My Small Patio: Modern Design Plan

A few days ago, on Small Home Style I shared design ideas for small patios, to help create a lovely outdoor space. In my backyard we have to patios a large patio perfect entertaining and family dinners. Our second patio is small and right outside our bedroom French doors. While rebuilding our house, we installed French doors and a small patio. I loved the idea of having a smaller more intimate patio for my husband and I to enjoy. The patio has been pretty much empty, except for an old small cafe table and chairs on it that we don't use (it's not right for our space)

Before starting my design plans, I thought about our intended use for the space. My goal is for us to enjoy coffee on the patio on weekends. At night I envision us using the space to unwind talk, listen to music and drink wine. I want this patio to feel comfortable and like an extension of my home. This space has been untouched / unloved for three and a half years and I'm so excited to finally create a space that we'll use.

My plan is to create a patio space that feels like an extension our home, by bringing the outside, below is design inspiration for my small patio along with the design plan.

Small Patio: Modern Design 

Here's how my patio looked two years ago and trust me not much has changed. Our tree has grow in larger, creating a pretty canopy framing the French doors. We recently planted Happy Wanderer Vines on each side of the French doors. The flowers are a pretty purple color and the vines are Evergreen. Thankfully, the vines will sty green year round even when not in bloom. 

So far for my patio, I've purchased the Standish Sofa and Coffee table, planted the vines. Up next, we'll work on DIY trellis, hang string lights and add planters. I plan on sharing my small updates on Instagram and the blog. 

What do you think of the design plans for my small patio?

 

How to Decorate with Houseplants & Care for Them

I love the energy that houseplants bring into a room. Plants add the perfect pop of color into a room and depending on the type of houseplant they can also be air purifying. Now that spring is in the air, I really wanted to bring more plants inside my home. Outdoors my green thumb is strong thanks to a helping hand from Mother Nature, I love having a variety of plants outside my home in both planters and planted in the ground. I wanted to bring that same feeling I get in my outdoor spaces to my indoor spaces specifically my living room.

I was recently invited to visit by Green Acres Nursery & Supply to visit their houseplant section. Seriously, friends, they have an amazing selection of houseplants. One word comes to mind. Stunning.  From Maidenhair ferns, Tropical Palms to Snake Plants and more they got it covered. Not only is the indoor plant selection incredible the plants are healthy.

For all friends in the Sacramento area, Green Acres is the plant place to visit for both indoor plants and all your landscaping needs. They have five locations in the Sacramento region: Sacramento, Roseville, Elk Grove, Folsom, and Rocklin. I'm a frequent visitor to the Sacramento and Folsom location for plants. Their Rocklin and Folsom locations both have indoor nurseries, which I’m dying to visit! The Sacramento location does not have houseplants, due to the space and the temperate variance in the building. 

I’ve partnered with Green Acres Nursery & Supply to share with you the basics on how to care for plants once you bring them home so they thrive. Over the years I’ve had a few #PlantFails. I'm so excited to pass along the knowledge I’ve gained in ensuring the new plant you bring home flourishes. I’m also sharing tips on how to decorate with houseplants in your home.

I met with Janet at the Folsom location asking her to help me select a few houseplants for my living room. With Janet's help, I selected three easy to care for plants that would make a great addition to my living room and one statement plant. I firmly believe living rooms need one wow plant to wake up the room.

One thing I love about selecting plants from Green Acres is the knowledgeable plant associates, everyone is committed to ensuring you have the proper plant care knowledge before bringing plants home. Having the know-how of caring for your new plants helps remove the fear that once you bring your plant home it will die.

All the houseplants at Green Acres, have a cute sticker on them ‘Get to Know Me,’ the sticker invites you to visit their website to learn more about the houseplant you bring home. I brought home with me a Philodendron Lemon, Chinese Evergreen, Robusta Snake Plant and the prettiest Fiddle Leaf Fig, I’ve ever seen (yes I’m biased).

At one time or another, we’ve all been afraid of bringing home a pretty plant in fear of killing it. However, there are a ton of easy to care for plants that will help ease your fears and add the pretty touch of greenery inside your home. Green Acres recommends these easy to care for houseplants.

Best Low Maintenance Houseplants

Snake Plant  

Pothos (clean air plant)

Philodendron

ZZ Plant

Birdnest Fern

Chinese Evergreen

How to Care for Houseplants

Once I brought my new plants home, I checked the Green Acres website to ensure I found the right spots in my living room that my plants would love. In my home, my plants are loving the weekly sunbathing session I give them. Once a week, I take my small houseplants and place them all on the coffee table with the blinds open, while I’m away for the day. Giving my plants fantastic indirect light they love. It’s exciting coming home to plants that look incredible after spending time getting good indirect light.

Update: I recently started using a Moisture Meter to help me gauge when to water my plants since each plant has such different watering and lighting needs. The Moisture Meter included a breakdown guide of when to water, which has been so helpful! Remember its so important not to overwater, which can be very harmful depending on the plant. Below is some more helpful advice. 

Below are some tips on taking care of your houseplants

  • Consistently water your plants, but don’t overwater your plants. Over watering watering a plant can lead to brown leaves and root-rot.
  • Drainage make sure the container your plant resides in has drainage holes in the bottom so the roots aren’t sitting in water

  • Clean dusty plant leaves to once a month to remove the dust buildup

  • Mist your plants with tepid water after watering them, while watering is good for the root systems of your plants a mist of water is good for the leaves of your plants

  • Bright Indirect Sunlight. What is indirect light? Your plant receives bright light, but no sunlight falls directly onto the leaves.

Decorating with Houseplants

Once I brought my new plants home it's amazing how much new energy they gave my living room, it felt like I gave my living room a mini makeover. Plants are that perfect accessory in a room. Just like bringing in new artwork or pillows in a room gives off a new vibe, plants have that same effect.

Before sharing how fantastic my new plants look in my living room mixed in with the ones I already have, let’s look at home my living room would look if I had zero plants in my space. This includes no flowers on my coffee table and if you follow me on Instagram you already know weekly flowers are a must in my house.

My Living Room without Plants

My Living Room with Plants

I love grouping plants together, on my dresser turned TV stand I placed a trio: two plants + one object. Remember the power of three and how odd numbers are most pleasing to the eye when it comes to decorating. I love placing plants around my living room, creating a happy vibe. I also have plants on my bookcases and side tables.

My living room needed a statement plant to bring in the wow factor and act as that perfect exclamation point. I’ve always felt this corner in my living room needed a pretty plant, I’ve tried smaller scale plants only to move them elsewhere in my home or gift them to friends.

I’m a huge fan of trees in pots and love trees indoors too. As I mentioned I frequent the Green Acres Folsom location and before I even think of stepping outside to the garden area, I always visit the houseplants section. They have a wide assortment of healthy large plants that can easily add that wow factor in your room. My favorite large indoor tree is the Fiddle Leaf Fig tree.

Bringing the Fiddle Leaf Fig tree adds the wow factor in my living room. I’m obsessed with the Fiddle Leaf Fig, I love how sculptural it looks. The leaves are a pretty deep shade of green and huge! Green Acres carries two varieties of Fiddle Leaf Fig tree, the bush form and the tree form and they’re all healthy! No brown or leaves covering their selection. I love both varieties, but the tree form has my heart.

Before bringing home the Fiddle Leaf Fig, I wanted to ensure I cared for it properly. I learned a slew of helpful tips from Janet at Green Acres, in addition, I found helpful tips on the Green Acres website. The Fiddle Leaf Fig houseplant is originally from Africa and does well in tropical climates (think humid climates) they also make great houseplants when cared for properly.

Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Care

  • Watering most people tend to under or overwater Fiddle Leaf Fig, they don’t like overly wet soil. The top inch of soil should be dry before watering. Stick your hand in the soil can confirm it's dry before watering, wet soil smells and feels different than dry soil. The roots should not sit water, make sure to toss excess water that remains in the tray an hour after watering.

  • Bright Indirect Sunlight is the key to a healthy Fiddle Leaf Fig

  • Mist to replicate humidity mist the leaves with tepid water after watering your plant. Remember mist of water is good for the leaves of your plants

  • Clean the leaves gently to remove the dust once a month

  • When to Repot? Fiddle Leaf Fig trees are generally OK to remain in the nursery pots they come in, you can place them in baskets or larger pots with a plant liner. Signs it’s time to repot: when when you find yourself watering the plant more often it's time to replant.

  • Rotate Fiddle Leaf Fig trees have a tendency to grow towards the light. Rotation is key. Rotate your FLF so light is evenly distributed on all leaves every month. For more information on caring for your Fiddle Leaf Fig tree, please visit the Green Acres site.

As I mentioned above, I felt this corner in my living room needed a large plant, in addition, it's a great spot for the Fiddle Leaf Fig tree because it's right next to my living room window and receives bright indirect light. My Fiddle Leaf Fig has been home with me for weeks and it's doing great. I make sure to follow the watering and plant care instructions I received from Green Acres.  

Here are a few more ideas when decorating with plants

  • Add plants to bookcases and window sills (remember for healthy plants indirect light is preferable

  • Group larger plants together in front of French doors, remember to use plastic liners under planters to keep your carpet/rugs and hardwood floors safe

  • Create a terrarium garden for your coffee table

  • Transform a bar cart into a plant cart holding all your treasures

What are some of your #PlantFails? What is your favorite easy to care for houseplants?

What do you think of my new plants?

This is a partnership post with Green Acres Nursery & Supply. All words are my own.