And The Next Big Design Fad Is: Shower Plants?

Are Shower Plants the Next Big Design Trend? | Kayla Lynn

I am a huge supporter of house plants, but the newest trend according to Pinterest's spring report on the top trending home solutions (published in a Pinterest board, no less) is taking the house plant to a whole new level: the shower. As of the report, searches on Pinterest for terms like "shower plant" had increased by a jaw-dropping 302%, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's been an increase since as more and more interior designers and bloggers embrace the trend.

The most obvious bright side to this arrangement (besides making for pretty photos) is that you'll never have to remember to water your plants. Green thumb or not, you can rest assured knowing that your shower will kill two birds with one stone each time. If you're really into the idea of turning your shower into your own personal tropical oasis, then a plant or two in your shower will help to create the perfect atmosphere to unwind in at the end of a long day.

Photo: Design Sponge

Placing plants in your shower may also have some pretty remarkable health and wellness benefits. In addition to having an emotional calming effect that is sure to alleviate stress, certain plants are also beneficial for air purification, moisture absorption, and bacteria reduction. According to USA today, house plants have even been prescribed to certain patients with severe allergies to improve indoor air quality.

Photo: Domino

In order to find a plant that will thrive in your own space you must first consider the layout and design of your bathroom as your ideal plant match will depend on how much light the room receives and how humid the room gets. The bathroom in my apartment, for example, has no windows so a plant that doesn't need much natural light will be ideal (although you may still find it necessary to occasionally rotate the plant into a more sunny spot in your home). Varietals like peace lilies, spider plants, dracaena, lucky bamboo, snake plants, ZZ plants, and English Ivy (NASA's top pick for air purification) don't really need frequent waterings and are fine in low-to-medium light, so they should feel right at home. Boston ferns and aloe vera are also popular choices but will definitely need a higher amount of indirect light.

Photo: The Design Chaser

In terms of positioning, there are a lot of options available like sitting a smaller plant on one of the shelves or on a windowsill but the one that seems to make the most sense is to hang the plant in some sort of planter and hang it from the ceiling or from the shower head itself if you don't want to install any hooks. Hanging your plant in the shower helps to keep it up and out of the way so as to avoid getting covered in soap that may harm your plant. If you're the DIY type, there are a couple adorable hanging planter DIYs that you can check out here.