There is something exotic about a palm. A fine healthy specimen will make a great addition to your living room. But you need to choose carefully since the different types of palm vary in their requirements. I found an article by Deborah Brown, an Extension horticulturalist at the University of Minnesota, which describes the eight palms that are usually available in garden centers.

Potted palms can lend a touch of the tropics to almost any interior landscape. And a healthy, full specimen can be very beautiful, as long as it’s well-maintained.
Not all palms are created equal. Some thrive only in a brightly lit sunny location, while others tolerate the lower light levels that are more typical of most Minnesota homes, especially in winter. Since a well-grown palm is not inexpensive, regardless of size, it pays to choose carefully, keeping light levels in its ultimate destination in mind as you shop.
If you’re thinking of a dimly lit corner, forget it! Even the so-called “shade-tolerant” palms need fairly bright indirect light most of the day. Without adequate light your plant will lose all its lower fronds and look like a stick ? or series of sticks ? with a few leaves on top.
Here’s a brief rundown on some of the palms you’re most likely to discover at florists’ shops and garden centers. You may find others, as well. Just make sure to learn their environmental requirements before you decide to invest in them.
Parlor palm or neanthe bella, Chamaedorea elegans: This slow-growing, dwarf palm has more shade tolerance than any other, so it’s one of the best choices for relatively low light. A shrubby plant with many stems or “canes”, you’ll find it available in sizes ranging from only eight or ten inches — perfect for a desk or coffee table — to several feet. It maxes out around four to six feet.
Two close relatives, reed palm, Chamaedorea seifrizii, and bamboo palm, Chamaedorea erumpens, share the ability to survive in relatively low light, but may grow several feet taller, especially in a brighter location. All three of these palms ? parlor, reed and bamboo ? do best in reasonably warm temperatures. Keep them away from leaky windows and cold entryways where they’d be exposed to blasts of frigid air.

See more at University of Minnesota
Image source: Moritz Forster