Sometimes, older homes have features where the uses aren’t exactly obvious. This can lead to some “aha” moments later when you finally realize the quirky feature’s intent. Sometimes, that moment can take a while to arrive. One of the features that this is very common with, is a plant ledge.

In the mid 90’s and early 2000s, it was very popular to build a ledge on top of or into a wall made to hold potted plants of different varieties. These were usually placed high on a wall, sometimes only a foot or so away from the ceiling, in a place that isn’t typically used for shelving. Some plant ledges have built in lighting to better illuminate their contents. Some owners put silk plants on them to reduce the amount of maintenance needed to keep them in good shape, but live plants have also been used frequently, but plants that don’t require much water or direct sunlight.

Depending on where ledges were installed, they may be on a single wall or surrounding a whole room. In some cases, they even went around fixtures in the room. Some ledges may be connected to the tops of cabinets to make their way around a kitchen. While these ledges were built in places to be seen, they are typically simple in design as to not take away from the plants that inhabit them.

Not Just for Plants

Though these ledges had the original purpose of plants, these high ledges can be used for a variety of decorative items. Some have grooves cut into the the top surface to allow for display of decorative plates or similar items that would help secure them from falling off the ledge. Vases, awards, and other items can also be placed on the ledges to accent various rooms. Often, people use these for a mix of items including plants and other decor to create a diverse space.

The size, width and location of the ledges can vary depending on what they plan to hold as well. In addition to grooves, spacers and other cutouts can help hold specific items in place more safely. Wider ledges also come in handy when it comes to holding bigger items while thinner ledges display smaller pieces you intend to display.

Considering Plant Ledges

With shelves and storage pieces becoming popular as ways to hold plants, decor and other items, a plant ledge might sound great for you. They tend to take a bit more work to install than just a simple shelf, but the look that they create is typically worth the extra effort. You can talk with a contractor or remodeling expert to see how best to incorporate plant ledges into your home. If you need a referral to a great contractor, please let us know.