Ditch Ordinary Planters: The '60s Plant Trend That's Making A Comeback

Isn't it fascinating how design trends seem to fall out of favor and years later, they make a comeback, and everyone's keen to jump on the trend as if it's something new? This seems to be the case with a lot of popular '60s decor items that homeowners who have mid-century houses are embracing to recapture the charm of the era. For instance, if you happen to walk into an original '60s home, there's one feature that you will probably walk straight past before turning around and taking a second glance. It's likely to be that built-in planter box — usually strategically placed by a window.

These built-in planters were considered a clever and strategic way to bring plants into a home while saving space. They weren't just relegated to entryways either. Sometimes, they were cleverly used as room dividers or positioned in front of large windows as a backdrop to cushioned seating. These boxes were either made using bricks or timber, and some even had shelving integrated. And just as this trend was popular back then, there are many houseplant enthusiasts today who want to bring back this feature as a way to cleverly display and house their large collections of indoor plants. You can see evidence of this on quite a few social media platforms and community forums, like Reddit. It's just another '60s design trend that's making a comeback, along with the popular walnut wood tones.

If you're renovating a mid-century home or you just love the idea of built-in planters in your newer abode, they're not that difficult to incorporate. You just need to find the perfect spot for them. They're ideal as room dividers and work well near large windows. It could even be another way to add a touch of mid-century modern style to your bedroom. Make sure to incorporate some sort of waterproof liner in the base to protect the floor beneath.

When filling your planter box, it's best to choose pots that will fit neatly into the space, so that you can take them out individually when they need watering. This means you won't have to worry about trying to fit saucers or drip trays in the planter. If your box is too deep, you can just fill the base with stones or pebbles to help raise the potted plants a bit higher. It appears that traditionally, these built-in planters were used for low-maintenance species like snake plants (Dracaena trifasciata), which add some architectural interest and can even boost positivity, according to Feng Shui, especially if they're in your entryway. Other plants that were relatively popular back in the '60s and '70s were ferns, rubber trees, prayer plants, and dieffenbachia. However, any container-friendly indoor plants that suit your home's light and temperature conditions could work well.