(lots of greenery in this entry space)

here in boulder we had the MOST spectacular fall, but now everything has “fallen” and all of the trees are bare. i know that technically autumn carries on until december 21st but it already feels like winter with the brown landscape and the bleak, empty branches on the trees.

(the trees in my front yard were just incredible this year!)

(fall is hank’s favorite season… he likes crunching around in the fallen leaves)

i do not have a particularly “green thumb” … in the 70’s, like many berkeley parents, my father got REALLY into plants. our living room became a suburban rainforest with ficuses and ferns and all sorts of greenery EVERYWHERE. my father was constantly going to the local nursery and purchasing new plants and pots and soil. he would sit out on the sidewalk (i am not sure why he chose this location) in his dolphin shorts and repot his palms or his philodendrons as they flourished and needed more space. and then at a certain point his interest waned, he moved onto wheat germ and juicing and plant care was assigned to me. this was no small task… there were a BAZILLION plants in the living room alone so watering them took upwards of an hour. and then there was all the clean up because i inevitably over watered them and had to sop up the excess from the floor. not surprisingly, over time our plant collection really dwindled until there were only a few left in the kitchen. i still feel guilty about the mass genocide of house plants i facilitated.

(here i am in our jungle/living room… probably a good thing that my dad’s plants are disguising my braces and self-cut bangs… i’m not sure what is going on with the bandana…)

(dad potting on the sidewalk in front of our house in the late 70’s)

due to my plant related childhood trauma, as an adult, i have been intimidated by the prospect of taking on this kind of responsibility again. but as a designer, i recognize and greatly appreciate how plants can significantly enhance a home space both visually and emotionally - it is well documented that having living, organic species in your environment boosts calm and general well-being. and after the last few years we can all use a little more of that.

i overcame my fear by reaching out to experts. we have a wonderful local nursery here in boulder (sturtz and copeland) and when i want to place a plant in my home or at a clients’ house i take a picture of the area and ask the people at sturtz which plants i can choose from based on the intended location and what kind of light it will receive. i am very proud to say that this system has served me well and i have many plants in my house that i have kept alive for upwards of EIGHT years. frequently, i also bring the pot i want to use to sturtz so they can help me select an appropriately sized plant. so don’t be afraid… if i can keep a plant going, ANYONE can!

(this big guy is still doing well in my living room - THANK YOU sturtz!)

following are some tips on how to successfully incorporate plants into your interior space, since everything outside is brown and dry.

1. STATEMENT PLANT: a large statement plant can serve as an organic sculpture, adding a big splash of green and an interesting shape to your space.

(this vibrant fiddle brightens up the breakfast nook)

(these tall doubled up plants bring the eye upwards)

(this long leafy plant creates a graphic pattern against the wall and with its shadow)

2. SMALL PLANTS USED AS POPS OF COLOR: small plants can be strategically placed on bookshelves, cabinets, window sills and table tops to add pops of color and dimension to the room.

(i don’t know what this plant is called but i LOVE the hot pink flower)

(table tops and window sills are perfect landing spots for small plants)

(these smaller plants bring a natural element into the marble and wood dining room)

(hang a plant off the side of your bookshelf…)

(or place some on top)

3. PART OF THE COLOR PALETTE: in a space with a neutral palette, the bright green of your plants can work as a complementary, yet prominent accent color.

(the plants in this office provide organic, green hits of color)

(the green leaves of this orchid serve as an accent in this tonal reading nook)

(bamboo is another option for those challenged with “black thumbs”)

4. PLANTS PAIRED WITH ART: placing a plant (or two!) in concert with an art piece adds layered texture to the room.

(these plants ground the painting hung above)

(layering a small plant with a painting creates dimension)

(or a large plant)

5. CORNER PLANT: a strong corner plant grounds the room, giving it balance and interest.

(these two corner plants punctuate the space)

(this tall corner plant balances the standing light on the other side of the sofa)

(all of the pieces in this room emanate from the plant filled corner)

to read more design tips click here or here

photos: HBK photography