Plant-Filled SF Eichler Hideaway
At Flora Grubb Gardens nursery in San Francisco, we love to help customers find just the right houseplants for their needs and designs. A mid-century Eichler home in SF, with its warm wood paneling, sleek (heated!) concrete floors, and flood of light from inner courtyards, is the perfect place to grow a lush indoor garden. Longtime FGG friends Jen and Gary Witt invited us into their home to share some houseplant inspiration. Read on!
The rich brown, orange, aqua, and soft gray tones of Jen and Gary's cozy living space look gorgeous with lots of vibrant green plants and modern ceramic pots. Gorgeous SF painting by Katja Leibenath (whose studio is right near FGG!).
Ficus umbellata, a current obsession among the FGG crew, creates a lovely contrast against the wood-paneled wall. Fast-growing and more forgiving than its cousin the fiddleleaf fig, this ficus has large, majestic heart-shaped leaves. We grow it ourselves down at Grubb & Nadler in the Rainbow Valley! Read more about our homegrown ficus here.
Chamaedorea seifrizii and Diffenbachia ‘Tropic Snow’ have a breezy tropical look that works well with the mid-century furnishings in the light-filled room.
Lush, leafy beauties like Alocasia 'Borneo King’ and Ficus lyrata (from left to right, above) add a soft, relaxed energy to the room and beautifully complement this print by Hilary Williams.
A hanging plant (this one's a lipstick vine) makes a cute couple with the upright form of a Sansevieria zeylanica in a bright peach egg-shaped pot.
We love Phlebodium aureum ‘Blue Star’ for its simple graphic leaf in a muted blue hue, great for a subtle note of color in the middle of the room.
Rustic terra cotta and bright glazed ceramic pots look equally at home with the warm woods, cozy rugs, and sleek concrete flooring. Vining plants like Raphidophora tetrasperma (left) make lovely accent pieces for bookshelves.
As it matures, Monstera deliciosa can get kind of leggy, which makes it a great choice for an elevated pot in a plant stand. We love the way this one adds some life to a little walkway heading into the living room—and the leaf shape is such a perfect complement to the hanging print by Sofia Shu.
A standout specimen plant in a lightweight pot works well for a hallway space where the plant might need to be moved. Beaucarnea recurvata (above left) is an adorable way to say “hello” to guests arriving in the entryway.
In the open kitchen and dining area, houseplants play beautifully with the atrium plants for an indoor/outdoor feel. Jen and Gary's house is full of beautiful art by Bay Area women artists; this painting is by Rachel Sager.
Philodendron 'Birkin' (above) makes a special centerpiece, with its intricate pattern of creamy streaks that almost look as if they've been painted on with a brush.
Vining plants like Maranta 'Lemon Lime' (above left) and Senecio 'String of Bananas' (below center) add some movement and drama to a pretty tile wall in the kitchen.
Vibrant aqua hues present a pretty contrast with earthy red wood tones. We love the soft blue leaf color on Kalanchoe beharensis var. subnuda (above) and the gentle pale green of Guzmania ‘Mara’ (below, with gorgeous painting by Kirsten Tradowsky).
Plants in the bedroom create a peaceful and calming atmosphere for rest. The lemon-lime variegation on a golden pothos (below) complements a similar color scheme on the foliage of Ficus altissima ‘Yellow Gem’ (second photo below).
Thanks so much, Jen and Gary, for welcoming us into your home and sharing your plants with us!
For more interior plant inspiration, take a peek inside Jeff’s Beach House or Anne’s super stylish SF home.
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