We've written about air plants here before, but their sculptural qualities, easy maintenance and clever display options appeal to the modern green home and are worth mentioning again. Usually a part of the Bromeliad family, they thrive independent of soil or standing water and are a good way to add a little greenery to a room, especially in small spaces.

A few months ago, I reviewed the Boskke hanging planter – a great solution for small spaces where floor area is limited. I still love it (we even purchased a larger one for our living room that now houses a delicate orchid), but lately I've also been intrigued by air plants and have been especially smitten with these hanging glass bubble planters from West Elm ($9-$24 each depending on size).

Designed by Shane Powers for West Elm, the idea is simple – a sculptural piece of glass hung by a length of twine. The shapes and sizes vary to accommodate different types of plants.

Similar to the Boskke, these planters do double-duty by helping to purify indoor air and serving as an interesting sculptural piece. With such simple materials, I’d also love to see a DIY version created from found objects.

Related Posts:

• Bring Your Workspace to Life: Air Plants from toHOLD
• Tillandsia Air Plants Are Especially Green
• Beat the Winter Blues with Tiny Terrariums and Air Plants

(Image: West Elm)