When the temps dip, it’s a great time to sit down in front of a roaring fire and read a good book. But what if you don’t have a roaring fire at hand? What if you only have the really cool, chalk-painted mantle that you just bought at your favorite vintage store? 

Sansevieria to the rescue! The tall flame-like stems of this easy-care plant mimic the leaping flames of a fireplace blaze. A galvanized bin from the hardware store unifies the look, as well as keeping drips off the hardwood floor after watering. 

I’m a big fan of rustic galvanized metal and love mixing it with formal elements such as the toile-covered channel back chairs in my living room. I tucked in the trio of tall sansevierias—and the outcome was a nice flame effect. 

And now for the light show. A string of outdoor lights curled around the base of the plants did the trick. (I selected low-cost LED string lights so I don’t feel guilty about leaving them on 24/7.) 

The backlit sansevierias are bathed in a lovely glow day and night.  

So while I don’t have a working fireplace, I do have my own green version with flames and light and drama. 

Materials
3 tall sansevieria
1 galvanized bin
1 string of LED lights

Written by Karen Weir-Jimerson