Get ready for spring with cute modern planter designs that often do double-duty as decor, dish racks, aquariums or even pet houses. These colorful and clever indoor pots include upside-down designs, recycled materials and DIY projects.
‘Rainy Pot’ Cloud-Shaped Planter
To water the plants installed in these adorable wall-mounted pots, you simply make it rain. Pour water into the cloud and ‘raindrops’ will fall onto the plant below in a process that is less stressful for the plant than a rush of water straight from a cup or bottle.
Colorful Plastic Animal Planters
Etsy shop Coastal Moss reclaims old childrens’ toys and paints them in bright colors to turn them into mini planters with lots of personality. Hippos, elephants, rhinos, lizards, turtles and lions are among the creatures available.
DIY House-Shaped Pots
This cute project makes use of oven-bake clay and items you’ve probably already got laying around the house, like a rolling pin and baking paper, to make DIY house-shaped planters. Download the template and get all the steps at the Say Yes blog.
2 Plant-Watering Dish Racks
Why haven’t these designs been made commercially available yet? Combining a dish rack with planting pots is a clever way to capture water that would otherwise be wasted and use it to brighten up your kitchen. The first design, called Fluidity, integrates small pots right into the rack, while the second relies on gravity to route the water into a pair of planters.
Aquafarm Planter and Aquarium in One
The key to this countertop garden is the goldfish that live just below it, producing a symbiotic ecosystem that helps plants like basil, mint, spinach and baby greens thrive. The plant roots purify the water, while the fish waste acts as fertilizer.
Pet House Planters
Many a design-conscious pet owner has bemoaned the options available to them for indoor cat and dog houses, which aren’t generally made to blend in with modern decor. French design company Pousse Creative offers a cool solution that not only looks good, but makes pet houses multi-functional: pet hideaways with planters built into the top.
Upcycled Book Planters for Succulents
Easy shop PaperDame upcycles vintage books, lining them with a waterproof seal so they can be used as planters for succulents and other small low-water plants. The books chosen are at least 3 inches deep to allow for adequate potting space.
Inverted Sky Planter
The Sky Planter by Boskke encourages abundant greenery using a special reservoir that gradually feeds water to the plant’s roots, protecting against evaporation and drainage. The upside-down design also frees up floor space.
Dual Magnetic Planters for Fences
This dual-sided plant pot design uses magnets to pair two plants together on either side of a thin barrier like a chain-link fence.
Herb Stand Countertop Pot with Scissors
Quickly and easily snip off chives, parsley leaves or any other herbs straight from the plants on your counter with this clever Herb Stand by Normann Copenhagen, which even provides a pair of scissors.


