*Our friend Emily’s 1920’s home with plant shelves from previous owners.*

The Plant Shelf

We first saw a plant shelf in the home of Emily Netz. What’s a plant shelf you ask? It's a long plank of wood stretched across or just below a window and hung with wall-mount brackets. Genius! Apparently, the plant shelves were part of the 1920's home when she and her husband purchased it (Emily and her husband repaired and updated them). Those stellar smarties of the past!

This idea suited me perfectly because my back room features my ONLY south-facing window. This is the small window that gets the most light in my house, where many plants must be to live their best lives. And I put a sofa against that window negating the possibility of a plant table or bench. I chose to give my tired parent butt a cushy seat in my daughter's playroom to my little green friends' demise. But wait! Enter the plant shelf.

*The ONLY south-facing, not blocked by a tree, window in my entire house. I put a sofa in front of it, but still wanted to use this light for my plants. Enter, the plant shelf. - Daly*

*I have space on this shelf to add my plants from the front porch when it’s time for them to come inside! - Daly*

*The first plant shelf we ever saw. Memories…*

How to Make a Plant Shelf

I ordered up some wall brackets (but you can get them at a local hardware store as well), and purchased a pre-primed plank of wood. We'll be honest here and admit my husband did the install. I think most anyone could pull it off. Please consider the weight of the shelf, keeping it level, whether it will still be possible to open your window....and how happy you will be to make a new spot for plants to lounge around your home.

Once one shelf was up, I quickly knew I needed another one. Both my windows in this room are graced with ledges for greenery. I made sure each pot had a tray and placed multiple plants on a large tray–to help myself keep water from pouring over my furniture.

Reasons Plant Shelves May Be for You

I needed a plant shelf to make the best use of my best natural light. Plants love light. Palmer put a shelf up (See below!) because she needed a design element in her bedroom that was simple, did not take up floor space by her husband's side of the bed, and created interest against a long wall (I will go ahead and brag that I suggested this.). She hung hers just below the sill of a long window. Our shop manager Holly added one to take advantage of the window in her guest room.

Palmer off-set her bedroom plant shelf to make room for her House Sparrow macrame hanger. — *Palmer off-set her bedroom plant shelf to make room for her* *House Sparrow* *macrame hanger.*

*Babies are also nice to put on a plant shelf. (Just kidding–please do not leave them on plant shelves unattended.)*

Holly’s guest room plant shelf is filled with plants and other colorful chotskies. — *Holly’s guest room* *plant shelf is filled with plants and other colorful chotskies.*

Maybe you have more plants to bring indoors during the winter than you have floor or table space for them? Maybe you have kids or pets who will get into your plants? Maybe you want to dangle plants all drapey beautifully? Maybe you just want your plant babies to be near the sun's sweet rays?

We've suggested a plant shelf to several home styling clients...one who just wants more plants and this is a really lovely way to display them. And another client who has a ground level window she wants to put a shade over, but who also loves plants–we thought she should put a shelf over the middle of the window and shade just over the bottom half of the window. A great way to prioritize plants and privacy.

Let us know if this is the PERFECT idea for you and your plants too. And send us photos of your plant shelves! We'd love to see them!