Reconnect with nature in a city home
Living in a concrete jungle? Here are some simple plant ideas to give you and your city home a refreshing green boost.
Reframe your view
Yvet lives in a tiny, one-room apartment in the city. “Hardly any homes here have a garden,” she says. But as the popularity of indoor gardening shows, people find other ways to reconnect with nature. At the windowsill, Yvet added planters for herbs or greenery depending on the season. “Not only do I like the way it looks, it’s also easy to take the planters in and out when I’m cooking,” says Yvet.
I love the way the green frames the windows. My home backs directly onto another residential street, so it provides a little bit of privacy, a fresh scent and a greener view.”
Yvet
Breathe life into a small space
A lack of floorspace needn’t stop your plant collection from growing. Yvet used the partition between her kitchen and living area to hang green planters, and picked certain plant species to match how she displays them. Leafy vines, such as Devil’s Ivy (the lowest hanging plant in the picture), are known for their air-purifying qualities and have long, trailing stems.
I could be living in a home even tinier than this and I would still find a place for plants. Potting a few cacti inside a mini terrarium works well for small spaces.”
Yvet
Plants bring life into a home. My space would feel too white, plain and cold without them. But they’re actually living things, so you need to take good care of them.”
Yvet
Turn plant care into a ritual
Escape the bustle of the city with a therapeutic ritual, like plant care. “I water plants in the evenings or at weekends, and sometimes spritz in between,” says Yvet. “Cacti require water every three weeks, but test the soil first – it’s easy to over water.” If you’re forgetful, try placing similar species next to each other so that when one plant is thirsty, they all are.
If you’re not the green-fingered type, choose low or no-maintenance plants. Hanging dried leaves, flowers or cuttings on the wall requires no care at all!”
Yvet
Reap the benefits
“Seeing a plant that you’ve nurtured begin to flourish is such a satisfying feeling,” says Yvet. “I enjoy learning the Latin names for plants and reading up on the best conditions for each species. I used to have around 40 plants in my last flat, but when I moved here, they had a hard time adjusting. Lots didn’t survive, so now I’m rebuilding my collection with hardy plants such as Monstera.”
We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But please note that altering or modifying IKEA products so they can no longer be re-sold or used for their original purpose, means the IKEA commercial guarantees and your right to return the products will be lost.
Made by
Interior stylist: Ashlyn Gibson
Photographer: Benjamin Edwards
Follow Yvet on Instagram: @yvetvandernaalt
