Make a big impact with small indoor plants

The current house plant craze is taking the interiors world by storm, but we don’t all possess the skills, space or budget for large, mature specimens. Enter tiny plants in cute planters – an on-trend way to green any interior in a flash for less. We’ll show you some cute plant options and also show you how to make your own planter.

Bunnings magazine November 2019

Size matters

Small pots will dry out quicker than larger ones, so remember to water them regularly, or pick indoor plants that can stand a bit of neglect.

Tip: Air plants absorb most of their food via scales on their leaves. They grow well indoors near windows and need watering or misting in warm weather.

Have a variety

Choose a multitude of leaf shapes and forms for interest.

The sky’s the limit

Use narrow floating shelving to create a living display on a bare wall to draw the eye gaze higher and make the room seem larger.

Mix and match

Blend indoor pots in different colours, patterns and textures for an eclectic look.

Make your own free-form mini vessles

Go totally potty and build a collection of carefully curated small vessels, or try your hand at making your own! Here’s how:

What you need

• 25mm paintbrush

• Boyle air drying clay in White, 500g

• Clean cloth

• Cup of water

• Pencil

• Water-based sealer (we used Mod Podge)

Method

1. Knead the clay
With clean hands and work area, knead the clay until soft and smooth, then divide it roughly into four pieces.
Tip: Work with one piece at a time, keeping the remaining clay covered with a damp cloth.

2. Shape the base
Dip your fingers into the water to dampen them, then roll the clay into a long, thin piece. Coil it tightly into a base, then in layers around the edge to build the sides.

3. Blend the layers
Dampen fingers to smooth the end into the top and blend the layers, smoothing upwards from the outside.

4. Don’t forget about drainage
With a pencil, make a hole in the base of each vessel for drainage. Leave them to dry for at least 24 hours at room temperature.

5. Seal the vessel
To seal the vessel, use a small paintbrush to apply water-based sealer inside and out, ensuring the top lip and base is sealed well. Leave to dry thoroughly before use.

Small is beautiful

Big things come in small packages, and this applies to the plant world too! So, pop in to your local Bunnings and pick up the perfect plants for your space.

Photo credit: James Moffatt

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Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.