House Beautiful 101 Makeovers - Indoor Trees

In Feb. 2009. House Beautiful published 101 easy/instant home makeover ideas from 101 interior designers. Over the next few weeks, I'll be featuring some of the great ideas from that list and my thoughts on achieving the look on a budget.

Makeover Idea #2 from Celerie Kemble

"Buy a tree in a basket or planter and put it in your loneliest corner. I love a fiddle leaf fig for its sweet platypus bill-like leaves. If you want to got he extra mile, stock some uplights behind it."

Celerie Kemble under a lovely fiddle leaf fig tree.

I've been so inspired this week, driving by all the nurseries who are (finally) putting out their plants for sale now that it's spring. I've always been a fan of potted topiaries, but I'm intrigued by Ms. Kemble's tree concept. And apparently a lot of other designers like the idea as well...

Don't these rooms look beautiful and fresh? Many designers say there should always be some sort of fresh cut or living plant in every room. A potted tree, while maybe a bit of an investment at first, will last for many years. Seems down right thrifty compared to buying fresh flowers every week.