Now more than ever, home cooks are exploring the vast and delicious world of utilizing fresh herbs in their family meals, and there’s nothing better than diving into a plate of food that has the brightness and color of fresh herbs. However, actually having access to these ingredients and knowing which herbs to grow can be a challenge particularly if you live in a small apartment or urban area where you’re more likely to be seeing concrete walls outdoors than wide-open country spaces.
Fresh herbs shouldn’t be a once-and-a-while splurge when you love to cook meals for yourself or your family, and the best way to have access to the ingredients you want without driving to the grocery store is with an indoor herb garden. While cooking with fresh herbs from an indoor garden might conjure up images of country-style kitchens and a quaint lifestyle, the times are changing!
Modern home cooks are thinking outside of the box when it comes to finding space to build an indoor herb garden in their homes or apartments, and we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite creative ideas for turning a typical kitchen into a functional space filled with the beauty of fresh herbs and greenery.
GET CREATIVE WITH POTTING YOUR PLANTS
Who said that you need to stick with standard planting pots to create an indoor garden? If the thought of having potted plants all over your modern kitchen countertops isn’t appealing, then it’s time to start looking around your home for quirky, stylish items you can reuse, including:
Antique Tin Cans
Mason Jars
Hand-Painted Pots
Small Metal Buckets
Glass Bottles
Small Drawers and Boxes
Don’t worry if your items aren’t brand new! Vintage and antique styling is making a big comeback, and the patina look of an unconventional plant base might be just the thing you need to create a beautiful contrast of style in your kitchen.
MAXIMIZE SPACE WITH HANGING GARDENS
If you live in an apartment or small family home, kitchen space can be at a premium. In these cases, there isn’t much room for potted plants to take up residence, which means that looking into a hanging garden will be your best bet for enjoying fresh herbs year-round. Consider setting up your garden on:
Windows: Herbs obviously need to have natural sunlight, so what better place for them then hanging in the window? Using curtain rods and hardware, you can create a quick hanging system to keep your plants happy and your window sills clear of clutter.
Open Walls: Vertical shelving and hanging pots are ideal for taking up space on an empty, awkward wall. Whether you buy a few hangers for single pots or build your own hanging shelf unit from reused materials, you’ll be turning a blank space into something functional and beautiful.
Ceilings: Yes, you can even create an herb garden on your ceiling, so there is no excuse of not having enough space! Upside down hanging planters are a great way to maximize space and give your kitchen a quirky, eclectic, and natural look.
BUILD GARDEN SPACE INTO YOUR KITCHEN DESIGN
When you’re planning a kitchen remodel, it’s the perfect time to start working the space for an indoor garden into your design plan. Even if a complete kitchen renovation is still far off in the distance, you can update a few key features of the space to create a garden that showcases your herbs and keeps them close for a day of cooking:
Kitchen Islands: Kitchen islands are the ideal space for food prep, which also makes them the perfect place for growing herbs! You can now purchase or design islands to feature built-in spaces for growing fresh herbs in an out-of-the-way place that is both highly convenient and incredibly beautiful.
Built-In Shelving: Today’s kitchen cabinets are more than just your typical, standard boxed features. The sky is the limit for designing cabinetry and shelving in your home that can work for an herb garden, so consider adding in a new shelf or cabinet unit during your remodel?or repurpose unused cabinet space that you already have!
A few fresh herbs can make all the difference when it comes to the quality of your meals and the ambiance in your home kitchen, and getting started with a small indoor garden is easier than you might think! With a bit of ingenuity and some advanced planning, you can be growing fresh herbs indoors all year long, and the results of your gardening adventure will be well worth the effort.
For more kitchen design and organizing ideas, check KSI Cuisine Solutions for daily updating pictures and blogs.