast iron plant earned its name by tolerating dim light and missed waterings. Its tall, dark leaves look elegant in a hallway or entry where little else would grow. It's pet-safe per the ASPCA.

Snake plants stand up straight, which makes them good in narrow spots by a door or at the end of a sofa. They tolerate low light and dry soil. Note: the ASPCA lists the snake plant (mother-in-law's tongue) as toxic to cats and dogs, so choose a cast iron plant instead in a pet home.

A pothos on top of the kitchen cabinets or a tall bookcase lets the vines hang down and fill dead vertical space. It handles lower light well. The ASPCA lists golden pothos as toxic to cats and dogs; up high keeps it away from most dogs, but cats climb, so use a spider plant if yours does.

Heartleaf philodendron trails like pothos but with soft heart-shaped leaves. It's forgiving in lower light and looks good spilling off a bookshelf. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to cats and dogs.

If a corner has no real light, a full-spectrum grow bulb in a floor lamp turns it into plant space and still looks like a normal lamp. Warm-white grow bulbs blend into a living room better than purple ones. Put it on a timer for a steady daily schedule.

A large mirror opposite or beside a window bounces light deeper into a small room and doubles the look of your plants. Lean a floor mirror instead of hanging it if you rent. It won't turn low light into bright light, but it helps.

A tension rod wedged inside the window frame holds small hanging pots on S-hooks with no screws at all. It puts plants right in the best light. Keep pots small and light, since tension rods are rated for limited weight.

The curtain rod you already have can hold a couple of light macrame hangers on S-hooks. Hang them near the brackets, where the rod is strongest, not in the middle of the span.

Freestanding stands with hanging arms give you the look of hanging plants with no ceiling hooks. They fit in a corner and move with you. Look for a wide, heavy base so a full pot can't tip it.

Removable adhesive hooks can hold a small, light planter on a smooth wall. Check the weight limit on the package against the pot when it's freshly watered, and follow the instructions for removing them so paint stays intact.

A narrow leaning shelf beside the bed works like wall shelves without screws. Style it with a small fern, a few books and a candle for a cozy bedroom aesthetic.

Groups of three or five look more natural than pairs. On a coffee table, set three small plants of different heights on a tray so you can move them all at once to water or wipe the table.

Swap in one plant for the season, like a potted rosemary Christmas tree in December or forced bulbs in late winter. It keeps your plant decor feeling fresh without buying a lot. Many forced bulbs are toxic to pets, so check before you buy.