If you garden outside, chances are you dabble a bit in houseplants. After all, they bring color, freshness and a touch of the great outdoors inside your home. But choosing beautiful houseplants is only part of the fun.

Colorful handcrafted Mexican pottery and a hand-painted clay pot add a touch whimsy to a tired winter windowsill.

Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho

With its succulent “hair,” this is one planter with a head for humor.

Photo Credit: Mary Moore

This wrought iron planter unifies three simple plants and gives them a truly elegant appeal.

Photo Credit: Mary Moore

This planter’s raised textured pink and gray finish complements the hydrangea’s formal shape and purple hue.

Photo Credit: Mary Moore

Adding statues is another great way to add interest to your potted plants. This realistic kitty snoozes nicely at the base of a small container tree.

Photo Credit: Mary Moore

Just like you enhance you outdoor décor with the right garden embellishments, you can accessorize your indoor garden with the right planters and statuary for an enjoyable environment all year long. The right planters can add warmth, elegance or even humor to your houseplants. Using similar pots can unify a group of mismatched plants, while containers with different colors and textures can add dimension to a collection of plants of the same type.

Two elements to consider when you buy decorative planters are color and finish. As I mentioned, using planters in a similar color scheme can add a sense of unity – but the colors you choose also set the mood. For example, red, orange or yellow pots can add a sense of warmth to your plants, while cool colors can bring out the beauty of your greenery.

One way to use color (and keep costs down) is to purchase plain clay pots and paint them yourself. Use simple, bright colors for a playful look, or use faux finishes for a polished, sophisticated one. (You can find paints and faux-finish kits at home centers, hardware stores and craft stores.) You might also try decorating plain pots in a mosaic style using pretty stones or tiles – whatever fits your home’s décor.

Shape and texture also add dimension to your houseplant arrangements. Consider planters with raised designs or unusual shapes. Classic European designs lend a timeless look to plant collections, while streamlined planters offer a fresh, clean, modern feel. A humorous planter, like one with a silly face, can brighten your mood and add interest to your plants, too. Statues of animals and colorful accessories also add animation to your plant displays.

Local garden centers are a great source for unusual planters and statues, but don’t overlook garage sales, street fairs or antique shows for unusual selections. And don’t forget shopping at vacation destinations, where you can often find unusual pieces that make especially wonderful reminders of your relaxing getaway.

If you fall in love with attractive containers that don’t have any drainage holes, such as copper pots or porcelain kitchen containers, just place an inch or so of drainage material (like small stones) inside the planters and place plain plastic or clay pots inside. You can always use Spanish moss to cover the tops so no one will know your plants aren’t actually planted directly in those attractive containers.

Spend some time looking for beautiful planters for your houseplants – it can yield great results. With a little imagination, you can find some great additions to your home décor that will add color, interest and fun to your indoor garden!