Chic indoor 
gardensPublished on April 11, 2017

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  • Photo by: Michael Carson


  • Photo by: Michael Carson

The introduction of fresh plants and greenery to your home is a sure-fire way to put a spring in your décor step – especially on days when winter is still packing a frigid punch outside.From stylish fiddle-leaf fig trees and cacti, to sculptural succulents and air plants, trendy foliage has become the latest must-have accessory for interiors. And as chic as the plants themselves are, how they are displayed requires some design consideration as well.

Terrariums are a simple way to contain and curate tabletop collections of petite plant life. With a little upcycling ingenuity, it’s easy to create and customize your own using something as simple as an old, flush-mount light fixture. Aged-brass faceted fixtures, such as the one used for this project, make the perfect base to create your own chic indoor DIY garden. They can be affordably found at thrifty resale locations such as the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

MATERIALS

Flush-mount glass light fixture
Scissors or wire cutters 
Rocks and pebbles
Air plants and moss
Drop cloth
Painter’s tape
Disposable gloves
Lint-free rags
Krud Kutter Gloss-Off Prepaint Surface Preparation
Universal Metallic Spray Paint in the metal finish of your choice
Rust-Oleum Specialty Mirror Effect Spray Paint in gold

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Remove any loose wires from the back of the fixture with scissors or wire snips so it will sit flat on a table surface.

Step 2: Move the glass light fixture to a well-ventilated place and cover the work surface and surrounding area with drop cloths to protect them from over-spray when painting.

Step 3: While wearing disposable gloves, wipe the metal of the glass light fixture with a lint-free rag and Krud Kutter Gloss-Off to prep the surface for paint. No rinsing required.

Step 4: Once completely dry, use low-tack painter’s tape to cover the glass part of the light fixture and coat the metal base with Universal Metallic Spray Paint in the colour of your choice. Hold the can 25-30 cm (10- 12”) from the surface and spray with a steady back-and-forth motion, slightly overlapping each stroke. Repeat if necessary and allow to dry thoroughly as recommended on the can.

Step 5: While the light fixture base is drying, coat the large decorative rocks with Specialty Mirror Effect Spray Paint in gold. Apply two or more light coats a few minutes apart. For best results, apply multiple light coats versus one heavy coat. Once your topcoat is dry, flip the rock and paint the other side.

Step 6: Once everything is dry and the painter’s tape has been removed, fill your terrarium with pebbles, the painted rocks, moss and air plants and enjoy!




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