“Predictability is achingly boring,” says Kimberly Von Koontz. “If something is left undone or lying against the wall, it gives the room a sense of impending evolution.” The California-raised landscape designer, who helped create the rooftop garden at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, abides by her word. Nothing in her spacious two-bedroom apartment—which she shares with her son, Romeo—is what you’d expect to find in the heart of Manhattan’s Financial District.

With her wavy butter-blonde hair and streamlined personal style, Von Koontz looks every bit the successful New York designer. But as with much of her life, the path was hardly predictable. As a junior studying architecture at the University of Colorado and visiting Florence, Italy, on a study-abroad program, she became so entranced with the culture she decided to leave school and stay. “It was massively influential,” she says of the time spent in the city. Later, she moved to Milan to earn a master’s degree in fashion brand management at the Istituto Marangoni and then to Hong Kong to handle marketing events for Lane Crawford, a luxury retailer.

A thrilling highlight was assisting Italian architect Roberto Baciocchi, who established the look of hundreds of Prada boutiques globally, with trend research for in-store displays. In 2012, when she arrived in New York—“The most sophisticated place I could dream up”—she quit the fashion world to devote herself to landscape design, which she had been studying in her spare time. Today her eponymous firm tackles everything from creating a meditative green roof for a renovated firehouse in Manhattan to studding a horse farm in upstate New York with scores of crab apple trees.

Like her landscapes, Von Koontz’s home has a sense of wildness to it that defies easy categorization. “I wasn’t trying to capture a mood,” she says nonchalantly of the living and dining areas. “This is literally a collection of my things.” The through-line here is the fact that every item is something she wants to own forever. Of course, with Italian mid-century collectibles, including a 1950s wood bar cart and Superleggera chair, it’s not hard to see why. A pair of low-slung Gae Aulenti chairs, placed around a glass table with a cantilevered steel base, play well with the “sexy” black lacquered floors, while an array of Italian sculptures, some by Giorgio de Chirico and Marino di Teana, hint at Von Koontz’s love of old-world refinement. The “menacing” aluminum blinds are a recent addition.

As one would hope, her home is a showcase for Von Koontz’s enviable green thumb. Rex begonias, with their splashy displays of color and love of indirect light, are perennial standbys, as is Strelizia nicolai, the white bird of paradise with a hauntingly beautiful flower. (Romeo’s pick: the escargot, whose snail-like foliage makes him gasp, “Oh, wow, Mama!”) Much like the hallway, which dazzles with an enormous abstract tapestry by French painter Edgard Pillet and a pair of Carl Fagerlund mirrors scored from Von Koontz’s friends at Maison Gerard in Greenwich Village, Romeo’s bedroom is a study in contrasts. A banner of slick bubblegum pink fabric Baciocchi made for Prada hangs from the wall by the bed, a cheeky rebuff to the vignette of neutrals—a chocolate-and-cream checkerboard rug, an industrial table, and a resin and papier-mâché chair. “It has this speed to it,” Von Koontz says fondly of the cloth. “And that little yellow mirror worked out perfectly, too.”

Still, she doesn’t like her apartment to feel too crowded, so she stores many things, including treasured ones, in a warehouse. Culling and editing Romeo’s toys has become a pastime, and she isn’t afraid to give things away. “I think having 10 inspiring toys is far more useful for a young mind than thousands,” she notes. Coming from someone who has owned the same plates for 25 years, this makes sense. “Never buy anything that you don’t totally love,” Von Koontz states adamantly. “Go without the dishes until you can get the ones you want.” This strict sensibility informs how she lives. She likes a set table—preferably with 18th-century Chinese plates, silverware inlaid with Swarovski crystal, and prized Venetian glasses plucked at a street market. “All these temporary baby things go against my creed of purchasing something you’ll keep forever,” she says. Not that Romeo isn’t making his mark. He has his own idea of keepsake possessions, and if you look closely, you’ll see toy animals lining his windowsill. Says Von Koontz, “The house has never been given over to kids, but I’m increasingly seeing how he’s spreading his wings.”

The Goods

Lounge Chair by Gae Aulenti for Knoll, Chairish ($2,495)

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Walker Checkered Shag Area Rug, AllModern ($130 was $173)

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Raawii Duplum Mirror, Nordstorm ($180 was $250)

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Set of 3 Earth Fired Clay Dishes + Saucers, Terrain ($40 was $60)

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This story was originally published in our Spring 2019 issue with the headline “In Pursuit of Beauty.”

The post Like a Good Fabric, Houseplants Add Texture in This Landscape Designer’s NYC Apartment appeared first on domino.

Truth: Terracotta—the color and the material—is everywhere. Thanks to earthy designers like Sarah Sherman Samuel and the couple behind Posada by the Joshua Tree House, the desert-y shade has appeared in furniture, bedding, and even bathrooms. And we’re certainly not mad at it.

That’s because terracotta, the actual clay material, is a total must-have for design-minded plant parents, too. First of all, it’s porous, so it allows water and air to flow through it. You can also use it indoors and out. And the look, while it happens to be timely, is also totally timeless.

But sometimes the planters you find at your local nursery, though utilitarian, can be a little plain. Here, we’ve rounded up the most stylish versions for sprucing up your home and yard.

Grow Your Own Way

Areaware Small Stacking Planter, Hawkins New York ($80)

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The curved shape is pretty, and the fact that this porcelain planter comes in two sizes, each with a saucer that catches water, is extremely practical. 

Pattern Play 

4-Inch Footed Terracotta Outdoor Planter Pot by Hilton Carter, Target ($10 was $15)

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Hilton Carter’s raised geometric pattern paired with a footed base makes a run-of-the-mill pot feel special.

Blooming on a Budget

Terracotta Plant Pot, H&M ($13)

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For less than $20 a pop, you can fill your WFH area with enough greenery to make your coworkers think you’re taking Zoom calls from a tropical oasis. 

Perfectly Imperfect

Efrem Terracotta Outdoor Planter, CB2 ($49 was $70)

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The tight, ribbing detail at the base of this planter will draw the eye up to your succulents of choice in this outdoor-friendly planter. Scoop up both the small and medium sizes for double the fun. 

Hang Loose

Cenote Hanging Planter, Sin ($165)

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Not all greenery belongs on the ground. This hanging container from Brooklyn ceramist Virginia Sin can float in any window, and its cutouts allow for strings of succulents to cascade down.

Variety Show

Franca NYC Stacked Planter, West Elm ($94)

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Playing with height makes an arrangement of vessels look interesting, even when they’re all made out of the same clay-colored material.

Bowled Over

Terracotta Round Bowl, Happy Plant Shop ($19)

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This sophisticated pot looks so much more expensive than it is, and a grouping of succulents would only help add to its luxe feel.

So Edgy

Bergs Scallop Bowl and Saucer Set, Terrain ($64)

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A scalloped design gives this handcrafted Danish planter a touch of charm; the patina keeps it from being too precious.

Stand and Deliver

Brice Ceramic Planter With Stand, Rejuvenation ($170 was $229)

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Give your squat pot a boost with a sleek metal stand that looks just as chic tucked into a corner of your apartment as it would greeting guests on your front porch.

Personal Preference

Checkerboard Planter Pot, Etsy ($22 was $28)

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Another amazing aspect of terracotta? You can easily paint it any shade you like. Or if you’re not the crafty type, this geometric design is already done for you.

Terracotta, But Make It Fashion

Rim Planter, EQ3 ($52 was $70)

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Shaped like an upside-down hat, this wide-rimmed planter makes a quirky-cool style statement.

Up, Up, and Away

Studio Arhoj Small Tri-pot, End ($45)

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Here’s an idea with legs: Each of these three stilts has a drainage hole at the bottom to keep roots from rotting. We’re partial to Workaday’s chunkier, three-legged version, too. 

Hold On 

Cosa Terracotta Outdoor Planters, Pottery Barn ($50 was $59)

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Handmade by artisans in the Philippines, we love the added detail of side handles to more easily rearrange your outdoor setup of mums or hydrangeas. And you won’t have to wait for that coveted patina to form. 

Side Slope

LBE Design Rancho Ceramic Indoor / Outdoor Planter, Lulu and Georgia ($44)

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Our trick to picking out a quality planter? Check the glaze. LBE Design’s is fully coated inside and out.

A Petite Suite 

Michiko Shimada Terracotta Mini Planters, Amazon ($33)

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Why have one terracotta planter when you can have three? This sweet set comes with a trio of differently sized and shaped pots with saucers, but each is perfectly petite. Happy planting!

The post 15 Cool, Contemporary Terracotta Planters You Won’t Find at Your Local Nursery appeared first on domino.

All it takes is one success story—a fiddle-leaf fig that’s still holding up after months or a pothos that finally grows long enough to start trailing—for a person to lean into plant parenthood. One becomes two, becomes four, and before you know it you need to figure out a tactic to keep all your greenery thriving and organized. The solution is simple: Consider the plant shelf.

Plant shelf ideas can be as simple as experimenting with your book-to-pot ratio, getting creative with your mix of plants, or sticking with a consistent color palette of pots. Here are 12 ideas that will inspire you to figure out the best arrangement for your growing collection.

Give Them a Shower 

After a remodel in this Domino editor’s bathroom filled every corner with sun, it seemed unfair to let the shampoo and soaps on the shower niche hog all the vitamin D. A couple of pots on the tippy-top shelf keep the greens happy and gives the space an even lighter feel. 

Mini Recycled Planter, The Sill ($34)

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Roseyat Shower Shelf, Amazon ($29)

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Get in Where You Fit In 

There’s greenery in almost every corner of this schoolhouse-turned-residence in Delaware, but it is the home of an artist, so most of the walls are reserved for, well, art. Instead, plants find a home on the tops of bookshelves, spice racks, and ladders. 

Areaware Tall Stacking Planter, Urban Outfitters ($100)

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Penn Shelving Unit, Burke Decor ($1,098)

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Table the Idea

Instead of hanging shelves in her Brooklyn rental, Airbnb host Barbara Silva keeps some of her smaller pots clustered together on a small side table next to the sofa. Their perch is made from a stump of wood that keeps the corner feeling extra-organic. 

Mistletoe Cactus, Easyplant ($49)

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Millwood Pines Aatiqah Side Table, Wayfair ($178 was $228)

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Keep Them With Your Other Essentials

Sarai Reed believes bookshelves should primarily be used for books—but there’s always room for some greenery. She designed her own honeycomb shelving system (sketching it out on the back of a piece of junk mail), which suited her small condo. “I needed a streamlined look, so my books are roughly organized by color and shape, and I added a plant to the empty shelves,” she says.

Tortuga Modern Terrazzo Platform Planter, Food52 ($45)

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Geometric Shape Decorative Bookshelf, QVC ($377)

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Find Your Spot

For this shelf, Darryl Cheng of Houseplant Journal selected an arrangement of snake plants, all potted in neutral vessels. But most important is where he put the shelf. “There is a large skylight that provides the bright, indirect light that these plants enjoy,” he says.

Ravine Planter, Lulu & Georgia ($309)

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4-Tier Industrial Black Bookshelf by Honey Can Do , QVC ($200)

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Get Layered

“This is the area that receives some of the best light in my home, so I chose to stagger the shelves across the wall to incorporate plants and pots of varying heights,” says designer James Renaud. An extra-tall climbing monstera next to the wall installation completes the jungle effect.   

Earth Fired Clay Thin Rim Pot + Saucer Set, Terrain ($22)

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Matte black floating shelves, CB2 ($119)

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Mix Your Textures

Before adding plants to any space, Lindsey of Fancy Plants Chic first considers how much light it gets—this room receives medium-to-bright indirect light, so pretty much any plant can thrive in it. That made it easier for her to get creative with her plant selection for these floating shelves. “I arranged them with a mixture of varying textures and colors, as well as plants that trail and some that climb upward to fill empty space,” she explains.

Ceramic Planter Pot Black by Hilton Carter, Target ($10)

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Rattan Round Shelf Natural, Target ($45)

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Make the Most of Space

Have a lot of plants and not much room to keep them? There’s a simple solution. “Floating shelves are a great way to use wall space,” shares My Peaceful Moment. 

Sorbus Floating Shelves, QVC ($25)

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Two tier industrial pipe wall shelf by Danya B., Target ($90)

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Try Something New

“The shelf was originally meant to be merely a way to store books—I had it on the other side of the room, with all the books standing up and all the plants clustered together on one side,” says Noor Hasan. When she decided to move the shelf above her bed so she could put her projector on it, she took her books down in handfuls and topped each stack with a plant as a temporary solution—but she loved the look so much she decided to keep it.

Nude tanlines pot, Coming Soon ($65)

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Earth Fired Clay Herb Pot + Saucer Set, Terrain ($24)

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Embrace Imperfection

Christopher Griffin’s shelving solution also started unintentionally. “While I was hanging the shelf, it slipped and slid down into that position. It looked great to me, so I decided to keep it that way,” he says. 

Maya Terracotta Planter, Pottery Barn ($79)

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Svenshult Wall Shelf, IKEA ($25)

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Consider Your Plants’ Needs

Mish of Planty of Mish originally had a shelf with all-even levels but replaced it with a String shelf that works better for her greenery. “I can arrange the plants based on how big they are and what their light requirements are—some shelves have grow lights on top,” she says. “Because the shelf is wire, my humidifier is also able to mist the whole area well.”

Lifelike grass in ceramic vase by Vintage Home, QVC ($50)

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Santa’s Workshop iron shelf, HSN ($224)

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Stagger Your Greenery

For a more pared-back look, Laura Beeson of Those Positive Plants deliberately staggers her plants. “The string of hearts and string of pearls both look very elegant trailing, and I purposely positioned the philodendron monkey mask at the top of the shelf; as it grows the leaves will gradually trail down the side of the shelf,” she says. A few smaller plants, including cacti and a hoya kerrii, finish the look.

Celia vase, CB2 ($17)

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Modern wall shelf by Kate and Laurel Daxton , Amazon ($150)

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The post 12 Creative Plant Shelf Ideas to Display Your Greenery appeared first on domino.

Plant stylist and author Hilton Carter has duped us again. For his second collaboration with Target, Carter unsurprisingly gave us a stylish selection of planters, but it’s his collection of real-looking faux plants that had us zooming in for a closer look once more.

Carter’s 30-item line, which launched this week, is filled with pretty (and pretty convincing) fake foliage that gives black thumbs a chance to appreciate the lush life without the stress of plant parenting. From a small hanging string-of-pearls for those out of floor space to an impressive 5-foot-tall bird of paradise that’ll fill awkward empty corners, the lineup includes a range of sizes to suit any space, starting at $12. We quickly spotted the polka dot begonia—a highly sought-after and often finicky species in its living form, of which Domino’s Kate Berry is a big fan. Carter says, “It’s what I would call a ‘designer plant,’” adding that the signature spotted top and burgundy underside are what make it such an impactful addition to any space. It’s the attention to detail when it comes to the foliage’s standout shape and patterns that make this artificial version feel so authentic, he adds: “While it isn’t a spot-on replica, it does feel close.” 

16″ Artificial Polka Dot Plant by Hilton Carter, Target ($25)

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Prefer the real deal? Don’t worry, Carter thought of you, too. A variety of textured terracotta vessels are perfect for greenery that prefers dryer soil, and he recommends styling these with upright species. “A cat palm explodes out, giving you that more tropical look, and doesn’t hide the beauty of the planter itself,” he says. The self-watering concrete options are great for containing heat for warm-weather lovers like orchids, while the glazed ceramic pieces, starting at $10, retain plenty of moisture for thirsty types like ferns. Lazy gardeners, listen up: Every style is sized to fit standard nursery pots, which means no messy replanting—a relief for plant parents at any stage. 

Here are four more of our favorites from the collection.

10″ Wide Self-Watering Square Concrete Outdoor Planter Pot by Hilton Carter, Target ($40)

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8.5″ Footed Terracotta Outdoor Planter Pot by Hilton Carter, Target ($40)

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7″ Wide Footed Stoneware Outdoor Planter Pot White by Hilton Carter, Target ($15)

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9″ Small Artificial ZZ Plant by Hilton Carter, Target ($12)

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The post Hilton Carter’s New Target Drop Features a Convincing Faux Version of This “Designer Plant” appeared first on domino.

If you’ve ever been at the mercy of a finicky orchid or fiddle-leaf fig, you already know plant parenting isn’t always easy. That’s why Hilton Carter’s first three books focused on arming newbies with a deep understanding of the basics. But his fourth title is for those ready to graduate from foundational knowledge and cultivate some flair. In Living Wild, the plant-fluencer lifts the curtain on the artistry of plant styling with a deep dive into colors, textures, and statement-making combinations. Along the way, he takes readers into eight lush homes that he styled, including his own. In this excerpt, Carter shares how a little creativity turned a pest problem into the planter of his dreams. 

When I was plant styling my home and trying to find the perfect planters for every single plant, nothing could top our in-floor planter. Yes, you read that right. You see, sometimes good things can come out of bad situations. While we were renovating our home, inactive termite damage was found in the wood flooring of the living room. Not wanting the new floor there to clash with the original boards elsewhere, we decided to get new flooring for the entire downstairs of the house. 

While this caused us a lot of stress, as well as lost time and money, a silver lining did appear. We were going to place a new window on the south side of the house, and I suggested we build an in-floor planter in front of it before we installed the new floor. Then we could plant a citrus tree, a calamondin (Citrus x macrocarpa), in it and have it growing out of the floor, just like in Jack and the Beanstalk. This would blur the line between indoors and out (if it hadn’t been blurred already by the 300 other plants). “But how does it drain?” you may ask. Well, we had piping connected to a drain in the base of the planter that leads outside. You could say the house became the planter, and what a perfect one it is. 

Even when you don’t have a plant in mind, it’s hard not to purchase a new planter when you see one you love, just in case it works for a future project. But when I’m styling my own space, I’ll most likely choose the plant for a particular area first, then select the planter that it will be styled in. The in-floor planter was an exception to this rule. 

Once I’ve figured out the light situation and decided on the type of plant, I consider the colors and textures of the pieces nearby and pick a planter that vibes well with the plant. You can choose either to mimic the texture or color of the plant or create a cool conflict between the two. For example, the smooth, leathery foliage of a rubber tree (Ficus elastica) in a fluted terracotta planter feels like a perfect combination. Or imagine a Madagascar palm (Pachypodium lamerei) in a Japanese nerikomi-style planter. The coupling of the layers of colored clay with the thorny plant would be divine. 

From Living Wild: How to Plant Style Your Home & Cultivate Happiness by Hilton Carter, CICO Books. Photographs: Hilton Carter © CICO Books.

Buy the Book

Living Wild: How to plant style your home and cultivate happiness, by Hilton Carter, Amazon ($45)

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The post How Hilton Carter Turned a Termite Problem Into a Brilliant Indoor Gardening Moment appeared first on domino.

Christopher Griffin, the Brooklyn-based botanical expert also known as Plant Kween, has made it their mission to help those who are less gifted in the gardening department, even if what you need assistance with is as seemingly simple as keeping a succulent alive. Griffin is seeing aspiring green thumbs shift away from fussy varieties like the Boston fern and gravitate toward low-maintenance buds that “will help them hone in on the process, skills, and adventure of indoor gardening,” they share. Still, there is more to helping your spiral aloe or bunny ears cactus thrive than meets the eye. 

Luckily, Griffin is extending their prowess to the masses through a partnership with 1-800-Flowers.com. For a limited time, the collaboration provides customers with a selection of green offerings curated by Griffin, a succulent garden workshop, and plenty of resources to guide the growth journey. They handpicked an assortment of 15 green and blooming choices that largely appeal to novice plant parents after noticing a downward trend in the popularity of difficult-to-care choices. In this collection, some of those include the marble queen pothos, ZZ plant, and snake plant. And while Griffin says the fiddle-leaf fig can be a diva, it’s still a species many gravitate toward, so it made the cut, too.  

For true beginners, the Plant Kween Succulent Garden on-demand workshop is the best place to start. For $65, you’ll learn step by step how to design a potted setup from Griffin and receive a kit with five various succulents, a terracotta planter, and a soil mix included. But in case you can’t be there for the streaming, we asked Griffin to share a few of their top care tips here. 

• On sunlight: Succulents should get at least six hours of sunlight per day. However, do be mindful of potential sunburn, as too many rays can scorch some species.
  
• On moisture: Thick, sap-filled leaves allow succulents to retain water more effectively than plants with thin leaves. I recommend watering every 10 to 14 days in the warmer months and every 21 to 30 days in colder months.
  
• On soil: Well drained and aerated is the way to go! Anything from coconut coir soil to a standard potting mix with some added perlite and fir bark is the perfect scene for that kween.

The post The 3 Tips Plant Kween Wants You to Take Away From Their New Succulent Garden Workshop appeared first on domino.

If you spend your days styling rooms with trendy colorful cushions and lacquered high-gloss furniture, you might be tempted to fill your house with more of the same. But for Los Angeles prop and interiors stylist Scott Horne, it’s just the opposite. His 1941 Streamline Moderne home in the city’s Silver Lake neighborhood is a study in timeless, subdued, soulful design. “When I come home, I like to have a respite from the visual world I live in,” he explains. 

Think: stone, ceramic, rattan, wood, and metal mixed with a deft hand—call it a high-style cocoon. “I am by nature a nester,” says Horne. “I want to create an environment where I feel the most at peace. I’ve found that neutrals and natural textures do that for me.”

While he often works in grand houses and on elaborate sets for brands like Parachute Home and Target, his own place has a footprint of under 1,400 square feet. A draw for him, in fact—fewer rooms equals less maintenance, crucial for someone who’s not home much.

Then there is the sunken living room. This main space is blessed with great light and verdant views thanks to a wall of casement windows. “When I sit on the sofa, I don’t see anything but sky and treetops,” says Horne. “I do everything here…entertain, watch television, nap.” There are several seating areas to do so, a result of little wall space and an off-center fireplace. A cushy sofa and vintage armchairs serve as a lounge; a modernist French bistro table and carved wood chair offer a spot for tea or tackling his favorite Piecework puzzle; and the cozy nook to the left of the fireplace is where he catches up with friends on the phone.

Filling the house with his covetable furniture collection was not a problem, but peppering in all of his interesting objects—decorative boxes and bowls, art, even spoons—did present a challenge: Save for the mantel and a couple windowsills, there was a distinct lack of ledges in the living room. A cleverly placed wall-to-wall shelf up above the windows (accessed via a vintage ladder) holds his art and photography books, while tables are tucked into multiple corners to display vignettes of ceramics, baskets, and sculptures. 

“I am drawn to things that have wear and patina,” he says. “Things that have a story versus just manufactured items on a store shelf. I feel they have lived a life.” A prime example: A vintage trunk that serves as a side table next to the sofa. Horne fell for the distressed leather and overworn brass details. “I like to think about what treasures were safely stowed in it over time,” he says. For his part, he keeps his favorite photos, old mixtapes, and keepsake albums inside. 

Horne painted every inch of the home in his favorite “not too white white” paint, Benjamin Moore’s White Dove, which he also uses on shoots. It has the added bonus of highlighting the original wide wall paneling and providing a gallery-like backdrop for Horne’s eclectic art collection, admittedly one of his cheap thrills. “Art is very important to me, and I gain a lot of inspiration going to galleries, museums, and studios, but I rarely spend money on it,” he explains. Instead he searches flea markets, estate sales, and old art books for hidden gems. (Plus a good frame can transform the everyday into the extraordinary.) Scouting for clients is another path to new discoveries, like the paper work mounted on muslin by Portland, Oregon–based artist Nicole Neu that hangs above the sofa. 

Though the pieces follow no formal style or school, they have similarities: abstract, high contrast, and tactile. Always the curious hunter, Horne rotates them on a regular basis. “I would not say I’m fickle; it’s just a very fast refresh for me,” he says. When they aren’t on display, the stylist tucks them in his prop closet or under the bed until their next debut. 

Where he does splurge is on lighting, and it’s apparent when taking in the sheer number of lamps in each room (there’s six in the living space alone). “Lighting is everything to me,” says Horne. “It sets the mood. I like really low ambient light, so I need lots of it.” With a few exceptions, like a floating lantern, his finds are almost exclusively vintage.

Often tasked with creating multifunctional spaces for magazines and catalogs, Horne didn’t think twice about turning the second bedroom into a hybrid study–guest space. A vintage daybed acts as sleeping quarters and sofa, while the game table can also be a desk. To compensate for the older home’s dearth of closets, he put a shelving unit to work, cleverly hiding office supplies, his magazine archive, and other household necessities in as few containers as possible—his key to visual calm. Although, they don’t need to be standard boxes; Horne will also sprinkle in unexpected vessels like a vintage jewelry chest or picnic basket.

For his own bedroom, Horne pared it all back for a luxury hotel vibe. “I want it to feel as if I am always on a really great vacation,” he says. After styling hundreds of beds, his feathered nest is like no other, with an upholstered headboard, three sets of pillows, and layers and layers of percale and linen bedding. A handsome bureau and wardrobe make up for a second limited-storage situation. 

Another passion of Horne’s? Plants. The stylist gives ferns pride of place in the kitchen; when he couldn’t fit a café table and chairs in the breakfast nook, he swapped them for a massive zinc planter filled with them. Just outside, the new hardscaped, multi-level patio is more Mediterranean than SoCal. Containers are overflowing with drought-tolerant olive trees; succulents; and Westringia fruticosa, a rosemary shrub. “I like that when you step out, it feels like a little escape,” he says. 

There are more potential projects on the horizon: Maybe Horne will open up a kitchen wall to take advantage of that living room view. Perhaps he’ll add a powder room. But for now, the home is an honest reflection of where and who Horne is today. “I feel truly myself here,” he says. “There is a reason and purpose for each thing. Walking around my house is like looking in a mirror.” 

The Goods

Carve Travertine Cocktail Table, CB2 ($399)

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Boston Fern, Terrain ($48)

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8’x11′ Palo Oyster Rug, Living Spaces ($995 was $1,295)

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Linen Box Quilt in Bone, Parachute Home ($289)

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Go-to vintage shops: Salvare Goods, @theluxelustlife, Casa Victoria.

Must-visit local home stores: Inner Gardens, Nickey Kehoe, @lui_trova, T.L. Gurley, Galerie Half, Counter Space.

Where I buy flowers: Nick Floral.

Where I pick up plants: Mickey Hargitay.

Design inspirations: Donald Judd, T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Halston, Josef Hoffmann, Jean-Michel Frank, Antonin Raymond, and Jean Prouvé.

Favorite Instagram feeds: @le_cime, @the_london_list, @petershear, @vincent_hawkins_, @waynepate, @drew.poling, @jitjindar, @celestial_objects, @frapln, @bradleyseymour, @beau_traps, @sol_calypsoh.

The post It’s Only 1,400 Square Feet, But Every Bowl, Basket, and Spoon Has a Spot in This L.A. Stylist’s Home appeared first on domino.

If your Instagram feed seems overgrown with “plantfluencers,” you’ve likely noticed some commonly favored flora such as breezy monsteras or envy-inducing fiddle-leaf figs racking up the likes. According to a recent survey by HomeAdvisor, however, some plants might be reaching the end of their 15 minutes of fame. 

Even though 45 percent of those polled admit to owning a “trendy” houseplant, the respondents believe that succulents (29 percent), ferns (17 percent), and palms (10 percent) are the most overrated. While we aren’t here to knock your greenery (we’re actually big fans of low-maintenance cacti and string-of-pearls!), if you’re looking to extend your green thumb beyond what’s trending, shop some of the underrated favorites our editors never tire of. 

Main Squeeze

You don’t need a backyard to enjoy a harvest of fruit-bearing trees. Delivery services such as ViaCitrus offer miniature varieties, including a little Meyer lemon option that can thrive indoors without overtaking small spaces. You’ll not only have a zesty garnish for your cocktails and salads on hand, but TV personality and interior designer Bobby Berk recommends using leftover halves for cleaning everything from the inside of your fridge to the microwave.

Heaven Sent 

Our chief content officer, Kate Berry, earns her green thumb by tending to an impressive “garden in the sky.” What people don’t always get to see when perusing her hashtag are her lush angel wing begonias inside. This pick gets all the praise thanks to their speckled tear-shaped leaves that make her living room feel just as Eden-like as her NYC terrace.  

The Upside Down

This is not your average succulent. In time, the cactus-looking stapelia will blossom into a star-shaped flower that might look oddly familiar to Stranger Things fans (yes, it sort of resembles the Demogorgon). But fear not, this hardy addition to your indoor jungle is easy to care for and makes for a great conversation piece. 

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I pride myself as being someone who’s good at keeping houseplants alive. I pay attention—reading their signals and adjusting their water/sun intake for maximum plant happiness. However, herbs have evaded me. When I moved from New York City to Northern California a couple years ago, I thought: This is finally my moment. I’m going to have a big, sunny, Nancy Meyers–style kitchen where my fresh potted herbs will thrive and I will casually clip bits as needed for all the impossibly fresh cooking I’ll be doing on a daily basis. 

That, unfortunately, was not to be the case. I still had New York in my system, and I was ordering takeout much more than any Cali girl—especially one with access to abundant fresh food and a car to go grocery shopping—should. 

Then came the Time of Corona. And like much of the rest of the country, I slowed down. I started cooking at home and I tended my garden—finally giving those herbs I couldn’t keep alive a proper home. I spent the summer hopping out to the backyard giddily declaring to my husband that I was “just going to go snip a few sprigs of tarragon.” It was lovely and I got used to it…until winter (if you can even call it that here in the East Bay, where temperatures rarely dip below 40 degrees) rolled around. My rosemary and oregano made it through the cooler months; my basil, dill, sage, and tarragon didn’t. 

But after a summer of fresh herbs, there was no way I was going back to buying individual packages at the grocery store—which inevitably cause waste (they either come in way-to-big bunches or in single-use plastic containers, which I’m trying desperately to avoid). 

Enter the Modern Sprout Grow Light. This full-spectrum LED—an energy-efficient lighting type that approximates the sun’s rays and give off a white glow—comes in a few different forms (your standard bar, a decorative frame style, and a cute little house) and helps plants thrive indoors in places that lack natural light (think: that dark bookshelf or a tucked-away corner). My kitchen is a prime candidate for this invention; it gets some sunlight but not enough to keep herbs—which generally need six to eight hours of direct sunlight—alive. 

I live in a small bungalow that was built in 1924, and the kitchen has a funky layout with very little counter space. So I opted for the Smart Standard Growframe ($195), which can rest on a surface or be mounted on a wall. (I also like the way it turns my greenery into a calming visual display.) 

The roughly 20-by-17-inch frame was a little tricky to hang (securing the bottom two screws required some finagling), but once it was on the wall, it was a breeze to get my herbs—cilantro, lemon, and dill—situated. I opted for the matching Planter Box ($40), which rests on the frame’s lower ledge and fits 4-inch grow pots perfectly, but it’s just as easy to rest your plants right on the ledge itself. 

Modern Sprout has an app that allows you to control your grow lights from your phone (it connects via Wi-Fi) by selecting presets based on the plants’ needs (partial shade, partial sun, or full sun). Or you can customize the light settings (brightness level and how long and when the lights are on). The app is great—just set it and forget it!

I was slightly worried about having an LED light on in my kitchen throughout the day—some LEDs might be good for plants but are not so pleasing for humans. This one, fortunately, checks both boxes. I’ve actually stopped using the overhead lights in my kitchen when the grow light is on. The frame is working great—my plants are thriving like I’ve never known indoor plants to thrive. It’s actually become a source of joy to see my little buddies so happy—not to mention the culinary benefits. 

A few things to consider before you buy:

1. The Modern Sprout light needs electricity, so make sure there’s an outlet where you’re planning to set it up. 
2. Even though you can automate the light, you still need to stay on top of watering. I’ve found the Planta app ($8 per month or $36 for a one-year subscription), which I heard about via the excellent Jessie Randall episode of Design Time, to be a great companion to the grow light. You can enter all of your plants into the app, and it sends you reminders about when to water, mist, and fertilize. 
3. The plants that you plan to group together under one grow light should have similar light and water requirements. 

Smart Standard Growframe, Modern Sprout ($195)

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Smart Landscape Growframe, Modern Sprout ($245)

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It’s easy to see why people love succulents. Not only are they an interesting-looking and diverse species, they withstand drought and heat (something we all have to get more accustomed to); protect themselves with dangerous spikes; and have beautiful, Abstract art–like shapes. But one of the most incredible features they have is their flowers. Their otherworldly appearance stops me dead in my tracks every time I get a glimpse. One I’m loving right now: the Stapelia variety. 

Stapelia are hardy and low-maintenance—they just need sun and very little water—and can be grown from seeds or propagated from cuttings. They bloom often, and a few of the most common and easy-to-grow varieties are Stapelia gigantea (naturally, sporting the biggest flower), Stapelia grandiflora, and Stapelia hirsuta. 

But when I first saw a bloom on my pretty traditional, cacti-esque succulent, there was something slightly eerie about it. For all you Stranger Things fans out there: It looked a little too much like the Demogorgon. Is this where the Duffer brothers got the inspiration for their terrifying predator? I can’t say for sure, but I think we can all agree that these hairy guys are definitely from another dimension. 

This plant is full of surprises, too. The voluptuous flowers only last a few days but, much like the Demogorgon, they keep coming back season after season. They range in color and size depending on the species (some are dark berry, others more green, and still others boast a speckled pattern), but they all have that familiar five-pointed head, which is why they are sometimes dubbed a starfish flower. Get really close and you might detect a foul odor, which attracts pollinators in its natural habitat of Africa (no honeybees, alas). Don’t worry, it doesn’t waft about. 

If you’re like me—a Stranger Things fan and a plant nerd—this conversation piece is one to add to your indoor jungle. 

Stapelia Gigantea “Zulu Giant” Plant, Verdant Lyfe ($22)

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Stapelia Plant, Arlmont & Co., Wayfair ($34)

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Stapelia Gigantea Starfish Cactus, California Tropicals, Amazon ($31)

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Giant Starfish Flower, Burgess ($12)

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