skip to main content
Photos
Photos
Kitchen & DiningKitchenModular Kitchen Dining RoomHome Bar
LivingLiving RoomHome TheaterHome Office Staircase
Bed & BathBedroomNurseryKid's RoomBathroom
OutdoorGardenPatioTerrace & BalconyCourtyard
More RoomsPuja Room Wardrobe ExteriorSwimming PoolView All
Find Professionals
  • DESIGN & RENOVATION
  • HOME IMPROVEMENT
  • Architects & Building Designers
  • Interior Designers & Decorators
  • Civil Engineers & Contractors
  • Design-Build Firms
  • Kitchen & Bath Designers
  • Landscape Architects & Contractors
  • Home Builders & Construction Companies
  • Photographers
  • Specialty Contractors
  • Furniture & Accessories
  • Flooring & Carpet
  • Tile, Stone & Countertop
  • Bedding & Bath
View All ProsView All Services
Advice
Stories From Houzz
Houzz ToursKitchen GuidesBathroom Guides Bedroom Guides Decorating Guides Outdoors Architecture
Houzz Discussions
Design DilemmaBefore & After PollsHome Decorating KitchensLiving RoomsBedrooms Dining RoomsExterior Lighting PaintBuilding a Home
Houzz TV
Houzz Research
Sign In
Join as a Pro
History of Houzz
Houzz Logo Print
Decorating Ideas
Decorating Ideas
35 Serene Puja Room Designs
Top Ideabooks
35 Serene Puja Room Designs30 Best Sofa Designs7 Types of Glass That Allow in Light & Privacy9 Ways to Make Minimalism Work in Indian Homes
Appears in
Decorating Guides

12 Tricks to Make Your Apartment Feel Like It Has a Garden

Even if you don't have any outdoor space, you can bring garden style inside with these nifty ideas

Cheryl F
Cheryl F24 May 2017
Houzz Contributor. I'm a London-based journalist with years of experience writing for the UK's top interiors titles. I love shopping for quirky accessories, have a passion for rummaging through vintage stores and I'm ever-hopeful of finding that elusive perfect paint shade.
More
There are many good things about living in a flat, not least the fact they tend to be more affordable. But one downside can be a lack of outdoor space. If you’re craving a garden or terrace now that the days are growing longer and milder, here are a few ways to cheat and introduce some life-affirming greenery into your abode. Okay, you may not be able to recreate a full-stretch English lawn, complete with water feature and rose garden, but if you’re clever, you can add a lush, leafy atmosphere to any space, however small.
Pickell Architecture
Line your windows
One of the things those without gardens often miss is simply enjoying a leafy view from the inside. However, curating a line of potted plants near a large window can provide a ‘green fix’.

Pick a variety of different-shaped foliage for a lush, garden-like feel, and don’t forget to include blooms. Put potted flowers high up on shelves and cut flowers on tables to weave in pretty shots of colour.
www.tvhinteriors.com
Double up
If you have access to any downstairs exterior space, however miserly, try this. Position potted plants on either side of a window, both indoors and out, to add leafy depth. Even if your window only looks onto a light well, balcony or communal courtyard or alley, it will create the illusion of a secret garden oasis, as your eye is led beyond the glass.
Orsman Construction
Be big and bold
Larger potted plants can be pricey, but it’s often worth making the initial investment. One large variety, like the one on the left here, will make a big impact. A mature plant will also be established and hardy, so will be more likely to survive the odd dry spell. However, always read instructions carefully on how to care for plants, as each species has different watering, lighting, heating and feeding needs.
Wallpaperdirect UK
Choose botanical wallpaper
If house plants aren’t for you, a simple wall of botanical wallpaper can still bring welcome greenery into an apartment.

This lovely Impressionist-style print features lines of verdant trees for a woodland feel. It may not beat an actual stroll in the forest, but it’s surprisingly uplifting.
Helene Marie Design
Frame a doorway…
Create the impression of a tropical paradise outside a doorway by placing large potted plants just beyond the frame. The result: A tantalising glimpse of foliage, even if the door only leads to your hall, bathroom or a narrow outdoor space.
Kristina Wolf Design
…Or frame a window
Two large leafy plants on either side of a window add a conservatory feel and will ‘green up’ the most urban of flats. Choose varieties with a tree-like shape, the taller the better, and put them in matching pots. Leave windows free of dressings to maximise natural light.
User
Bring on the bricks
A garden feel isn’t just about shrubs. This trompe l’oeil wallpaper featuring white bricks creates an instant courtyard feel. Teamed with trendy house plants and ferns, and pale furnishings and accessories, the result is light, bright and outdoorsy.
pbrandarchitecture.net
Boost your balcony
If your flat doesn’t have a garden, but you’re lucky enough to have a balcony, don’t miss the opportunity to fill it with greenery. Choose plants that will thrive in pots and pack as much in as possible. Give it all some structure with evergreen plants, such as bay trees, and add seasonal flowers for colour.
Robert Rhodes Architecture + Interiors
Grass things up
A super solution for a balcony is artificial grass. It will add an uplifting shot of green, and of course there’s no need to mow it. Use it in small areas and add a bright deckchair or two for a fun, summery look. You can even try laying a square of artificial turf indoors near a window, for a mini lawn-cum-rug.
RE.DZINE
Love a living wall
Living walls or vertical gardens are growing in popularity, and can be used inside as well as out. They have a real wow-factor, providing a ‘sweep’ of foliage that feels modern, arty and fresh.

Get professional advice on which plants to choose, and how best to care for them, so your wall continues to thrive.

Check out these reasons to have a living wall
ArchiTK
Hang some pots
If a full-on living wall feels like too much work, go for the dialled-down version. Wall-mounted plant pots can add some refreshing colour to an otherwise plain scheme. Hanging several of them, as seen here, gives a great effect. They don’t need to be fancy either – simple spiders, ferns and ivy plants all look good.
Inspired Spaces, Inc.
Up in the air
If you’ve noticed funny little plants suspended in glass bubbles and ceramic pots in lifestyle stores, then you’ve noticed the trend for air plants. These can grow and survive without the need for soil, though they still need moisture and plant food, as well as constant air circulation. Try creating a cool architectural display like this one for a futuristic garden effect – the dark walls really set it off.

Read more:
How to Live With Plants
5 Plants Best Suited for Indian Homes

Tell us:
Have you created a garden feel in your flat? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
Explore Related Topics
Decorating Ideas
Sponsored
  • India
  • ABOUT
  • MOBILE APPS
  • PROFESSIONALS
  • BUTTONS
  • FAQs
  • CAREERS
  • ADVERTISE
  • Terms
  • © 2025 Houzz Inc.