Q&A: Plant Propagation as Home Decor with @theorybeyonddesign

Kara Hill (@theorybeyonddesign) is the woman behind Theory Beyond Design, an online home decor store with an emphasis on providing handmade simple yet modern styles for plant propagation! Kara is into designing and building the perfect piece to help you create and grow your ideal green space. Read on to see how she got started as a maker and how she incorporated the Loop into her home decor!

Many thanks to our interviewer, Elise!




Theory Beyond Design has evolved tremendously since I started it as an Etsy store for repurposed home decor in 2014. It only became an outlet for handmade plant decor when I became fascinated with plant propagation in 2018. I learned that I could grow new plants with just some water and cuttings, and I began collecting an odd assortment of containers full of new little cuttings and stems. The plants looked cute, but trying to decorate my home and office with plastic cups and random jars just wasn’t doing it for me. In-progress can still look “put-together” and decorating with plants shouldn’t have to wait until they are mature enough for a stylish pot or planter. From there, I remembered I’d gotten a brass stand with glass test tubes at a vendor’s mall a few years before. I’d since lost the stand, but still had the test tubes, so I decided to make my own stand for them. The rest is history. I lean towards the modern boho style in my designs simply because that is the cozy, yet refined look I like to see in my own home. 

  

I run Theory Beyond Design as an online store from my home in Lexington, KY but I also participate in local makers' markets and pop-ups. I ship my pieces anywhere in the U.S. and worldwide. Fun fact, since starting Theory Beyond Design, I’ve shipped only several international orders, and they have all been to Australia!

 

Honestly, two planters balance out that side of the wall better than just one. It is a narrower space, so a tiered set-up keeps that corner from looking too crowded while also creating a cozily filled-up greenspace.

 

The natural light is amazing in this room and perfect for houseplants! I also have cats who enjoy the sunny windows and like to nibble on leaves, so wall space is precious real estate for plants in my home.  While it took me forever to assemble the gallery wall, filling any available wall space with plants was a no-brainer!

Thanks to Kara for sharing her story and her methods with us! See her work online:

Instagram: @theorybeyonddesign

Website: theorybeyonddesign.com