The simple act of caring for plants helps take your mind off what may be on otherwise stressful and hectic day of work. And like a great dog, your plants will love you and not talk back. We thought our rescue Cole would be a great ambassador on this journey as he is for our home. He is a champion of our "Dogs of Green" account on Instagram where you will find a large collection of our four legged friends who come into our Hillcrest store to visit us every day. Bring your four-legged buddy into visit us and join the growing list of pup profiles. Hashtag: #dogsofgreen.
Navigating life during the pandemic was stressful and often meant staying at home, consuming too much social media, and missing connecting with friends, family, and nature. Many of us found comfort in updating our living spaces, our home offices, and outdoor living areas. For many, it was their first time shopping for plants in San Diego online and found the ease of shopping online, then picking up their order curbside, or having us deliver it to them ideal. Safe, and a great way to save time for other projects. Here are some tips we offer for helping as you approach using plants to add some style to your San Diego home or wherever you may live.
1. Mix interesting or engaging containers to add a focal point. Using different pot sizes and complementary colors, group three plants together. Make one of the three larger to break up the visual look. One style rule to know is that as a general rule, you get a better appeal when you create groupings of three.
For plant enthusiasts, purchasing pots and planters that have drainage built into them with a matching saucer is essential. The hole allows for excess water to drain out and keeps the roots from getting root rot. We carry a range of sizes, colors and brands in our Hillcrest store and online. We highly recommend the Momma Pots Gemstone Cylinder which is available in a range of sizes and bold, solid jewel tone colors as well as softer, pastel shades.
For multi-colored pots and planters with drainage, we recommend shopping our line from CHIVE. Available in a range of sizes, patterns and colors, you can't go wrong adding a pot from Chive to your collection. It will instantly add some visual draw to your plant and help make it a showcase in your room.
2. Embrace simplicity. Pair a tall plant frond with a clean, clear, or decorative vase. Try a Monstera leaf with its beautiful shape and cutouts or a similar cutting from a larger plant. If your space is limited, take a cutting from your Pothos or other green plant and place it in a vessel. The focus is on the shapes, color, and simplicity of the pairing.
Using plant propagation containers like those shown above and below is another opportunity to be creative and use plants to add interest to your home or office space.
Above we use simple glass containers with interesting shapes to showcase the the plants and create a focal point. The result is both visually interesting and unique when you place it on a shelf in the kitchen or on a side table where it can get some sunshine. The best part is you will end up with a new plant, or two, and you will get to watch the roots sprout and grow before having to transplant it to a pot of its own.
3. Add a terrarium to the mix.
Easy to make and maintain, a terrarium in your home is not only a focal point, but it is also a world within your world. From simple to the more elaborate, terrariums offer a beautiful addition, and they need little attention. The plants in a terrarium release moisture or vapor which is captured on the glass walls where it trickles back down into the soil, essentially watering itself. They require limited amounts of water and are beautiful to view. Plus, like other house plants, terrariums help reduce stress and anxiety and add style to your home or office.Easy to make and maintain, a terrarium in your home is not only a focal point, but it is also a world within your world. From simple to the more elaborate, terrariums offer a beautiful addition, and they need little attention. The plants in a terrarium release moisture or vapor which is captured on the glass walls where it trickles back down into the soil, essentially watering itself. They require limited amounts of water and are beautiful to view. Plus, like other house plants, terrariums help reduce stress and anxiety and add style to your home or office.
4. Add style with pots that have intersting patterns, shapes, or materials.
Plant containers can add visual interest to your style tool chest. Think about a ceramic glaze, geometric pattern, or terrazzo. Stripes or color block patterns and a wow factor and draw the eye. Materials used for the pot or planter can also add to the look and feel of your personal space including pots with legs. Be adventurous and add some novelty pot shapes and styles to your collection.
5. Embrace your ceiling. That’s right. Don’t shy away from hanging plants in your home decor efforts. Use hanging planters to display a plant adjacent to a window or glass door. Bright light plants thrive on the indirect bright light, so put your home or office windows to work as a home for your houseplant. Be sure to check them regularly in a warmer, humid environment as they may need to receive more regular watering. Explore more hanging planters and pots in our online store.
6. Create an urban jungle. A pothos vine, paired with a stylish pot, will add an element of the jungle to your space. Pothos plants are easy to maintain and simple to prune back when their vine takes over. The variegated pothos will provide visual interest with the color variations in the leaves. Or opt for the Neon Pothos (shown at the bottom of this blog), which is named after the vibrant green color of its leaves.
7. Create a focal point. Group pots or containers of the same color to create a focal point. On a shelf, table, or the floor, a collection of similar colored pots will add calm to your space and relax. Try grouping several white or cream pots with different plants of various sizes. You will quickly see the appeal.
8. Pair an indoor plant with another object de’ Art. Create a scene or theme using a sculpture, a painting, or a photograph.
Pots and planters can be mixed to create a grouping that will draw your visitor's eye and make your room more interesting. Remember the rule of 3’s-and you will be styling in no time.
9. Embrace the sculptural shapes of plants, particularly those of the succulent variety or air plants, which require very little attention. The colors and shapes of succulents vary greatly, and they are all unique and exciting visually. The trick with succulents is not to overwater them. Once a month is usually enough.
10. Aim for interesting. One of the more exciting plant categories worth exploring is air plants. You can’t go wrong with adding a few of these to your space. Also easy to maintain with unique shapes, sizes, and colors. From the symmetrical spiral of the Xerographica to the colorful Tillandsia Cyanea, air plants are living sculptures that will add visual interest to your space. In a clear glass terrarium or displayed in one of the geometric air plant hangers on a table group, a collection of air plants will thrive in low light or bright light. Just soak them in some water once a week, and that is it. No other nurturing is needed.
11. Add a plant stand. One of the more exciting additions to the plant world is the new variety of plant stands available to help display a plant in a home or office. Plant stands or a grouping of plant stands can help anchor a room and provide a visual focal point. They also add height, allowing for d plants closer to a seating area or near a piece of furniture, bringing the plant closer to eye height when sitting. We have an entire collection of unique plant stands online and in our Hillcrest store.
12. Pick unique plants. Houseplants come in various shapes and sizes, colors, and light preferences providing numerous opportunities to pick something unusual and exciting. The Monstera deliciosa leaves, with their splits and holes, make it a popular choice among plant lovers. Or consider the easy-to-maintain Aloe Vera plant in a unique container for a warm sunny spot in your home.
Various plant options can offer visual interest with their color, shape, and size. Be daring! Approach your selection with an eye to your home's location, the mood you are trying to create. If you are looking for a sleek, clean, and modern feel, then a Sansevieria is perfect. A popular tall anchor plant is a must, and you can't go wrong with the Fiddle Leaf Ficus or a Bird of Paradise. Or, for an urban jungle scene, add a Pothos plant to the mix or a hanging container with a Hoya and watch how fast the shoots grow down to the ground.
One last tip: Take some time to look through a few home design magazines or store catalogs to get ideas. Follow a selection of popular plant hashtags in your Instagram feed (follow us), or wander into our store and let one of our plant specialists help you think through your home or office's best strategy.
We end this blog on Plant Styling by tooting our own horn. The August 2019 issue of San Diego Magazine included their annual "Best of San Diego" awards. You will find us listed with a few raves about our store between the pages, and they bestowed upon us the title of San Diego's "Best Plant Store." We couldn't agree more!
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