Hanging Plants: The Ultimate Guide to Bringing Life to Every Corner of Your Home

There is something undeniably magical about a plant suspended in midair, trailing its vines downward or cascading its leaves in soft, living curtains. Hanging plants have enjoyed a well-deserved renaissance in interior design over the past several years, and for good reason. They make use of vertical space that would otherwise go to waste, they bring natural texture and color into rooms that feel flat or sterile, and they create that effortlessly organic atmosphere that so many homeowners are chasing right now.

Whether you are just beginning your plant parent journey or you already have a thriving indoor jungle and want to take things to the next level, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about choosing, styling, hanging, and caring for hanging plants. And if you love to add a handmade touch to your home, you will find plenty of inspiration for crafting your own hanging planters at MakerPlace by Michaels.

Why Hanging Plants Deserve a Place in Your Home

Before diving into the specifics, it is worth pausing to appreciate just how much hanging plants can do for a space. Most people think of plants as something you set on a windowsill or a shelf, but the moment you lift them off a surface and let them float in the air, the entire dynamic of a room shifts.

Hanging plants draw the eye upward, which makes ceilings feel higher and rooms feel larger. They soften hard architectural lines — the sharp corner where two walls meet, the edge of a doorframe, the blank expanse of wall above a sofa. They add layers to a room in a way that furniture and art simply cannot. And from a practical standpoint, they keep foliage and soil off your counters and floors, which is a genuine quality-of-life improvement if you have pets or small children who like to investigate anything within reach.

There is also the well-documented benefit of having plants indoors in general. Studies have linked indoor greenery to reduced stress, improved mood, and even enhanced focus. Surrounding yourself with living things is not just aesthetically pleasant — it is good for you.

Choosing the Right Hanging Plants for Your Space

Not every plant is well-suited to life in a hanging planter. The best candidates tend to have a naturally trailing or cascading growth habit, meaning their stems and vines will spill gracefully over the edge of the pot rather than reaching stubbornly upward. Here are some of the most popular and beginner-friendly options.

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is arguably the most forgiving houseplant on the planet, and it is absolutely perfect for hanging. Its heart-shaped leaves come in shades of green, yellow-green, and variegated white-and-green depending on the variety. Pothos tolerates low light, infrequent watering, and the kind of benign neglect that even the busiest plant parents are guilty of.

String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) is one of those plants that makes people stop and stare. Its bead-like leaves hang in long tendrils that look exactly like living strands of pearls. It loves bright, indirect light and needs well-draining soil. It is slightly more particular than pothos but well worth the effort.

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is a classic for a reason. It produces long, arching leaves and sends out little “spiderettes” on dangling runners, which eventually grow their own roots and can be propagated into new plants. Spider plants are incredibly hardy and even thrive under fluorescent lighting, which makes them a great choice for offices.

Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) trails beautifully and grows quickly, rewarding attentive plant parents with long, lush vines. Like pothos, it is tolerant of lower light conditions, though it will grow faster and produce larger leaves in bright indirect light.

Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is a showstopper when hung in a humid environment. Its feathery fronds arch and spill over the edges of a basket in a way that feels lush and tropical. The catch is that it demands consistent moisture and relatively high humidity, so it tends to thrive in bathrooms or kitchens rather than dry living rooms.

Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum) is a succulent with thick, overlapping leaves that hang in dense, rope-like strands. It needs full or bright indirect light and infrequent watering, making it an excellent choice for a sunny window.

English Ivy (Hedera helix) trails elegantly and creates that cottage-garden feel indoors. It prefers cooler temperatures and does particularly well near a window that gets bright but not direct sunlight.

When selecting your plants, always consider the specific conditions of the spot where you plan to hang them. Light availability is the single most important factor. A plant that needs bright light will struggle in a dark corner no matter how well you water it, and a shade-lover will scorch if you hang it in a south-facing window.

Choosing and Crafting the Perfect Hanging Planter

The planter itself is every bit as important as the plant inside it. A beautiful hanging planter elevates your plant from a simple houseplant to a piece of living décor. You have an enormous range of options available, from commercial planters you can pick up at any garden center to handmade creations that reflect your own style and creativity.

At MakerPlace by Michaels, makers and crafters come together to create and sell handmade goods, and hanging planters are among the most beloved categories in the shop. Shopping handmade means you get something truly unique — a planter that no one else has, made with care and intention by a real person.

Macramé Plant Hangers are perhaps the most iconic handmade hanging planter style. Made from knotted cord or rope, they have an earthy, bohemian quality that suits nearly every interior style from modern farmhouse to maximalist eclectic. The beauty of macramé is that even beginners can pick up the basic knots and create something genuinely beautiful. If you want to make your own, MakerPlace by Michaels is a great place to find supplies, tutorials, and inspiration — or to purchase a finished hanger from a talented maker.

Woven Baskets add warmth and texture in a way that plastic or ceramic pots simply cannot. Seagrass, jute, and rattan baskets create a natural, organic look and pair particularly well with trailing plants like pothos and philodendron.

Ceramic and Terracotta Hanging Pots offer a more polished look and come in an enormous range of colors, glazes, and shapes. Many local ceramic artists sell their work through platforms like MakerPlace, so you can find pieces that feel like art as much as functional containers.

Upcycled and Repurposed Containers are a favorite among crafty plant parents. Old colanders, vintage tins, wooden crates, and even worn-out baskets can be given new life as hanging planters. As long as you can add drainage or use a liner, almost anything goes.

When choosing a planter, keep weight in mind. Ceramic planters can be heavy, especially once filled with soil and a mature plant. Make sure your chosen hanger and ceiling anchor can support the load. Lightweight options like macramé with a plastic or wicker pot are often the safest choice for renters or anyone who wants to minimize the amount of work done to their ceiling.

How to Hang Plants Safely and Stylishly

This is where many plant enthusiasts get nervous, but hanging plants securely is not nearly as complicated as it seems once you understand a few basic principles.

The most secure way to hang a plant from the ceiling is to find and anchor into a ceiling joist. Joists are the structural beams that run across the ceiling beneath the drywall, and they can hold significant weight. You can locate a joist with a stud finder or by knocking along the ceiling and listening for a solid, less hollow sound. Once you have found a joist, use a screw hook rated for the weight of your planter and twist it directly into the wood.

If there is no joist where you want to hang your plant, you can use a toggle bolt designed for drywall. These expand behind the drywall to distribute the load, but keep in mind that they are only suitable for relatively lightweight planters — generally under five pounds total once the plant and soil are included.

For renters or anyone who wants a damage-free option, there are several smart alternatives. Tension rods fitted in a window frame or between two walls can hold lightweight hanging planters beautifully. Plant stands with built-in hanging hooks bring height and visual interest without any ceiling attachment. Curtain rods, ladder shelves, and even decorative branches propped in corners can all serve as creative mounting points for hanging plants.

Once your plant is up, consider the overall composition. A single large hanging planter makes a bold statement, but a cluster of three or more at varying heights creates something richer and more layered. Try grouping plants with different leaf shapes and textures — the round beads of a string of pearls next to the broad, glossy leaves of a pothos next to the feathery fronds of a Boston fern creates a visual composition that is genuinely stunning.

Caring for Your Hanging Plants

Plants in hanging containers have slightly different care needs than plants sitting on a shelf, and understanding those differences will help you keep your hanging garden thriving.

Watering is the area where most people run into trouble. Because hanging planters are elevated, they can be awkward to water, which leads many people to either underwater out of inconvenience or to overwater in a misguided attempt to compensate. The best approach is to develop a consistent schedule and to always check the soil before watering. Stick your finger about an inch into the soil — if it feels dry at that depth, it is time to water. If it still feels moist, wait another day or two.

The drying-out rate in a hanging planter can be faster than in a pot sitting on a surface, because air circulation around all sides of the container increases evaporation. Terracotta pots in particular dry out quickly. During the warmer months you may need to water more frequently than you expect.

A watering can with a long, narrow spout makes the job easier, and placing a saucer or drip tray inside the planter will catch excess water and prevent it from dripping onto your floors.

Light needs to be assessed from the plant’s actual hanging position, not from what seems logical on paper. The light quality at ceiling height can differ significantly from the light at floor level. A spot that gets bright indirect light near the window might become shadier once a plant is hanging near the ceiling further into the room. Observe how light moves through your space at different times of day before committing to a hanging position.

Fertilizing becomes more important for hanging plants because regular watering tends to flush nutrients out of the soil faster. During the growing season — generally spring through early fall — feed your hanging plants with a balanced liquid fertilizer every two to four weeks. Reduce or eliminate feeding in fall and winter when most houseplants enter a period of slower growth.

Pruning and Grooming keep your hanging plants looking their best. Most trailing plants will produce long, leggy growth over time. Trimming the stems back encourages bushier, fuller growth and keeps the plant looking tidy. The cuttings from many common trailing plants like pothos and philodendron can be rooted in water to create new plants, so nothing goes to waste.

Repotting is occasionally necessary when a plant becomes rootbound — meaning the roots have completely filled the pot and are starting to circle or emerge from the drainage holes. When this happens, move up one pot size, refresh the soil, and give your plant a chance to spread out.

Styling Hanging Plants in Different Rooms

One of the most enjoyable aspects of hanging plants is figuring out how to style them in different spaces around the home. Every room offers unique opportunities.

In the living room, a statement macramé hanger with a large trailing pothos or philodendron above a sofa or reading chair creates an instant focal point. Try layering two or three hanging planters at different heights near a window to build a lush, green corner that feels like a little private garden.

In the kitchen, a collection of small hanging herbs — basil, thyme, chives, mint — near the window is both beautiful and functional. Being able to snip fresh herbs while cooking is one of life’s small but genuine pleasures, and it keeps your counters clear at the same time.

In the bathroom, hanging a Boston fern or a pothos from a towel bar or a small ceiling hook near the shower takes advantage of the naturally humid environment. These plants often thrive in bathrooms in a way they never quite manage in drier rooms.

In the bedroom, lighter, softer plants like string of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) or spider plants add gentle texture without overwhelming the space. The bedroom calls for restraint and calm, so one or two well-placed hanging plants tend to work better than an ambitious cluster.

In outdoor spaces like porches, patios, and balconies, hanging plants take on a whole new dimension. Classic choices include trailing petunias, fuchsias, and lobelia for a burst of color, or ferns and ivies for a lush, green backdrop. Just be sure to choose species that are appropriate for your climate and the specific light conditions on your outdoor space.

Sourcing and Supporting Handmade

When you are ready to shop for hanging planters, macramé hangers, or plant-related accessories, consider supporting independent makers. MakerPlace by Michaels connects you directly with craftspeople who pour genuine skill and creativity into their work. Buying from a maker rather than a mass-market retailer means your home gets something truly individual, and it means your money goes directly to a person who cares deeply about what they make.

You will find hanging planters in virtually every style at MakerPlace — minimal and modern, richly bohemian, rustic farmhouse, and everything in between. You might also find beautifully hand-thrown ceramic pots, handwoven baskets, and artisan-made hooks and hardware that turn the whole hanging apparatus into part of the aesthetic.

If you are a maker yourself, hanging planters and macramé hangers are perennial bestsellers. The materials are accessible, the techniques are learnable even for beginners, and the demand is consistent because every plant lover eventually wants to get their plants off the shelf and into the air.

Final Thoughts

Hanging plants are one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to transform your living space. They bring life to dead corners, add drama to plain walls, make rooms feel taller and greener and more alive. With the right plant, the right planter, and a little knowledge about care and placement, you can create something genuinely beautiful that grows and changes with you over time.

Whether you are hunting for the perfect handmade macramé hanger, looking for a one-of-a-kind ceramic planter, or just searching for inspiration to get started, MakerPlace by Michaels is a wonderful place to begin. Explore the makers, discover the craftsmanship, and find the pieces that will make your hanging plant vision come to life.