
For those of us who live in the city, in “cozy” dwellings and with no access to a backyard, roof, deck, or balcony to grow plants or a vegetable garden, how do we bring nature and all the endless benefits that go with it into our small living space?
Where do we put it? We use the often forgotten area above our heads to maximize our space and find ways to hang things from the ceiling.
Like this DIY Hanging Plant Holder.
With just four leather shoelaces, a flat metal disk from a generic ceiling light, and the double overhand stopper knot, we’ve made a simple, stylish, minimalistic perch to showcase our plants without sacrificing limited square footage.
Total Cost: under $15. Assembly Time: 30 minutes
Currently, we’re hanging one of our favorite low-maintenence, no soil, drought-tolerant airplants. Earlier, we hung this medium sized terracotta potted aloe vera plant on it.

Here’s what it looks like from the underside:

Here’s how to assemble it:
1. Make sure the lengths of your laces are even.
2. Using a double overhand stopper knot, start with attaching each lace, equally spaced, onto the disk. Try to make the knots as similar as possible–same size and tightness–to ensure your disk hangs on a horizontal plane.

3. Gather the loose ends of the laces and, using the double overhand stopper knot again, knot all of them together, making one big knot.
4. Hang the holder.
5. If your plant is hanging lopsided, adjust the knots on the disk.
We found the leather laces, 1/8 inch square, at a shoe repair shop, which had them in various colors and lengths–brown, black, blue, red, green, and gray. The metal disk was a surprise discovery and an impromptu purchase at our local hardware store. One of the employees said it was a standard disk used to mount a ceiling light and that you could probably find it at any hardware store or home improvement megastore like Ace, Home Depot or Lowe’s.
For something equally budget friendly though slightly more polished and elegant, try Vintage Revivals’ $15 DIY Brass and Leather Teardrop Planter.

Whatever vessel you choose to make or buy for that matter, when you’re looking for ways to grow an indoor garden with limited space, remember to first look up. Ceilings the limit!
Oh, and that double overhand stopper knot? Well, it sparked a flame. We want to master all kinds of knots now.
Stay tuned!