Ditch Traditional Hanging Baskets — IKEA Has A Cuter Way To Show Off Your Plants

Hanging planter baskets make it quick and easy to drape your home and outdoor spaces with colorful flowers and greenery. You can move the planters when you want, and they draw the eye upward with elevated planting. But many of the hanging planters you find at the store are boring plastic pots that aren't super decorative. To break free from the overdone hanging planter, grab the KORKGRAN Hanging Planter from IKEA. 

The IKEA effect that makes you love assembling your own furniture is real, but this product from the Swedish retailer doesn't require assembly. It's a galvanized steel bucket-style planter with three hanging chains and a hanging ring attached. The metallic design makes the planter look unique without being distracting, so the plants still remain the focus. Since it's galvanized, the metal planter resists rusting and is suitable for use indoors and outdoors, which makes it versatile. Use it to display summer florals from your front porch or use it year-round to suspend your houseplants overhead. You'll need to add drainage to plant directly in the pot, or set a smaller planter inside the metal portion. 

Each planter has an 11-inch diameter on the outside and is 4.75 inches tall — large enough for a substantial plant yet compact enough to fit in most spaces. Ridges along the bottom portion add a little texture. Reviews are generally positive with a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars. It makes sense since IKEA is one of the best places to shop for planters.

While the KORKGRAN planter is unique and stands out on its own, you may want to dress it up a bit to break up the plain metallic look. Of course, a coat of spray paint will do the trick, but you can also get a bit more creative. On the smooth upper portion of the planter, use decoupage glue to attach a strip of patterned fabric. Repeat that fabric on the bottom of the planter — since it hangs up, the fabric will be visible from below and give the display a little extra pizzazz.

Another option is changing the hangers. Remove the simple chains and replace them with sturdy rope or twine. If you want texture and color, cut lengths of wire and string various beads onto the wires. Attach them where the chains were originally. If you enjoy DIY boho macramé projects, make a macramé hanger that will fit the planter instead of using chains. And the flat bottom means you could also remove the chains and put the planter on a table or shelf instead of hanging it (though that'll be such a waste).

And while you're hanging up your upgraded KORKGRAN planters, why not turn them into cord-free hanging pendant lights as well? Attach an LED puck light to the bottom — options with remotes make it easy to control the light levels. To make the actual puck less noticeable, lower the hanging height of the planter and fill it with faux or real vining plants that drape over the sides.