Tag: indoor plants

September 22, 2013

Kicked to the curb.

I have a problem.

I just love objects that have been ‘kicked to the curb’.

I went through a stage where I couldn’t go for a walk without coming home with a pre-loved item that had been sitting on the curb.

It was when I lived back home with mum & dad. Admittedly, bought home some pretty weird items – A family portrait (of some stranger’s family)….It had a nice frame! The inside of an old television…I wanted to transform it into a cool installation art piece. A wooden shipping palette…I wanted to create a table. Sadly, none of these ‘creative aspirations’ ever came into fruition. Instead, I was just yelled at; “Nix, if you bring one more piece of junk inside this house…..we are kicking you to the curb”. Ouch.

Over the years, I have learnt to control my urge. I can’t really explain why…. but I am drawn to pre-loved sofas, cabinets, shelves etc which are kicked to the curb. I almost feel sorry for them. They were once so loved…a part of the interior. Now, they have now been deemed ‘useless’. Either waiting for the council clean up…or for someone else to rescue them. Seeing abandoned household furniture and objects, are a catalyst for my mind to embark on some bizarre imaginative journey; Who sat on that couch? What items have been stored in those drawers? What was watched on that TV?

It’s just like an informal sidewalk orphanage. You will never know the exact history of pre-loved object, but sometimes you just have a ‘connection’ with an object and learn to love it, like it has always been you own.

Ok, I know….I probably sound like a crazy person.

Yesterday as I was walking up the street….I spotted a gorgeous wire planter. I have been wanting one for ages. It was definitely a sign. It looked so cute and lonely…just chillin’ out on the curb. Waiting to get picked up by an old council truck. I couldn’t handle the thought of this little planter being landfill.

So….I rescued it. Next weekend, I am going to give it the ultimate makeover. I will spray it either gold or black…from CURB to SUPERB!!!

In the 1970s indoor plants were all the rage and in recent times they have definitely made a comeback. Indoor plants needs to be used appropriately, otherwise they can literally transform your interior space into a scene reminiscent of Fern Gully on the Jungle Book. It is important to keep it simple and not crowd the space too much. Interesting shape leaves teamed with a cute pot is the perfect way to freshen up a lifeless space (plus having indoor plants is apparently very healthy!).

Check out some of these cute planters below…

(Image via Fab)

(Image via scandinaviandeko.com)

(Image via Homed It)

(Image via Nitzan Cohen)(

(Image via Pinterest)

(Image via Liz Marie)

(Image via Etsy)

I am SO excited to give my little orphan wire planter a make over…and then buy a plant to fill him with!

Happy Sunday night!

N x

April 14, 2013

So Sexy!

Juicy. Sappy. Fleshy. Lush. No, I am not referring to my bootilicious booty….but instead the less famous cousin of the cacti – the succulent.

Of late, I have had an obsession with succulents. Especially when placed in clear glass vases. I am drawn to succulents primarily because of their shape and form. There is something so sensual about their fleshy, hardy ‘leaves’. They possess an innate calming quality – I could honestly stare at my succulent for hours…ok, maybe not hours – but atleast good 7 minutes.

Succulents can add warmth and colour into any lifeless corner. They are also versatile and slip easily into a modern or more traditional space. Succulents can range from green to purple in colour.

Ok, so admittedly I didn’t obtain my succulent from an honest source. I may have helped myself to a ‘clipping’ from a neighbors front garden. I still feel so guilty – It was close to 11pm, I was dressed like a licorice stick (all black) and literally crawled down the street …. it is probably the most rebellious thing I have done in a while. No joke. Come on….I was in the choir for 13 years – what do you expect?

I don’t have the best track record in keeping plants alive, so they are perfect for me – very low maintenance. I don’t even need to water it…it just sits there, in its water….growing and growing. So cute!

Here is my succulent plant (I placed it in a glass water bottle)….

Check out some sexy succulent inspiration……

(Image via Style Me Pretty)

(Image via Tumblr)

(Image via F Store)

(Image via Etsy)

(Image via Pinterest)

(Image via Man Made Daily)

(Image via Pinterest)

So what do you think? Do you agree? Aren’t succulents just so sexy!

Happy Sunday Night.

N x

October 21, 2012

My thumb is…not so green.

I should know that I was not born with a green thumb. As a five year old girl I spent hours ‘weeding’ our garden. To my dad’s horror, I had not pulled out any ‘weeds’, but instead I had successfully removed his entire herb garden.

Last week, 21 years on I thought I would give it another shot. I purchased a beautiful basil plant form the markets. I named him Bertie. I lovingly watered him everyday….only to wake up this morning to….this…

Wilted. Crisp. Dying.

I tried to resuscitate him. But, now I have a feeling I have drowned him….

My failure to facilitate Bertie to thrive, prompted me to think of the use of herb gardens & indoor plants. They add colour, visual interest and life (literally) into any space. Aesthetically, I especially love succulent’s. Plump, fresh and textured. A beautiful addition to any dining table or kitchen bench.

In recent times, I have seen an increasing use of terraniums. They are an excellent way to integrate a sense of nature into an interior in a clean and minimalist way. Enveloped in glass, they create ‘neat’ lines and are not messy.

According to Feng Shui, plants emit a positive energy, because they cleanse the air and contribute to the positive flow of chi throughout a house. If not for their aesthetic, functionally plants are great as they can purify the air.

Succulent, herbs and other plants do not need to be showcased in boring plastic buckets – instead they can be displayed creatively.