Plant power

STYLING IDEAS FOR YOUR NEW KITCHEN

We are loving the resurgence of indoor plants for styling and practical use in kitchens.

Whether your kitchen is ultra-modern, retro, traditional or modern – plants exude a sense of calm and homeliness.

From herbs at your fingertips to plants with a capacity to absorb odours and purify air, many plants also provide health benefits.

And of course, there are plants (real or faux) that simply just add the finishing touch to a beautiful new kitchen.

Here’s a little kitchen design and plant inspiration to add nature’s flair to the heart of your home.

The windowsill in this classic-themed kitchen provides filtered sunlight for plants and a styling area which maximises the bench space below.

An attractive tray layers the styling of plants in this kitchen, and importantly, also protects the benchtop.

Adding greenery to your new kitchen is an inexpensive way to style. But, remember to protect your main investment  ̶ your kitchen! While plants are easily replaceable, the cost of replacing damaged cabinetry or benchtops is not worth any plant. So, when decorating with plants, it is important you protect your kitchen surfaces first.

Take precautions to keep your bench dry from soil and water drainage to avoid stains or swelling of your beautiful kitchen surfaces. Use drainage dishes and leave plants on the sink or outside to ensure the base has dried after watering.

Choose plant containers that won’t scratch your cabinetry and benchtop surfaces. Where possible, cut felt to size, and glue it to the bottom of the container to ensure it has a soft, scratch-free surface.

And protect your pets … Some indoor plants are toxic to cats and dogs if ingested, so check the labels and ask your plant nursery experts for advice

Take precautions to protect your kitchen surfaces when styling with plants.

Obviously our area of speciality at KitchenWise is in kitchen design, manufacture and installation – not indoor plants! So, ultimately, we recommend you seek expert advice from your local plant nursery about which indoor plants will work best in your space. However, we’ve done a little research to get you started.

Herbs  ̶  With flavour at your fingertips, kitchen herbs are a practical and healthy addition to your kitchen. Herbs need a bright space. Choose herbs you use a lot, or try basil, parsley, chives, mint or oregano.

Basil is a favourite herb to have on hand in the kitchen, and can be styled in almost any container to suit your kitchen theme.

Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)  ̶ This easy-care plant requires occasional watering, and thrives under a variety of conditions. It can live near a window, on your benchtop, or underneath your overhead cabinets. The spider plant is a natural air purifier, removing odour, fumes and pollutants from the environment.

The spider plant is available in green or variegated varieties, and is a stunning contrast on a black stone benchtop.

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis)  ̶  This succulent loves bright conditions, and will grow well in filtered sunlight on a shelf, windowsill or other area. Aloe vera can tolerate humidity because it reacts similar to a cacti in hot conditions. Water deeply but infrequently. The gel inside the leaves of Aloe vera helps heal and soothe minor burns and some skin irritations, so is great to keep on hand in the kitchen.

Caution: Aloe vera is toxic to cats and dogs.

Aloe vera is an easy-care succulent, popular as a houseplant around the world.

Cacti  ̶  A low-maintenance plant, which needs plenty of sunlight and the occasional mist spray.

While a trendy addition in kitchen styling, cacti in the kitchen is a Feng Shui no-no. But if you do not live by Feng Shui principles, at the very least, make sure your prickly plant is not within reach of young children – or adults during happy hour!

A cacti grouping adds a quirky touch to this sleek, ultra-modern kitchen, but would not get the stamp of approval from Feng Shui enthusiasts.

African spear (Sansevieria cylindrica)  ̶  A bold and beautiful succulent which only requires occasional watering. Indoors this plant prefers bright, filtered light, but can acclimatise to low-light conditions. Caution: Sansevieria are toxic to cats and dogs.

English ivy (Hedera Helix)  ̶  This plant helps purify the air, and as long as it spends some time in direct sunlight is simple to look after. It looks great cascading above a kitchen sink or near a kitchen window as a hanging plant, but equally adds flair in a scratch-free pot on the bench or climbing a topiary frame. Caution: English ivy is toxic to cats and dogs.

English ivy’s pointy leaves come in a variety of hues of green and accents of whites, yellows and blacks to match any kitchen.

Lighting, heat and humidity are the biggest considerations when working out where to place your plants. But in terms of how you arrange them and what you pot or place them in, you are only limited by your imagination. So, have some fun experimenting!

Different tiers of plants in matching pots can create an indoor oasis, and link living areas.

Maybe you want to create an indoor oasis with lots of hues of greens and different shaped leaves; prefer to spread plants at different heights in colour-matched plant holders; group the same species in matching containers; or perhaps, a minimalistic approach takes your fancy.

There is no right or wrong answer; the choice is yours, and you can change things around on a whim. And, if you really don’t have a good track record with keeping even the most easy-care indoor plants alive, you can still bring the outdoors inside with the endless array of realistic looking faux plants.

A glass splashback provides lovely reflection for plants, which in this kitchen are potted in a matching finish to the cabinetry handles.

Groupings of three in the same variety of plants adds visual interest and balance with the statement wall ovens in this sleek kitchen.

Continuing the white theme of the kitchen benchtop and cabinetry in white plant boxes works beautifully with uniform pops of green.

Mixing white pots and metallic accents with different plant varieties adds dimension and warmth to this white, handleless kitchen.

A beautiful, custom-designed kitchen is the heart of your home. KitchenWise specialises in expert design, quality materials, and professional craftsmanship, ensuring your kitchen renovation matches your taste and lifestyle, and adds re-sale value to your home. We also project manage other trades required to turn your dream kitchen into reality.

To book a free design consultation, phone 5831 2077 or visit https://www.kitchenwise.com.au/contact

For more design inspiration, see:

• White kitchens at https://www.kitchenwise.com.au/white-kitchens