The Secret Sauce

Sitting down to write this post I’d be kidding to say I felt adequate. On a subject that I know little about, how can I possibly talk with a voice of authority, or at the very least one of persuasion? It is in this season of learning and growth for me, that elevated my interpretation of my own home. I hope by sharing my experience in real time, without a filter, can make it accessible. Perhaps my story can prove a testament to precisely why, in even the most refined spaces, it is so vitally important to incorporate plants.

Our Music Room and home of two of my four Big Green Babies

Prior to now I am guilty of snatching up the ‘cliche’ plants (I like a good Fiddle Leaf Fig, sue me) for aesthetic purposes. I was concerned with their health as it related to my overall vision for the space and how to achieve a ‘balanced’ look. And obviously brown leaves don’t trend well on social media. Even with clients I found myself installing plants that would survive but they were no more than place holders to, once again, achieve a desired look. To be frank, I was the most awful plant parent and used so many little plant babies as props.

Something you may not know about me is that I suffer from seasonal sluggishness. Basically October - March I want to hibernate, like under the covers for the duration kind of hibernate. I was looking for a way to combat the soon to be ‘Winter Blues’.

While this story does start out self serving I eventually learn my lesson… keep reading.

Combined with ‘Quarantine Boredom’ and my desire to stay motivated through a season that is looooong here in the Midwest I recently made the conscious effort to include plants in my home. For the past few months I have visited countless nurseries and listened to hundreds of youtube videos on exactly the ‘right method for misting’. I was determined to keep something living (I learned sadly that they won’t be doing a ton of ‘growing’ in the winter… bummer) in my home and I was soon hit with all the ‘residual effects’ caring for plants provides the caretaker themself. 

In these past few months I have learned so much about the incredible abilities plants have, especially when we live amongst them. My home felt it, I felt it. These plants, these incredible living, and breathing plants were teaching me so much more than I could ever imagine. These little guys were teaching me the ‘meaning of life’ (ok, not to be dramatic but seriously) and in turn allowing my space to actively teach me (boom, drop the mic).

As many of you know I am very much concerned that the spaces I design serve my clients on a visceral level. Beyond just visually appealing, I strive to design spaces with the intention of elevating one’s entire life even when they are away from their four walls. Discovering this VAST missing piece seemed like I was missing the secret sauce. I needed to spool up and spool up fast. 

These three rules kept this great big world of plants manageable for me. 

Start Small

There is no shame in starting with a small plant. Although it may seem way cooler to have a jungle day one, there is something so endearing about witnessing the process that plant took to achieve its monstrous size. Also, if you prefer a smaller touch in your home, keeping it in a small pot will ensure it doesn’t overtake a space.

Don’t make it too hard too soon

Now of course, if you're like me and believe you ‘go big or go home’ I would start with something that is fairly easy to care for like a ‘Snake Plant’. Your local nursery can offer suggestions based on your home’s specific conditions. Incorporating plants into your home successfully takes time and patience. If you are going to invest in something bigger you want to make sure you have the appropriate conditions so your hard earned green doesn’t yellow like the leaves.

Sit back and listen

One of the things you constantly hear me preach is making room for the breaths. Allowing for the pauses, listening for the answer to which you seek. When I design a space I spend time communing with the space and allowing it to have a voice in what transpires. Plants, I’ve found, are no different. They are not stagnant objects, they are living and breathing. Creating a flourishing environment requires you to be still enough for their voice to be heard as well.

Plants have taught me so many beautiful lessons that could be applied to endless parts of our lives. The connection that plants will bring to your space is unlike anything that I have ever experienced, something that could not ever be duplicated. Without plants our spaces will remain dormant. Plants are more than just pretty props, they bring a vibration that awakens your space and begins the conversation. I implore you to include at least one into your home. Not only include them but commune with them and allow their energy to elevate your space. 

A local plant shop Good Roots has a tradition of having customers ‘name’ their new plants. They say this is to establish a bond with your plant, and increases the odds that you will care for it appropriately. I am still working on a name for my new Pilea Peperomioides that I got from Good Roots over the past weekend. Let me know if you have a suggestion!

What was your first plant (or your plans for your first plant!), did it have a name?