25 Under $25: Useful & Affordable Gardening Accessories
Gardening season is here, which means planting, weeding, watering, and bidding a fond farewell to free time— I’m so glad I watched all that television during the winter! Gardening is a lot of work, so here are 25 tools to help you get the job done quickly so you can get back to watching Peaky Blinders… Bittergurka Watering Can, IKEA, $9.99 Finger Knife, Kaufmann Mercantile, $9.90- everyone needs a finger knife. Pocket Snips, Terrain, $10 Seed Keeper, Terrain, $18.
May 4, 2019
How To Grow Garlic
Growing garlic is very easy and very rewarding. It grows well in small spaces, a perfect specimen for a container garden, and also prospers in large garden beds. It’s a staple on most weekly grocery lists and has amazing health benefits, plus it keeps those pesky vampires away, making it one of the most valuable plants in your garden. Find a sunny spot with well-drained, rich soil for your garlic, and it will be very happy and fruitful.
May 4, 2019
How To Grow Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the most popular garden plants out there, and for good reason. They are extremely easy to grow, and can be used in a wide variety of cuisines. And if you’ve ever plucked a sweet, juicy tomato straight out of the garden for a snack on a hot summer day, well, there’s just no going back. Tomatoes love sunshine and air—the two things almost everyone has access to.
May 4, 2019
How To Grow Strawberries
Strawberries are the quintessential summer fruit. Juicy, flavorful, and packed with vitamin C, they are a must-have for any summer garden. Organic berries can often be on the expensive side at the grocery store, so grow your own, cut down on packaging waste, and keep that extra cash in your pocket! Strawberries love the sun, they need at least 8-10 hours of direct sunlight each day, so keep that in mind when placing your containers, or tilling up your bed.
May 4, 2019
An Expert Gardener’s Recipe for Fiddle Leaf Fig Success
So you got yourself an oh-so-pretty and popular fiddle leaf fig. Yay! So now comes the bigger challenge: taking care of that baby so it lasts and thrives in your home long term. Beat your black thumb with these care tips courtesy of garden expert Julie Chai. Your fig should be near enough to a window to get light all day but never be in direct sun. Another smart expert tip? Since the plants will grow towards the light, rotate every few weeks to keep the growth even and straight.
May 4, 2019
7 Steps to a Fantastic Front Porch (Inspired by Real-Life Makeovers)
Why are front porches so often sad and droopy? They’re the first impression your home puts out, yet so many are woefully neglected. (No judgement here, believe me. I just take notes on what I see.) Case in point: this lovely farmhouse, which is absolutely lovely, but could use a boost. Click to see what it looks like now, and what you can learn from this, and a bunch of other makeovers. The Curbly porch makeover involved tossing a bunch of stuff that just lingered on the porch forever.
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Do a Double Take at This Decaying Porch Now
Sarah and her husband Charles bought a 1902 American foursquare a couple of years ago. Since the house originally belong to his grandmother, its restoration became a labor of love for the couple, even though it was in terrible condition. As Sarah says “Our back porch was literally falling off of the house when we bought it. Soffits were completely rotted and railings had been long forgotten. Oh, and the stairs to the basement?
May 4, 2019
Before & After: A 1950s Facade Gets an Update
This home was owned by the same family since it was built in the 1950s, so when Kelly and Dave purchased it a few years ago, there were lots of updates to be made. One such project was bringing the exterior of the home up to date. Removing the shutters was “a big deal”: a decision that came after much consideration by the new homeowners. We think they did the right thing- look how much lighter the new facade looks!
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Plain Patio to Secret Garden
When Danielle’s side yard was about to be paved over by management, she saved as many plants as she could. She then looked to her apartment’s small, enclosed patio, transforming it into an outdoor oasis: From Danielle: While the majority of my plants and flowers are in containers, I had no place to store them while the work was being done, which meant much of it was going to be sacrificed. My husband and I only had 2 days to clear the side area and salvage what we could.
May 4, 2019
Before & After: A Custom Outdoor Kitchen Without the Custom Pricetag
This area of Leslie’s backyard where her grill lived was lacking. But not wanting to pay exorbitant custom kitchen cost, she found functional and stylish workarounds to create that custom look— with a lower price tag. From Leslie: I didn’t want to invest in a new grill, nor invest in a custom outdoor kitchen, so I endeavored to create an affordable, usable outdoor space.
May 4, 2019
Before & After: A Front Garden Goes From Boring to Blooming
This sad-looking border in front of my house is the first proper gardening project I ever tackled. My previous experience of growing things was limited to a couple of window boxes and some short-lived herbs in pots, so when I put a few plants in the ground last spring, I wasn’t sure how they would turn out… One year on, I have a blooming border of three different types of lavender, alliums, agapanthus (African lilies), nemesia, and daisies.
May 4, 2019
Extend Your Gardening Season: Veggies & Herbs You Can Grow Indoors During the Winter Months
Depending on what part of the country you’re in, you still might be enjoying the delicious harvest from your backyard, but here in the Midwest, I’m tearfully waving goodbye to, well, almost everything fresh. While it’s probably impossible to keep gorgeous heirloom tomatoes growing, I’m looking on the bright side at the plants and herbs that will continue to thrive indoors during the dreary winter months.
May 4, 2019
Before & After Makeover, Multiplied: One Balcony Refresh at Four Different Budgets
Long-time Apartment Therapy readers might remember a little renovation diary series about The World’s Ugliest Condo — the affectionate title for my in-laws’ second home in Florida before I redid it for them several years ago. At the time, I shared the entire renovation process, but the one area we didn’t touch was the outdoor space. Until now. The outdoor space was originally just so blah. And tan. And then more tan. Followed up by some tan.
May 3, 2019
7 Different Ways to Design a Simple Garden Walkway
You can give your yard a little love with a simple DIY garden path.
May 3, 2019
Well-Preserved: Fresh Flowers that Dry Beautifully
Cut flowers offer a lovely, if ephemeral and short-lived pleasure—while fresh, that is. Preserved flowers keep on giving, and several fresh picks that can be found in markets now have a gorgeous extended life when dried. The long-lasting, low-maintenance loveliness these preserved blooms offer might sway those looking for the never-ending flower. Here’s a guide to five varieties with decidedly current appeal and timeless potential.
May 3, 2019
We’ve Reached Peak Fiddle Leaf: Is This the New “It” Plant?
A recent New York Times article highlighted the current “it” plant of the home design world: the fiddle-leaf fig plant. Dark green leaves and height create a bold statement in any home. But have we arrived at “peak fiddle-leaf”? I’ve observed another plant taking center stage in interiors recently. A beautiful, dramatic plant addition to any home—but without the price tag (or sometimes-fickleness) of fiddle-leaf plants.
May 3, 2019
Forever Fiddle-Leaf: The Plant that Makes Any Room Look Better
A recent The New York Times article celebrated the fiddle leaf fig as the “it” plant of interiors and we heartily agree. Perhaps the most appealing thing about it is the fact that they breathe fresh life into any room—no matter the decor style. We’ve gathered examples of the flexible fiddle-leaf fig fitting in and making real life rooms look good from our tours of real life homes.
May 3, 2019
Before You Commit: What You Need To Know About DIY Wedding Flowers
Wedding planning is a multi-layered process with many decisions. Searching for ways to save is crucial for smaller wedding budgets, but a lot of couples go the DIY route without fully understanding how much time, energy and money it actually requires. Take flowers. Hiring professional florists is often expensive —especially painful when line items (like catering) already take up a huge chunk of the wedding budget.
May 3, 2019
How to Figure Out What That Tree in Your Yard Is Worth (To Your Bottom Line)
Trees, as anyone who’s ever sat under the shade of one sipping a lemonade in their own front yard can tell you, are a boon to your lifestyle, your curb appeal and your property value. But how much is that tree actually worth, in real, American dollars? It’s really hard to put a price on pretty, but we found a website that wants to try.
May 3, 2019
Be a Beach Boss: The Best Accessories for Summer 2016
Whether you plan to spend all summer playing in the waves or sitting pretty poolside, you’re going to want to take along some warm-weather gear. A nifty misting fan, a wet bag for your damp bathing suit, a portable marble (!) phone charger? You’re going to need all of this. Above: This handmade cotton and leather bag is reversible: Flip it to the teal side when you’re lounging by the pool. Reversible Beach Tote Bag, $42, from Shop La Plage.
May 3, 2019
Before & After: A Side Yard Goes from Barren to Bountiful
If you live in a typical suburban house, chances are good you have a side yard — a barren little strip of land between the side of the house and the fence covered in grass or rocks and probably not much else. But one California homeowner, instead of seeing an awkward, useless space, only saw potential. Clued in by the sun streaming through her bedroom window, Rebekah realized her sunny side yard would be the ideal place to grow vegetables.
May 3, 2019
Renters’ (Summer!) Solutions: Fabulous Temporary Outdoor Flooring Ideas
Before we bought a house, we were champion renters. We lived in a studio, a one-bedroom, a two-bedroom, and a house —all without taking on the title of owners. During those years, I experimented with lots of ways to customize our home without altering the bland beige, sad shag, and lame laminate inside — not to mention the outside space when we had it. I’m a crafty DIYer, so I was able to work some non-permanent magic.
May 3, 2019
5 Beach Houses You’re Going to Want to Move Into
In an effort to soak up every last bit of summer, we’ve rounded up some inspiring seaside homes, from cozy bungalows we can imagine ourselves walking around barefoot in, to pristine spaces straight out of the glossies. Want even more beach-home eye candy? Click through for the full tours of each of these spaces. If you absolutely have to work in paradise, it might as well be at a distressed wood desk, surrounded by surf art, and with a few stray seashells as paperclip catchalls.
May 3, 2019
5 Ways to Make a Cookie-Cutter Suburban House Stand Out
The downside of a lot of typical American neighborhoods is that from the outside, all of the houses look almost exactly alike. But if you want to make your house stand out from the pack, or just make it a little easier for visitors and delivery men to find your home, there plenty of things you can do to give your home a unique look that don’t involve remodeling. Some of them might even be allowed by your HOA. 1.
May 3, 2019
Beyond the Holidays: How To Keep Poinsettias Healthy & Happy
Ubiquitous during the holiday season, many of us find ourselves with poinsettias without ever buying one. With proper care, they can provide your home or office with vibrant winter foliage for several weeks. And although we may consider poinsettias to be “Christmas plants,” they can actually be grown perennially, if you’re up for the challenge. (Just check out how cool the ones in the photo from the Flower Council of Holland look above!
May 3, 2019
5 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Moving Plants Indoors For The Season
Now that it’s officially fall, it’s probably about time to bring your green friends inside for the season. I’m talking about the houseplants you put outdoors to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. But if you’ve ever gone on a tropical vacation during the winter, then flown home to snow, you’ll realize that sudden changes in climate and temperature can be shocking.
May 3, 2019
These High School Sweethearts Got Exactly What they Wanted
Bride & Groom: Tina & Levi Wedding Date: May 30, 2015 Venue: Casino San Clemente in San Clemente, CA Number of guests: About 120 You’ve got to love a couple with a vision. Levi and Tina are high school sweethearts who—after dating for eight years and deciding to tie the knot—knew exactly what they wanted for their wedding day: A romantic garden dinner party with long tables, close friends and great food.
May 3, 2019
4 Reasons How We KNOW this Plant is Going to Be the New Fiddle Leaf Fig
I know, I know. We too get sick of hearing that [insert anything here] is the new black. But I think we’ve truly found the perfect alternative to the ubiquitous fiddle leaf fig which — although admittedly lovely — is somewhat hard to take care of. If you are looking for a new plant hero to transform your interior, without demanding too much of your time, please allow me introduce you.
May 3, 2019
Before & After: A Run-Down Bungalow Turned Sleek, Modern Home
Clara Hah and her husband knew that buying this house in the Cherrywood neighborhood of Austin, Texas, for renovations was going to be a lot of work. However, when they finished, this run-down bungalow was transformed into a modern, sleek house — almost unrecognizable. Now, their home is minimal and lovely, inside and out! Allen and Clara met through a mutual friend years ago and became long distance pen pals, between San Francisco and Houston.
May 3, 2019
Stay in Season: The Most Beautiful Winter Flowers for Your Home
Fresh, colorful flowers don’t exactly come to mind when you think about foliage in the winter months. But when summer is so far away, there’s no reason to wait to bring some floral happiness in your home and garden again. Many flowering plants bloom in colder months and can handle rough winter weather, and some of them aren’t too far off from your sunny spring and summer favorites.
May 3, 2019
10 Tips to Help Your Houseplants Survive Fall & Winter
With end of Daylight Savings near, you’re not the only one anticipating (or rather dreading) the harshest months of the year. Pretty soon, your houseplants will be busy dodging drafts and soaking up every last ray of dwindling sunlight. To give your ferns and fiddle leaf figs a fighting chance at survival, follow these ten tips for winter plant care to get your plants through the worst of it. 1. Move plants away from vents, radiators or drafty windows.
May 3, 2019
Want to Live Longer? This Study Suggests It’s Time to Turn Over a New Leaf
It looks like those plant lady vibes may actually be improving your lifespan. Recent research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital dives into the results of an eight year study covering the possible link between vegetation and life expectancy—and the data suggests it’s time to turn over a new leaf. Spoiler alert: Women who live in homes surrounded by vegetation not only have lower mortality rates, but improved mental health, too.
May 3, 2019
Grow Your Own Food: You Can Now Build IKEA’s “Growroom” Vertical Farm Yourself
Back in October 2016, IKEA’s external innovation hub Space10 announced the Growroom, a spherical structure that allows people to grow their own food locally and sustainably. Last week, Space10 made the plans available to anyone who wants to build their own circular farm.
May 3, 2019
Color Fail: How I Should Have Painted My House, According to Experts
When I chose the trim color for my home, it was the last decision in a long line of decisions at the end of a gut rehab. I was in project overload and gave some vague instructions to the painter one random day that I wanted gray, and the next thing I knew it was done. I’m totally fine with the color, but it’s maybe just a teensy bit dour? (Never mind that Edward Gorey called from the grave to accuse me of stealing his look.
May 3, 2019
Can IKEA Make Hydroponic Gardening Catch On With the Masses?
Last year, IKEA released a line of indoor hydroponic gardening products in the UK. The process, for those unfamiliar, entails growing plants without soil. Will the technique take off? In hydroponic gardening, a plant’s roots are either suspended in a water solution or in an inert medium, like gravel. When using a hydroponic system, plants can be grown indoors year round regardless of climate and with limited space.
May 3, 2019
A Plant Pro Demystifies the 3 Most Important Things a Plant Needs
What could you grow when you were a kid? Summer Rayne Oakes discovered her love of — and knack for keeping alive — plants and nature while she was young: “When I was still in grade school, I built an indoor waterfall in my bedroom so I could grow and raise aquatic plants and insects.” You might remember Summer (and the incredible indoor jungle in her Brooklyn apartment) from her video house tour.
May 3, 2019
Exterior Paint Color Trends We’re Head Over Heels in Love With
Set the style standard on your street.
May 3, 2019
Houseplant Watering Secrets from Regular People Who Keep their Plants Alive & Happy
Advice from plant professionals (like ecologist and urban jungle dweller Summer Rayne Oakes), is great for broadening your nature knowledge base. It can even give you confidence. But sometimes, you need to hear that regular, non-professional people can rock a plant-filled home as well as a professional who seems to have been born with two green thumbs.
May 3, 2019
My Bare Backyard Is a Wasteland of Dog Poop, Weeds & Sorrow
Oh where to begin? My backyard is a pit of earthly despair, good for only three things really: dog waste, weeds and my own tears. I had good intentions when I first created the space, but my installation was poor to begin with, and then ongoing maintenance was not my friend. Ultimately, the grass didn’t stand a chance against all the dog abuse and my own neglect, so weeds and mud moved in, choking out any chance of happiness.
May 3, 2019
$45 Later, This Wall is The Best Thing in My New Backyard
Outdoor vertical container gardens don’t have to be fancy, self-watering affairs that cost hundreds of dollars. For under $50, I made a lush, cascading green wall for my new backyard. Not only is it a fantastic focal point that draws your eye, but it takes gardening to a whole new level. And this project couldn’t be simpler to pull off. This vertical garden couldn’t be easier to make, and adds so much life, color and dimension to my formerly flat wall.
May 3, 2019
Rejoice! I Finally Found a Chemical-Free Way to Combat Weeds
I’ve reached a new state of being, and I owe it all to my front yard. I call it “peak curmudgeon.” Because there’s one soul-sucking Sisyphean home task that drains me like no other — the endless loop of pulling weeds. I try to keep on top of them, but no matter how often I deal, they are there waiting for me again the following week. Weeds leave me muttering and cursing mess.
May 3, 2019
Super Easy Houseplants Even Black Thumbs Can Keep Alive
Plants add so much to living spaces, but it’s all moot if you can’t keep them alive. Us black thumbs mean well, of course —bringing home a new plant with every intention of watering and nurturing it along. And then reality happens and, a month later, our new friend is brown and sagging in the corner. You can guard against the possibility of failure by choosing no-fail, tried and true plants that work for even the most neglectful owners.
May 3, 2019
Worry-Free Plants That Won’t Poison Your Pets
We love our pets, even when they are annoying little troublemakers. So when our furry friends start munching on our plants and digging around in the dirt, it’s our job to keep them safe (even when we want to strangle them). Being the human in the relationship means doing the research and only populating our homes with non-toxic varieties of plants. We’re making it easy for you. Below are some of our favorite pet-safe plants that are non-toxic for both dogs and cats.
May 3, 2019
Living in the Future: “My Plant Waters Itself”
Okay so I’m admittedly a bit of a black thumb. For starters, my apartment—like most in New York City—has windows that directly face the brick exterior of a neighboring apartment, which means natural sunlight is, well, reserved for time outdoors. Throw a busy schedule and life in the mix and remembering to water your succulents is not as easy as it sounds . So although it’s upsetting that I can’t even keep an air plant alive, it’s not terribly surprising.
May 3, 2019
How to Think Like a Florist When Choosing & Caring for Fresh Flowers at Home
As an event florist, keeping flowers alive and looking good is a pretty integral part of my livelihood at Winston & Main. I often joke that all design and artistry aside, I’m really more of a triage nurse for my floral friends. I assess their condition and get them stable, so they can leave my watchful eye and make their beautiful way in the world.
May 3, 2019
Greener Thumb: Tips for Fertilizing Your Houseplants
I’ve only recently rid myself of my life-long black thumb, but I now have over seven happy plants that I’ve kept alive for a few years! Finding the right watering method for my plants and my lifestyle was a huge win. But something I’m still quite unsure about is fertilizing. How and how often should I fertilize my houseplants? Below is advice on fertilizing plants from a few past house tour participants with notably green thumbs and green homes.
May 3, 2019
The Plant Doctors Are In: Welcome to Tula House, Brooklyn’s Mobile Greenhouse
Feeling stuck in a full-time advertising gig, Christan Summers traded her day job for days spent selling succulents out of a “greenhouse on wheels” (that’s the Tulita truck, above) and making house calls to sick fiddle leaf fig trees. Launched in collaboration with Ivan Martinez, the Brooklyn-based plant company Tula House was born in April 2016, and one year later, business is, well, blooming.
May 3, 2019
Vertical Garden DIY Ideas Using a Wooden Pallet (Plus, a Tutorial!)
Vertical gardens are an exciting outdoor project because they show off your flowers and plants beautifully and aren’t difficult or expensive to make. In fact, they can easily be made out of mostly recycled (and recyclable) materials. Vertical gardens are also especially well-suited to small outdoor spaces so no worries if you don’t have a whole yard or deck to work with. Below are the basic instructions for how to make a vertical garden planter using scrap wood and a pallet.
May 3, 2019
Before & After: A First Time Homeowner Kicks Up the Curb Appeal
First things first: congrats to Amanda on purchasing her first home! Taking the plunge can be nerve-wracking, exciting and is always a very big deal. (We’ve got some tips on making it less scary if you need them.) After settling in to her new abode, the next step was to tackle the exterior, which Amanda felt needed a little boost. With the help of a few family members, a super smart paint job and flower power, the home has a fresh look and a whole lot of curb appeal.
May 3, 2019
7 Plants for Your Garden Inspired by Disney’s New Avatar Park
The highly-anticipated Pandora: World of Avatar opens officially to the public on May 27 at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Park. While most will beeline it to the two new rides, the photos we’ve seen of the incredible landscape make the argument to slow down the pace (just a little bit —wouldn’t want to lose your spot in an up-to-six-hour line).
May 3, 2019
Near the Finish Line: Landscaping, Kitchen and Pool! It’s Summer
Welcome to The Stacked Barn project where I lead you through a year-long odyssey that I’ve never been on before: the building of a new house. I’m going to show you how my new home gets built – step by step. Chapter Seven is here. This is Chapter eight. I last reported to you on the very last day of March, so it’s been exactly three months, during which time a few difficult problems, including rain, slowed down the final push.
May 3, 2019
Smart Pot Punishes Your Plants If You Don’t Change Your Bad Habits
We’ve offered plenty of tips on how to break bad home habits, but what if a plant’s lifespan depended on your ability to finally kick those less-than-productive tendencies to the curb? Enter Phabit, a device that rewards good habits by keeping plants alive.
May 3, 2019
Plant Lady 101: How To Help Your Plants Stay Happy When You’re Away From Home
You’re going on a two-week trip. You’ve made your lists, you’re running last-minute errands, and you’ve made arrangements for pets and mail. It’s easy to forget about your green household companions, your plants. But if if you do, you’ll come home to find them unhappy or worse. Here are some ways to care for the verdant members of your household when you’re out of town. Before you leave for your trip, remove all dead leaves from each plant.
May 3, 2019
Must-Have Skill for Plant Lovers: How to Add Drainage Holes to Pots
Cat Meschia of ctrl + curate is a craft blogger based in Gainesville, Florida where she spends her time creating beautiful things that encourage thoughtful living. Known for her affordable small-space solutions and practical yet artistically-driven designs, Cat shares everything from DIY planters to no-weave wall hangings through simple tutorials and inspiration boards.
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Dull Driveway is Now Super SoCal Cool
Turning a driveway and storage area into a beautiful lounge for adults and children alike seemed like an impossible feat for Ali and Evan. Luckily they had a great friend, Lake, who knew exactly how to transform this space! From Lake Sharp of array.la: The lean-to structure immediately creates a sense of privacy and much needed shade, but still allows for airflow and light. The look of the patio is centered around the colorful Laotian lanterns that Ali showed me at our first meeting.
May 3, 2019
Expert Advice: How To Keep Plants Alive in the Summer Heat
Summer heat takes its toll on everyone, and our plants are no exception. Whether you’re simply tending to a few houseplants or an entire outdoor garden, keeping your plants happy and healthy throughout the warm season is vital to both their growth and longevity. Lucky for us, we have Rebecca Bullene, founder of Greenery NYC to call on for expertise. We asked her for advice on how to care for our plants during the summer weather extremes and she had lots to dish.
May 3, 2019
Plant Lady Podcasts: Tune in to Great Gardening Shows
A good gardening podcast doesn’t just hold your attention, it educates and inspires your inner green thumb, as well. And while the web is brimming with plant-friendly podcasts, separating the stellar ones from the so-so can often leave you in a sonic drought. So to cultivate your proverbial and physical gardens, we’ve rounded up eight of our favorite botanical audio blogs for your consideration.
May 3, 2019
One of The Best Ways to Improve Your Home is Do-able in a Day
It’s shockingly difficult to add value to your home these days. Only a few projects have a return of over 100 percent, which means that, no matter what improvements you make, chances are good you won’t get all of your money back when you sell your house. This shouldn’t discourage you from making changes however, as there are other great reasons to upgrade and improve certain features — starting with this one, which can be completed in less than one day.
May 3, 2019
10-Minute Mini Herb Garden in an IKEA Container
When you live within city limits, it’s rare to have access to private green space. In a perfect (and sustainable) world, we would all have our own backyards, overflowing with lush shrubbery, robust herbs, and fruit-bearing trees right next to our cute little chicken coops. In reality, we’re forced to get a little more creative – vertical gardens, hanging planters, and fruit purchased from the local market.
May 3, 2019
Before & After: This Exterior Makeover Will Make You Turn (Sea-Foam) Green With Envy
Ashley’s adorable home needed a bit of a boost in the exterior paint department. After giving herself permission to just friggin go for it, she decided that they would not only be painting their home sea-foam green, they’d be doing it themselves. Sweat was sweated, paint was painted and a few labor heavy weekends later, a bold and bright house emerged.
May 3, 2019
Before & After: The Color That Instantly Modernizes Any Home’s Exterior
Homes across the world come in a rainbow of colors, but there’s one hue that’s king when it comes to working with just about any style of architecture. It’s not an exterior paint choice for the faint-hearted. But those willing to take the paint plunge will be rewarded with a dramatic curb appeal sure to get the neighbors talking. All black!
May 3, 2019
A Guide to Indoor Gardening: Our Review of Living With Plants
Living With Plants is one of those books I wish I had read before I went out and bought a ton of plants years ago. The result of my over-excitement at the time lead some of them to an unfortunate end. This is one of those books I’ll likely reference for years to come, not only because of its useful information on caring for my plants, but also for its beautiful photography, effective styling tips, and the handful of DIY tutorials accompanied with easy-to-follow instructions.
May 3, 2019
Renovation Ideas to Steal from Updated Ranch House Exteriors
In today’s real estate market, affordable ranch homes are proving their potential. When they aren’t dismissed, torn down, and then replaced by larger McMansion-style homes, they get snapped up by eager buyers happy for the large lots, large windows and friendly layouts. These exterior renovations show you don’t have to compromise your style, and that there are so many ways to customize and modernize an ‘outdated’ home’s appearance.
May 3, 2019
The Best-Kept Plant Lady Secret Is Something You’re Not Doing
Keeping your plants clean (and dust-free) is vital to their health and happiness. Along with attracting harmful pests, too much dust on your plant’s leaves can make it hard for your houseplants to absorb light and properly photosynthesize (remember that from elementary school?). That’s why experts recommend dusting off your plants at least once a month by using a clean microfiber cloth. But for the healthiest houseplants possible, the cleaning shouldn’t stop there.
May 3, 2019
Creative Ways to Add Plants to Even a Tiny Kitchen
Nothing adds life (literally and aesthetically) to a space quite like plants. And in a kitchen, plants can serve a double purpose, because if you choose to grow herbs, you can look at them and eat them, too. You may think that having a teeny-tiny kitchen means no room to grow things, but that’s where you’d be wrong. If you’ve got the light, we’ve got nine ideas for ways you can find the space.
May 3, 2019
This Book Will Help You Become the Plant Person You Want To Be
Is it just me, or was 2017 the year everyone became obsessed with plants? I can barely remember to drink enough water myself, let alone keep houseplants alive, but I so admire the plant lady lifestyle. I want to fill my apartment with ferns and flowers and feel a little extra life in my home, but without a naturally green thumb, I need a little help, and I can’t be alone in that, right?
May 3, 2019
Before & After: Saying So Long to a Stucco Exterior
The exterior of Erin’s home was not only weathered and not particularly stylish, it appeared to be falling apart. They decided to tackle a major exterior overhaul while living in the house, and lived to tell the tell. Five weeks later they had a gorgeous new exterior that pays homage to the historic character of her neighborhood. From Erin: Our two bedroom, one bath, ~1,000 square foot row house previously had a stucco front which had been placed over the original brick exterior.
May 3, 2019
Turn Your Black Thumb Green With the World’s First Smart Planter
Get growing, even if you have a completely black thumb, thanks to these new smart planters that connect your container gardens to an app that tells you when to water, prune, and harvest food plants and constantly monitors the weather, soil conditions, and your plants’ every need for you.
May 3, 2019
8 Creepy Yards That Are Winning Halloween on Instagram Right Now
I love Halloween, but in the making costumes, eating candy, and drinking a cocktail while asking “and who are you supposed to be?” kind of way. When it comes to the actual scary stuff, I’m the first to cry and run for my life. I jump a foot when a pin drops, fast forward through tense movie scenes, and avoid haunted houses as if my life really depended on it. And thanks to these yards on Instagram, I’m now going to sleep for the next month with all the lights on.
May 3, 2019
This Lamp Powered By a Houseplant Is Plant Lady Dreams Come True
You might have to brush up on your elementary school science before this begins to make sense to you (or maybe that’s just us), because there’s a lamp that gets its power from a house plant. If you’re rusty when it comes to recalling the basics of photosynthesis, don’t worry: This off the grid lamp created by Ermi van Oers is here to remind you just how potent the process actually is.
May 3, 2019
The Hardware Store Houseplant That Makes a Perfect Small Space Christmas Tree
I’m both unwilling to store artificial christmas tree supplies, as well as insecure about going out to buy a live tree. Past years, I’ve either foregone holiday decorating, or DIYed some sort of makeshift faux tree. While those choices may work for some folks, it’s always left me wanting. That’s why when I came across this houseplant at the hardware store a couple of years ago, I knew it would be the perfect “Christmas tree” for me and my small space.
May 3, 2019
What To Know Before Buying Plants Online (& Where to Get Them)
For design-aware individuals, plant buying isn’t a matter of picking up whatever potted plants the grocery store happens to have on display. No, we want that perfect snake plant that we already have the ideal stand for, or that fiddle leaf fig that we envision arching just so over the reading chair in the living room. Whether you’re shopping for interior plants, privacy hedges, or container gardens, you probably have something specific in your mind’s eye.
May 3, 2019