Say hello to our new home, sweet home! Yep, that's right... our new house is finally finished and we're all moved in! Well, almost. Does unpacking ever really end? And decorating? Now that's a whole separate animal. I'm slowly working my way room by room and trying to remind myself that every inch of our house doesn't need to be (and quite frankly CAN'T be) decorated immediately. It's so hard to resist. To help with this process I've been focusing on the areas in the house that we use the most (kitchen, living room, etc), but I couldn't neglect the one spot that I knew everyone would see first when they came to visit - our front door! While our yard has been fully landscaped and looks great, our entryway was looking a little bare in comparison. It's not a large space, but by simply adding a doormat and throwing together some mixed planters, it looks much more cozy and inviting. Making our own planters was super easy and I love how they turned out. If you're considering making your own, here are a few tips:
Step One - Choosing Your Planter: The main thing to consider when picking a planter is size. In most cases, the shape (round, boxy, etc) and color are simply a matter of preference. However, it's important to measure the space in which you want to place your planter. This will determine how wide and tall your planter can be. In our case, I measured the space between our front door and side wall, which is fairly small. So I knew I needed thinner planters if I wanted them to fit. Also, our front door/entryway is very tall, so in order to best fill the space I knew we needed pretty tall planters. If you're placing your planters by your front door like us, don't forget about your doorbell! I measured the height of ours beforehand to ensure our planters were as tall as possible without blocking our doorbell.
Step Two - Choosing Your Plants: The most important thing to keep in mind when choosing your plants is the amount of sunlight your planter is going to receive. Whether it will be in a full-sun, partial-sun, or even no sun location, choose your plants and flowers accordingly. Also, consider how much water each plant may need. If one needs constant water but the others do not, it might not be best for them to share the same planter. Aside from these considerations, choosing your specific plants and flowers is up to you! Whatever styles and colors you enjoy, go for it! BUT, when picking these out, you may want to keep in mind the following well-known trick for a gorgeous mixed planter...
Step Three - Thriller, Filler, Spiller: This common technique is the secret to fabulous mixed planters. You can search it on Pinterest for tons of great pictures and examples. But basically, it ensures that your planter has definition and variety and really does look like a fun mix of plants. To use this trick, you'll want to choose a "thriller" plant. This is typically something tall that's going to stand out in the middle or rear of your planter. Think ferns, ornamental grasses, elephant ears, caladium, or really any plant/flower thats going to grow taller than everything else in the planter. The "filler" is exactly what it sounds. Fuller, but shorter, plants and flowers to fill the space. Have some fun with these, but keep in mind that overall, you'll want everything in your mixed planter to complement each other. Finally, to really add definition and dimension you'll want to get a "spiller". This is a plant that cascades down the side of your planter. Think vines, ivy, or even flowers that will hang low, like petunias.
Our Planters: Personally, I'm not a very bold person when it comes to colors and design. I love more neutral colors - give me all the black, white, greens and natural wood tones! Since our house is already a brighter shade of blue, I knew I didn't want anything too bold or colorful in our planters by the door. I found the planters at Home Depot and think they're the perfect height, size, and dark charcoal color, you can find them online HERE. For plants, I went with Boston ferns (thriller), white impatiens and pentas (filler), and creeping Jenny (spiller) all from Lowes & Home Depot. And our Home Sweet Home doormat, which I love, is from Target. You can buy it HERE.
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