Hi Pam – About two weeks ago my husband and I purchased a 1959 ranch home in Florida. Just inside the front door is a brick planter with wooden slats that divides the dining room from the living room. I have seen this type of thing before, but have not come across any solutions as to what might be done with it. I don’t want to demolish the thing, but would like to get rid of the slats. There is dirt and gravel in the planter. Perhaps you or your readers may have some ideas.Thanks,Lynne in Kansas
Hi Pam – I am a real estate appraiser and you could say it’s my hobby. In the past couple of years I have been watching the prices in Florida, in the meantime my husband and I went to Texas and Panama looking at possible retirement/vacation homes. I love the east coast of Florida, and we traveled down there from our home in Kansas City about a month ago and saw 15 homes in one day. I was specifically looking for a ranch home that had not been renovated. I wanted terrazzo floors and many of the homes we saw had ceramic tiles installed over the terrazzo. I was looking for something with at least three bedrooms within walking distance to the beach. When I saw our home that morning, I loved it, although we kept looking. At the end of the day, although we had seen newer homes that had been renovated – this was just the house for me. It has a pink bathroom and a seafoam green bathroom, an inground pool and a detached two-car garage. The home was built in 1959 and the kitchen seems to be fairly original (cabinets are definitely original) although the appliances had been replaced during the 70’s. We pulled up the carpets and had the floors refinished – that is actually happening this week while we are back in Kansas City. The floors are the only renovation I will be doing. The one thing I am not sure of is the brick planter between the dining area and the living room. I wonder if any of your readers have encountered anything like this. I would like to remove the wooden slats, but then will be left with a fairly low structure right where someone could run into it! I am considering some sort of widely spaced shelves where the slats are now. The planter contains gravel with dirt underneath. (I hope no insects!). I love reading your web page – I no longer worry about the pink bathroom! I have always loved danish modern mid century furniture, so now I am having a great time shopping for some cool stuff for the house.
Thanks so much – I have attached a photo of my husband Larry and me. I would have taken a photo at the house but we won’t be back there for another couple of weeks.
Daniel Kristak says
Check out Wellspring (wellspring-systems.com) for built-in flush mount planters. I have four in my deck right off my kitchen as a veg and herb garden… they work and look great. My wife and kids love them!
Steve says
I think the slatted wall is awesome. You should hang on to it!
PurplePalace55.blogspot.com says
I once saw a HGTV show and I think it would work in your slatted space. They made a fountain pouring from ceiling to floor (or flowerbed) down the glass. You could DO it, and leave the wood behind it if you wanted. (I’m sorry.. I tried to find the info on HGTV.com. but didn’t remember which show it was)
Susan Menagh says
We are closing this week on a 1961 ranch home. Ours has four waist high brick planters that are about 40 + inches long. I don’t know the name of the brick type, but it is narrow and long and was popular at the time. Two planters are at the front door as entrance dividers and two divide the kitchen from the living room. I think they are interesting and will not take them out, but, like Lynne, I need to also have some creative ideas. I have photos, but due to my age, I just don’t know how to send them to you!
RENEE says
HI,
I WOULD REMOVE THE SLATS AND PUT IN SHELVING, BRICK LAY STYLE, AND EVEN A PARTIAL GLASS INSERT, NOT CLEAR GLASS THOUGH, A LINED GLASS OR FROSTED STYLE, USE THE SHELVING FOR PLANTS AND KNICK-KNACKS! TRUE 50S STYLE.
Judy G. says
Absolutely keep it. If you want to hold on to the style of that era, Mother in Law Tongues is the way to go. The other reader is correct. The tall lines of that type of plant is a perfect match for the linear wood slats. I would however, strip the wood and stain it a walnut finish if possible. Clean out the planter and see if there is a metal or plastic box inside. Make sure you add small stones to the bottom for drainage. This type of plant has thick leaves and doesn’t require a lot of water. They are pretty hardy. That is why they were used so much in that era along with Rubber Tree plants. Make sure you feed them. Keep it simple. Don’t add anything else to it and space them a few inches apart. Don’t crowd them. I wouldn’t put anything on the slats. Good luck and I can’t wait to see the finished product.
retroActive says
I’m probably weighing in too late. While many people say they love the slats, I hear Lynne complain when looked at head on, they block out the light entirely. I can see that, going all the way to the ceiling, they may be too much of a divider… too much of a good thing. My ‘crazy’ suggestion: Figure out what would be a more comfortable height: perhaps 1 or 1 1/2 feet taller than the planter. At that point, glue (strong glue) a wood slat horizontally front & back. Glue another horizontal slat front & back, maybe 9″ to 12″ above that. Carefully measure & saw just above both horizontal slats. Affix the 9″ or 12″ piece in front, like a bench or a seat. You could either use some strong posts to hold up the seat, or carefully measure and have the slats support it on the other side. And voila, a George Nelson-esque bench. I would then stain the slats divider bench the same wood tone as the kitchen cabinets… which I love! The area above this bench would then be clear, yet the bench acts as a nice divider of spaces.
As for the planter, I love the idea of planting ‘Mother-in-Law’s-tongue’ snake plant. I would plant them in an odd number (3 or 5) of plant pots, buried in the planter, and fill the rest of it with a mixture of polished & unpolished stones (with some coloured glass to match), matching the colour you decide to paint the planter. If there is any turquoise in your terazzo, that would be a great mid-century colour… or a mossy green shade (I think you mentioned that’s in your terazzo).
Or, for another entirely different idea: I’ve seen some really cool, tall jetson-like fish tanks over the past couple of years. If you like fish, get one of these tall fish tanks and replace the slats with that, behind the planter. I would still paint the planter as described above. The snake plant would go in the area the fish tank isn’t in front of, and in front of the fish tank, I would plant some thinner reedier plants.
Lynne says
Hey everyone – thanks for all the great ideas. I have decided not to do anything drastic for a while and will paint the slats a tuquoise color – which will be an accent color in my blue/green color scheme. I am going down there tomorrow to spend a couple of weeks getting the house in order now that the floors have been refinished. I will send a photo of the living room when I am finished.
Nicole Oliveira says
Lynne, what did you ever decide to do with your planter? Would love to see a picture!
~Nicole
angie says
Oh Lynne I so envy you! I live in a 1960 brick ranch-ler (ranch/rambler) where the front door
opens right into the envelope-shaped lining room like “splat!” here you are with no visual
demarcation (I think that’s a real word) to orient yourself. I’ve seen these entry-way-planter-
things and have always wanted one. Be thankful for what you have & see it with a fresh eye.
It is so true you have to live with something before you figure it out–kind of like marriage, no?
Amy says
I guess I’m like the others: I say live with it, work with it, see how you feel after a year or so. Look for vintage pics (or newer pics) of how others have used theirs and give it a try yourself before you modify or tear it out. I agree that your opinion might be miles away from where it is now in a year or so — and you might regret demolishing a vintage feature of your beautiful home. (I wish I had a pink bathroom!) 😉 Congrats on your find!