"The flower pot was created to reignite that childlike sense of wonder and give people a laugh or two," Whitney writes. Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"We have three DIY projects that we are proud of: the root chandelier, the tadelakt bathroom shower/vanity, and the kitchenette cabinets," Whitney begins. Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"We built the boxes of the cabinets, the fluted doors and stained and sealed all of them," she continues. Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"This was a really fun project and the added detail of pole wrap on the door fronts make it look more custom and finished." Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"The cost of the cabinets was around $500 and took two days to complete." Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"I love furnishing a space with a mix of thrifted, vintage, or antique pieces and new things as well," Whitney advises. Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"I think it makes a space feel more lived in and gives your home a bit more personality. It’s also a great way to save money on your projects." Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"The root chandelier was inspired by one we saw that was way out of our budget at $4,000. We decided to take inspiration from the chandelier and make something inspired by it," Whitney admits. Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"I found a light fixture base for $150 on Facebook Marketplace, spray painted it brown, and bought faux branches from Hobby Lobby." Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"We were able to piece it together and it gave us the effect of the roots coming through the flower pot. The cost of the root chandelier was approximately $250 and took two days to complete." Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"The tadelakt bathroom was a really fun project to take on. Tadelakt is a waterproof plastering technique that originated from Morocco," Whitney explains. Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"It was much more labor/time intensive than we initially thought it would be. While we had no tadelakt experience prior to the shower and vanity project, we were really proud of ourselves for learning the process and it turned out beautifully." Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"The total cost of the tadelakt system ended up being around around $1,200 for materials and took four weeks to complete." Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
The bathroom's shower and vanity are done in Earthaus Plaster' Tadelakt "Buff," and the walls are Earthaus Plaster's Limewash Finish "Buff." Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
"My favorite parts of the flower pot are the tapered walls, the root chandelier, and the Dutch door," Whitney writes. "I am also very excited about the rooftop patio coming spring/summer 2024." Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
The exterior stucco color is Sherwin-Williams' "Totally Tan" and the door colors are Sherwin-Williams' "Equestrian Brown." Credit: Allison CoronaCredit: Allison Corona
Do you love a quirky themed space? From the kitschy hotels and motels of yesteryear to a nice themedbathroom, I love when someone takes an idea and goes ALL the way with it. Which is why I loved when Airbnb ran its OMG Fund contest, which was intended to help inspire a whole new crop of incredibly weird, niche stays.
Selected out of over 10,000 applications, Whitney and Krista received a grant of $100,000 to create the jumbo flower pot, which Whitney says was inspired by Krista’s dream to start a flower farm. “The flower pot was created to reignite that childlike sense of wonder and give people a laugh or two,” Whitney writes.
Adding to the family theme is the fact that the flower pot was built on land that Whitney’s late grandfather once farmed — land that has been in their family for over 65 years. Located in a small farming town in Idaho, the flower pot isn’t just a novel shape — it’s in calming surroundings, too.
Although you might think figuring out how to make a giant flower pot would have been the biggest challenge, Whitney says it was actually timeline. “We broke ground in April 2023 and were aiming to wrap up by August 2023. We ended up completing the build in December 2023,” she begins. “Budget is always a challenge with unique builds, as they are more difficult and labor-intensive. Finding contractors for framing, foundation, stucco, and drywall were very challenging as well because of the shape of the home.”
“We had a very detailed Google Sheet to help us track our timeline, budget, and contractor outreach. That helped to keep us both on the same page and divide and conquer tasks,” Whitney continues of the project, which all told cost $150k. “We already had the land, so we didn’t need to purchase that. But it didn’t have utilities.”
