Indoor Trees Are the One Thing You Need to Add Drama to Any Corner

By
Sarah Lyon
Sarah Lyon
Sarah Lyon

Sarah Lyon is a freelance writer living in New York City. She has written for MyDomaine since 2020 and contributes home, lifestyle, and wellness content for a number of other publications, including Apartment Therapy and Architectural Digest.

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Updated on Apr 23, 2021
Bedroom corner with large ficus tree.

Lauren Zillinger for Laura Metzler Photography

If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be sleeping next to a human-sized planter holding a gigantic ficus tree, I would’ve thought you were crazy. But, a friend sourced the most stunning set of vintage planters—one for her, one for me—and I just knew that the huge piece would make a dramatic statement next to my bed.

I’ll admit that this styling decision came partly out of necessity. While the planter was love at first sight and reminds me of Athena Calderone’s swoony aesthetic, it truly is large enough to hold an entire person and wasn’t going to fit in just any nook of my apartment. It’s too heavy for me to move on my own, too, so I knew that once I secured a spot for the piece, that’s where it would have to stay for the foreseeable future.

Since I change things around in my living room often but only have so many configuration options for my bedroom due to the size of my bed, the decision was quickly made for me. 

Neutral bedroom with ficus tree in corner.

Lauren Zillinger for Laura Metzler Photography

Now that the planter has been in place for a few weeks, I have to say that I can’t imagine my room any other way. I love the immediate impact the ficus tree itself made in my bedroom—the green hue was a welcome addition; plants in general are so calming that they’re an obvious choice for any sleep space. While I did lose space for an extra nightstand, I like that the plant makes my room look a bit more minimalistic, and the lack of a second table with drawers forces me to corral clutter elsewhere. 

In the market for a tree of your own? “Contrary to popular belief, size really doesn’t have much to do with how hard or easy a plant is to care for,” Joyce Mast, the resident Plant Mom for Bloomscape, notes.

She recommends both the bamboo palm and Chinese fan palm for newbie plant owners looking for an oversized green friend that will survive in low-light conditions. Other plants that can thrive in corners include dracaenas, the schefflera arboricola, and the date palm, to name a few—happy decorating.

Chinese Fan Palm.
Bloomscape Chinese Fan Palm $195.00
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