How I Care for My Fiddle Leaf Fig(Ficus Lyrata) and Hello!

* This post was originally shared June 01, 2014 and has been updated

Hi everyone! It’s been awhile since my last post, but, I am sure by now, you know that the hubby is home. In fact, he returned home the same day of my last post. With that said, though I haven’t been blogging, I’ve been quite the chatterbox on Instagram! I’ve posted different stages showing the growth of my fiddle fig which has amassed a number of admirers on there. Admirers who want to know what the heck I’m feeding this monster of a tree! So, I’m sharing how I care for my fiddle fig today.
“Be present in all things and thankful for all things.”
~Maya Angelou

The above quote by the late and amazingly wise Maya Angelou, sums up my current state of mind and being, and I am enjoying being in this state. Also, a big thank you to  Lea of Lea Hartman Photography for coming by to capture these lovely images! 



SOME BASIC CARE TIPS FOR YOUR FIDDLE LEAF FIG(FICUS LYRATA)

The Fiddle Leaf Fig(Ficus Lyrata) has large, paddle-shaped leaves with prominent violin shaped leaves that mimic the look of a fiddle hence the name Fiddle Leaf Fig.  Native to topical regions of western and central Africa, THE Fddle-Leaf Fig has leathery, glossy, evergreen leaves and round fruit. However, when planted as a house plant it doesn't bear fruit.

Location/Light

Well,  I believe the location/placement of your Fiddle Leaf Fig is probably the most important variable to consider with regards to ensuring it will thrive. That location must receive a lot of light for yout Fiddle Leaf Fig to thrive.  In my case,  our fiddle leaf fig is in the sunroom with large windows. Fiddle leaf figs(ficus lyrata) love sunlight and bright indirect light is ideal. Be mindful of direct bright sunlight as those rays can burn the leaves of your Fiddle Leaf Fig.  South facing windows tend to provide optimal light for best growth of your FLF.  As the Earth rotates during it's 24 hour cycle, from late morning to mid afternoon the planet becomes closest to the sun. As a result,  the strongest rays from the sun flow through South facing windows during this part of the day. Plants which demand full sun will thrive here, it provides optimal levels of light for photosynthesis facilitating fast growth. Our sunroom is South -east facing. That exposure receives great morning light and steady light throughout the day and our Fiddle Leaf Fig thrives in that kind of light. Wherever you place your Fiddle Leaf Fig should be sunny and receive at least six hours of light. Grow lights are also great to help with meeting the light demand for your Fiddle Leaf Fig.

I'll like to also add that I keep our Fiddle Leaf Fig some distance away from the vent that's in the sunroom. They do not like drafts so keeping them away from vents is ideal.

Watering

Keeping your Fiddle Leaf Fig  hydrated is very important.  It loves getting watered. I can usually tell that mine needs water if the leaves look a bit shriveled and dry. Water regularly during the growing season. Avoid overwatering. I like to give mine a deep watering and then let it completely dry our before watering again. 

Fiddle leaf figs are tropical loving plants and are accustomed to high humidity, consistent temperatures and well-draining, peaty soil. When the plants receive too little water, new foliage browns and eventually falls off. On the other hand, when plants are over-watered -- or heavy soil becomes waterlogged -- damage begins at the base of the plant and the oldest leaves turn brown and drop. Allow over-watered figs to dry thoroughly. Fiddle leaf figs should be allowed to dry out between waterings and then watered deeply until water runs out the bottom of the container. Reduce watering from fall to late winter

pic shows new growth/leaf

Repotting

It's a great idea to repot your Fiddle Leaf Fig every Spring when it is still small and growing (before it reaches maturity). I have already repotted ours and I know I will have to repot it again in a much bigger container to ensure enough room for its root system.  When you see roots beginning to grow out the bottom of the pot is usually a sign that your Fiddle Leaf Fig needs repotting. To maintain healthy roots,  use a well draining soil and make sure your garden pots have drainage holes.  Remember, Fiddle Leaf Figs are prone to root rot from too much water. 

Pruning

Though I haven't pruned my Fiddle Leaf Fig, I try to remove any dead or diseased leaf as soon as I see them to ensure my FLF remains healthy. Pruning it might have to occur too because at the rate at which it is growing, I am not sure if it will fit in that spot (unless pruned) for much longer… 

If a Fiddle Leaf Fig gets too tall, gently remove it from its pot and trim the roots. Trimming the roots limits how tall the plant grows. Root trimming a ficus plant can be done every few years during winter and fall. Cutting the stems back in the Spring or early Summer encourages your Fiddle Leaf Fig to become bushier.

Also,  rotating your fig ensures that all the leaves receive optimal light and helps to maintain a rounded shape. I try to rotate our Fiddle Leaf Fig at least once a week.

Fertilizing

I get asked about the type of fertilizer I use and believe it or not, I haven't fertilized our Fiddle Leaf Fig. Her fast growth is mostly due to the optimal light she receives. However, when her nutrient demand level changes where she will require a fertilizer, this one is a great option.  If your Fiddle Leaf Fig needs fertilizing ideally, Spring and Summer are the best times to do so.

And those are my basic care tips for how I've been maintaining our  Fiddle Leaf Fig. If you have a Home Depot in your area, they may have them there. That’s where I purchased mine. Also, you can buy this one that has great reviews too.

Updated pic

This is an updated pic of Glory almost 4 years later(since original post in June 2014). She is thriving!

Now, you might be wondering about the sunroom, well, it’s left mostly undecorated as it is the boys’ stomping ground; well the entire house is.

We aren’t a formal household, but one could say that this is our informal space. I removed the coffee table and freed up the space in the middle. Better for the boys too.

This mushroom stool was in Ian’s nursery, but I stole it and it’s perfect for resting things aka magazines on.

I enjoy sitting in this chair! In fact, I am usually fighting the boys off of it because they love it too!  Happy Sunday everyone. xx

images© Lea Hartman


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Fabulous and Thrifted Style for Your New Year's Eve Party.

The thrift store is always my go to when I need a one of a kind look for a photo shoot or a party. There is always something very colorful and different = so me! The perfect example is this beautiful dress in the above picture.

You'll be on trend in a green halter dress like this one-also thrifted!

If you're an all black kind of girl who loves some sparkle, the top pictured was thrifted and paired with a pencil skirt from my closet, the look is perfect for New Year's Eve. Though, I usually mix my finds with already existing pieces in my closet for a head to toe look, if you want to you can shop for your entire outfit (head to toe) at the thrift store.

via pinterest

 I'd recommend planning ahead and allotting some time to shop the perfect look, because sometimes you have to hunt to find the jewel waiting just for you. Also, you'd be amazed at the top brands you find there, so before you head to the mall, do your pocket book a favor, save some money, and check out the thrift store. Then you can shine bright like a diamond at your party. xx

photography: Lea Hartman

Set the Table with H&M home: Balearic Bohemia Style

Tis the season for entertaining and we're turning to H&M Home to help us to dress our tables. H&M Home offers affordable prices and beautiful pieces, thus making them one of my favorite places to shop. I am especially smitten with their Balearic Bohemia collection showcased below. 

I love the blues and the patterns. 

I love the organic feel of this one with the graphic punches from the black and white.  

Do you have a favorite? Spring has sprung and I couldn't be more happy. I will be sharing lots of "Springified" projects with you soon! Happy Wednesday! xx

Our Nature Inspired Easter Table.

When you have a house full of succulents and plants, you use them on your Easter table! Intead of flowers, I opted to use what I already had; my succulents! I also saved money in doing so. In addition to green, I added in some blues and pink with the table ware and other accessories.

I used eggs from our chickens as the place holder and placed tape at the underside of each egg to hold them in place on the plates.

Happy Easter and be safe! xx

5 Tips for Having a Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner at Home.

I recently styled and wrote a piece for the local paper, The Fayetteville Observer about skipping the madness at a restaurant on Valentine's Day and opting for a romantic dinner at home instead.  I will a share what I did and a bit more details of how this shoot came together. I decided to use the sunroom for this  set up because of the lovely natural light it receives. I moved our dining table into this space(it has protective padding so it was easy to slide). I had inflated the balloons the night before. The table cover is actually two curtains that I layered. I used them because of their sheer and lace like appearance.

Oh and I moved the monster of a fiddle fig tree from the sunroom to free up some space. I placed it on a towel to prevent scratching of the floor. Now that you've gotten a glimpse of the behind the scene action, let's talk about those 5 tips!

Fresh flowers are a must!

Step 1

It's a great idea to plan your special dinner date in advance. That way, there are no schedule conflicts. Ideally, if you have children, they should be snuggled in bed, but also have a back up plan of having their favorite movie or games on hand in case they choose that night to rebel against bedtime.

Jamaican rum cake for dessert. Decorated with flowers.

Step 2

Plan your menu. Choose something simple to prepare. This occasion also calls for your fancy tableware. No plastic forks, plates or cups allowed!

Step 3

Choose romantic decorations. I opted for unscented tapered candles in red and pink, cut-out hearts and balloons sprinkled on the floor. Fresh flowers are always a great idea and since it's Valentine's Day, I bought some blush roses and a few miniature garden roses which went beautifully with the pink-and-red color scheme. Flowers can be purchased from local supermarkets such as Harris Teeter or the Fresh Market.

Step 4

Put on something fancy. Although this romantic date takes place at home, dressing up adds to the romantic nature of the date, and your date will appreciate the effort. Make sure to also let your date know the dress code so you both look fancy.

Step 5

Pour yourselves some wine or champagne, put on some soft romantic music, relax and enjoy yourselves.

What are your plans for Valentine's Day?  xx

Thanks to Lea of Lea Hartman for the lovely pictures!

A Sneak Peek Inside the Home of Artist, Suzy Lindow.

    Hello! If you celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope it was fabulous! Today, we're peeking inside a home full of flava!  I met Suzy, a talented artist on Instagram and immediately fell in love with her style. It's one of a kind and she most certainly has an eye for unique things as you can tell from the decorative items in her home. Suzy and her husband bought their colonial-style house in coastal Virginia about 8 months ago after relocating from the Southwest. Her husband is a pilot so they led a nomadic lifestyle and were renters prior, so you can imagine how excited they were to finally settle and become homeowners! In Suzy's own words, " It feels extra special, too, to call this house our home after uprooting our two young kiddos, ages 2 and 5, so much. We very much look forward to settling in for a longer haul and making a lot of memories within these walls."

Suzy,  also known as Winkwinkstudio is an artist and her home definitely reflects that! Check out her shop here! Ok, no more long narrative from me, here is Suzy telling you a bit about her home and her design style.

I would describe my style as eclectic maximalist. I love a mix of everything--patterns, textures, styles, and especially color. What would be considered a little too much for some people is juuust enough for me, and I think that one of the perks of getting older (there's only a handful, I'm learning--argh wrinkles and cellulite, why oh why) is that I care way less about what other people will think. There are many things in my house that are quirky and maybe a little kitschy, and while it may even be considered tacky to traditionalists, I'll just quote one of the greats and say: "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." And boy, is that freeing. Because it gives you license to surround yourself with things that truly reflect your style and personality and things that only can you smile. I pay the bank too much money every month to live in a house that's decorated for other people!

Before moving in, my husband and I rolled up our sleeves in a major way and undertook a pretty extensive DIY face lift. There were 10 different kinds of flooring, 'interesting' paint choices (really, sometimes I just don't understand people), and outdated bad-brass 90's fixtures. He spent many a long day and night laying the engineered floors by himself, while I painted and updated things like doorknobs and outlet covers and overhead light fixtures. Wow, did that relatively small investment cost go a long way! There were also super ugly, poorly constructed corner built-ins in the living room that we promptly took a sledgehammer to. It enabled us to have a doorway between this room (which I think was initially meant to be a Family Room) with our adjoining TV room (which would have been the Formal Living Space in a traditional Colonial floor plan). When we toured the house while house hunting, we noticed the previous owners had the TV in this room with the fireplace--which is open to the kitchen--and the first living space nearest the front entry had an assortment of never-sat-on formal furniture. It was evident that literally no one ever went into the "Formal" living room, and everyone tended to gather in the family room with the TV and close proximity to snacks in the kitchen. This is a common mistake, I think, made by lots of homeowners that have their pretty little UNUSED formal living room so separated from the heart of the house. What a waste! To remedy this, in the hopes of really utilizing every square inch of our downstairs, we designated the first living space as you walk in the front door as our TV room--it's nice and cozy with a big sectional--and the big living room in the back that's adjacent to the kitchen as our formal entertaining room. Probably not how our mothers from the 60's would prefer, but I think it's a really great way to spread the love around your house, so to speak. Now, when we have other young families over, we love having the ability to entertain our adult friends in this room while our kiddies munch popcorn with a movie on just next door. 

My main goal of the space, style-wise, was to create a fun atmosphere that encourages long evenings with friends laughing, sipping cocktails, maybe playing some games around the coffee table. I wanted a space where people never got bored. I wanted it to look collected over time, a unique mix of midcentury modern, boho, industrial, maybe even a little 'crazy lady.' Before kids, my husband--once my high school sweetheart--and I spent a lot of time traveling the world, having big adventures, (also: sleeping in, ha!) and of course, collecting lots of sentimental goodies to remember it all by. Those souvenirs, along with a really (really) big dose of my prized vintage finds from antique stores, flea markets, craiglists etc, have been lovingly schlepped around the past 12 years and I thought it high time to finally create a space for all the goodness to be displayed and enjoyed. The big blank wall mocked me for about a month until I just took the plunge and installed floor to ceiling, wall to wall, shelving. We simply screwed brackets into the studs and stained pine boards my favorite yummy Walnut shade, threw all my hoarded treasures up there and never looked back. It gets constant rearranging--and welcomes new additions as I slowly discover new consignment/vintage store gems in the area--and I love that it holds so much interest not just to me, but to everyone who comes into our home. The best compliment I can receive when people first come to my house after they've gotten to know me a little is: your home is so YOU. 

My favorite thing in the room is probably my vintage leather lounger chair I scored off craigslist for something nutty like $40 when we lived in Palm Springs--MCM mecca, believe me!. I've seen this exact chair on firstdibs and Chairish for crazy money, but I'd never have the heart to sell this thing, it feels like an actual friend in the room to me. The mushroom-toned tufted leather is buttery soft and the chair is the perfect place to curl up with some tea and a good book. 

Their beautiful girls. Adorable! 

Thank you Suzy for sharing a sneak peek of your beautiful home with us. What a treat!xx 

Dark and Lovely: Inspired by Viola Davis.

Did you watch the Emmy's yesterday? I've always been a fan of Viola Davis and I am so thrilled that she won! She is an inspiration and this dark and lovely post was inspired by her...

design4interior

Congratulations Viola on your well deserved win!

{images: pinterest}

Decorating a Guest Bathroom.

Although a guest bathroom doesn't have to be as large as the main bathroom and may be used less often, doesn't mean that you are going to skimp on style. If you love color, continue the trend in your guest bathroom. That pop of pink in the above space makes all the art pop and provides a great contrast with the black accessories.

This orange bathroom is quite groovy and fun!

As a convenience for your guest(s), if space is available, install a large mirror at the bathroom vanity area.   Also, make sure to have soap, extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, facial tissues, and after shave lotion on hand in case your guest might have forgotten to bring their own. 

A guest bathroom or powder room is a great space to experiment with wallpaper and go bold. What's the style of your guest bathroom? xx

{images: pinterest, tumblr}

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