Quarantine Diaries: Home Projects for Sheltering in Place
For many of us, sheltering in place is offering us the gift of time and creativity, so we have seen a rise in DIY (do-it-yourself) projects. It’s inspiring being able to see what everyone is making with their hands these days! We created our own list of DIY projects for you all in case you needed something fun and useful to do with your time. For those who do not have this extra time because you are a first responder, we THANK YOU! We couldn’t get through this time without you.
pressing flowers into a frame
This first project will require you to step outside for a walk to hunt for some flowers and/or leaves you’d like to press. If you have beautiful blooms in your backyard, then that’s even better! Once you pick your bunch:
Carefully lay them down and arrange them to your liking onto a book page
Close the book, but note that you’ll want to weigh it down with other books to receive the appropriate pressure
In a couple of weeks, they should be fully dry and ready to frame!
Simple, yet sentimental way to decorate your home during this quarantine.
propagation station!
If you’re like us, you have a ton of house plants around your home, or you have a garden that you love to tend to. If this is also you, then you most likely are able to start your own propagation station right inside your home!
What is this you ask? Defined, propagation means “the breeding of specimens of a plant or animal by natural processes from the parent stock.” So that means you can duplicate the plants within your home or garden, simply by cutting them appropriately, and allowing them to grow their independent roots in water before potting them into soil.
We recommend you research how to correctly propagate your specific plant since directions differ! Some popular cuttings we’ve been seeing propagated during this time are:
Monstera Deliciosa
Pilea peperomioide
Philodendron
Green onions
Rosemary
Mint
paint an accent wall
This is probably our favorite home project because painting an accent wall not only adds some necessary “oomf” to your home, it also births fresh creativity and life. Also, it’s fun! It’s a good project option if you don’t have any big remodeling happening in your home, but are still itching to change things up.
Here is an example of a white room reimagined by adding a black accent wall. We love the depth and character this one wall brings. Go ahead and try it out! You won’t regret it. (Plus, you can always paint it back).
*Thank you for sharing your home design with us, Zoe Pitkin!
repot your plants
Repotting your plants is something we always encourage our clients to do if they want a refresh in their outdoor living space. It makes your home more personal, and also a pretty low-maintenance home project that really makes a difference.
Terracotta is timeless and classic, so you could never go wrong! Find some of these pots at Lowe’s for as low as $1.50.
Antique stores and garage sales are great places to hunt for some eclectic pots and planters; we love the mix of modern and vintage. Research your local shops or keep an eye out for neighborhood garage sales. Your bound to find some gems!
Plant stores and/or nurseries in your area will most likely have a fairly large selection of pots big and small and of many styles. Some of our favorites here in the Bay Area are Knots & Found, East Bay Nursery, and Broadway Terrace Nursery. Check them out!
For online shopping, we always find beautiful pots and planters at CB2, IKEA, West Elm, and World Market. However, we would suggest checking out if your local nurseries sell online before looking elsewhere. Small businesses can use all the support right now!
shop plants and flowers online
We know this isn’t much of a project, but purchasing plants and flowers for your home definitely adds joy to your space. So why not? Shopping online is convenient and honestly, it’s the way we are doing life right now during covid-19. Like we said above, we encourage shopping local, so if your local plant shop/nursery is online and delivers, go through them first! If you do not have access to someone local, here are some wonderful online businesses:
The Sill: “A modern plant destination for the modern plant lover.”
UrbanStems: “Sourcing on-trend flowers and creating one-of-kind arrangements you won't find anywhere else.”
Bloomscape: “Here to help strengthen your relationship with plants. We make buying plants easy by delivering healthy, ready-to-go plants to your door and setting you up with the tips and tricks you need to help your plants thrive.”
The Bouqs Co: “Founded with the bold intention of bringing romance and delight back to what was once a noble exchange: the giving and receiving of flowers.”
Etsy: Etsy is a platform for thousands of incredible small businesses, even ones that sell plants!
