African beads are on my radar as an emerging interior design trend. You may have seen them in IG posts and not even realized what you were looking at unless you checked sources. Often styled in flat lays or layered over other décor, African beads are beautiful and versatile accent pieces. My interest in African beads began during a trip to Morocco when I purchased large brass Tuareg beads.

Looking to create your own backyard oasis complete with an outdoor living room? Great goal! But then you go shopping for outdoor sofas and furniture and you have serious sticker shock. Here’s a solution - with a little resourcefulness and elbow grease, you can DIY it! Source a sofa or daybed for cheap that can work outdoors and create a stylish statement-making piece for way less.

I don’t know about you, but I get really excited about seeing some of my favorite indoor tropical plants growing and thriving outdoors. Besides just the novelty of seeing a plant many of us think of as a “houseplant” growing outside, it’s also interesting to observe how their growth habits differ in a natural environment.

Backstory - I just took my boys on a vacation to Puerto Rico. We were thrilled to learn it’s home to El Yunque National Forest, the only rainforest in the US National Forest Service.

In the capital city of San Juan as well, there were many “indoor plants” we saw growing as stunning landscape plants. (Including our favorite FLFs!) It was spectacular, and I want to share with you some of the botanical wonders we saw there.

Monstera deliciosa is a botanical and design icon due to it’s statement-making leaves. Photogenic foliage has made this tropical plant an internet star with its’ strange and beautiful holes, monster-sized leaves, and deep green tropical appearance.

As a result, we see them unfurling all over social media both in houseplant circles and in heavy rotation as a green interior design accessory. Plus, they even make the cut as décor itself, and you can find them on everything from wall art to throw pillows.

Best of all - Monsteras are easy houseplants to care for, and can be grown to impressive size with minimal fuss.

Let’s explore this wild and wonderful tropical plant together. In this post, I’ll cover:

• Monstera characteristics (it’s NOT a Split Leaf Philodendron, and how to tell the difference)

• How to care for your Monstera - soil, water, light, fertilizer

• Design tips for making Monstera a beautiful part of your interior décor