Birmingham Magazine April 2018 Issue

• CULTURE |
Rant & Rave
by
RANT&RAVE
JULIA SAYERS
Our editors sound off each month on one thing
they love and one thing they can’t stand
RANT:
Houseplants
TABLE
THE DISH 25 • COOKING 101 28 • HAPPY HOUR 30 • WHAT'S IN SEASON 32
HOT LIST 34 • CITY BITE 37 • THIS OR THAT? 38
LET’S TALK ABOUT houseplants for a
second. Sure, they seem like a good idea at
first—they add color to your home, they
freshen up the air—but soon after you realize
their benefits, you have to face their harsh
realities. And by realities, I mean responsibilities.
Caring for a houseplant is like caring for
a pet, except you get nothing in return. They
need to be watered, they need enough sun—
but not too much sun!—they can’t be too
cold or too hot, and the list goes on.
I have personally experienced the amount
of stress they can cause. My boyfriend and I
have two houseplants—a palm plant and a
dracaena tree—and I swear he thinks about
those plants more than he thinks about me.
Recently, one has taken up residence in the
middle of our guest bedroom (which gets the
best light) instead of its usual discreet
corner spot. The second one lives
next to the TV in the living room.
That is, until we go out of town, at
which point my boyfriend decides
the best spot for it is in the center of
our walk-through kitchen, in front
of the glass patio door. It’s especially
convenient when we get home with
all our suitcases and I trip over it,
sending me and all my stuff flying. I
asked him once (after stubbing my
toe) if it was necessary for the plant
to be there. His response was that it
needed to be taken care of. My toe,
on the other hand, was of no concern.
I recently thought I’d give houseplants
another chance. I purchased an arrangement
of succulents. Within a week, they
were all dead. The fake plant I purchased
for our bedroom, however, is still alive, and
it looks as real as anything.
RAVE:
Wallpaper
CONFESSION: I’M INTO
wallpaper. Stick with me here. This
isn’t your grandma’s wallpaper I’m
talking about. There are no country
geese. There’s no mismatched
accent border. And it’s not on all
four walls. Sans these outdated
trends, there’s no denying,
wallpaper is back.
In its renaissance, wallpaper has
grown up. It’s shiny, it’s sleek, it’s
fun and it’s funky. Maybe grandma
was on to something—if only
she’d known how to do it right.
Wallpaper can be the perfect accent
to a room. Paint three of the walls
a plain neutral color, and paper one
in a fun pattern. It’s a way to add
visual interest to a room
without overwhelming.
Some of my favorite wallpaper
trends include metallic geometric
patterns on dark backgrounds, and
jungle print or botanical-inspired
patterns that bring in pops of
color. Not ready to fully commit
just yet? Wallpaper creators have
the solution with easily-applicable
stick on sheets that adhere and
remove without leaving a trace.
(Find it at Target, Wayfair, and
Urban Outfitters.)
For some inspiration, I love
Madcap Cottage’s style (@madcapcottage
on Instagram). In their
book “Prints Charming” (how cute
is that name?), they show you how
to pick and mix patterns, including
wallpaper, in a way that’s both
classy and stylish.
Get Real
Real & Rosemary in
Homewood provides healthy,
affordable food that’s
reminiscent of home cooking.
by ERIC VELASCO
Real & Rosemary's cozy front patio is a favorite spot for diners. (Photo by Kelsey Justice)
34 | Birmingham | APRIL 18 APRIL 18 | Birmingham | 35