Homemaking: A Plant Wall

Over the winter I set out to complete several indoor projects. I didn’t get to everything on my list, but I did complete a few. Two of the biggest ones were to finish painting my bedroom set and get it into my room (complete!) and to install this plant wall in my living room (also complete!).

I honestly can’t even tell you how much of a dream come true this plant wall is for me. Last year when I was living in my tiny, dark one-bedroom basement apartment, I dreamed of a space filled with warm, natural light, neutral walls, and plants — lots and lots of plants.

I spent hours on Pinterest looking at spaces that I loved and dreaming of creating my own version. One day I stumbled upon a home with a plant wall in the living room and I became obsessed with one day having my own. At that dark time in my life, it seemed like a pipe dream that would never come true. And yet, here I sit typing away on my kitchen island, looking to my left into my living room at my dream-come-true plant wall.

I imagine that there are a few people out there who know how I feel. To have wanted something so badly, to hope against hope that you could have it, and then one day to see that dream come to life. Sure, it is “just a plant wall.” But for me, it is much more.

Every piece of my home is a symbol of a new life that I forged out of darkness and despair. It is physical proof that anything is possible, if only I am willing to pursue my dreams with every shred of strength inside of me.

Getting this plant wall up wasn’t easy. I had been searching for shelves for awhile and I was floored to learn that a set of 3 shelves was going to cost me about $500. So finally I decided that I would make the shelves myself. I ordered the brackets on Etsy and then I bought a wooden plank in Home Depot. I had them cut the plank into pieces for me in the store. Then I brought them home and stained them.

My friend installed the brackets for me and then the day before I planned to go to get the wood for the shelves, Roman decided to hang from one of the brackets, tearing it from the wall and leaving a huge hole in the sheet rock. I was honestly devastated. After that, my friend had to come back over to repair the wall and then I had to repaint it. Thank goodness the previous homeowners had left behind the extra paint that was leftover from when the living room was painted last winter.

There were so many times when I thought that this thing would never get done. But here it is. My daily reminder that all things are possible. ♥