When I asked my little sister Mikey to bring Ferny’s to the Shops at the Silos, I wanted her to have full creative freedom in realizing her vision for the space. As we dreamed together about the look and feel of the shop, Mikey pulled inspiration from her love for mid-century design and vintage finds, as well as the style of her home (which you can see on season 5, episode 6 of Fixer Upper). Mikey is such a calming presence to everyone she meets, so it’s fitting that when you step into her shop, it feels like walking into a friend’s home—full of nostalgic pieces and, of course, a lot of plants. I love the way this shop turned out, and I can’t wait for you to experience it here in Waco.
Welcome to Ferny’s!
-Jo
The Inspiration
Before Mikey sat down with Jo to begin designing the new shop, she made a moodboard to identify the kinds of design elements that would help bring this shop to life. Mikey pulled photos of vintage furniture pieces, mid-century modern wall units, neon signs, and bar-style display counters.
To hear more about Mikey's vision for the shop and how Ferny's started, check out our interview with her here.
Materials and Design Elements
The shop’s color palette is 70’s inspired, featuring mustard yellow, terracotta, and seafoam green. Walnut wood has a natural vintage feel, so you'll see that used in the cabinetry, wall units, and ceiling beams.
Mikey loved the color and texture of breeze block, so we brought that in for added dimension on the back wall. She also wanted to incorporate terrazzo, so we chose an option with yellow accents for the plant bar countertop, adding a whimsical layer to the room. The shop is layered with vintage pieces, including an antique wall unit with open shelving and cabinets that Mikey sourced at an antique store in Dallas.
The Plant Bar
Upon entering the shop, guests are greeted by a glowing pink and white neon Ferny's sign mounted on a wall of terracotta-colored breeze block. The sign paired with the tiled plant bar (complete with a brass foot rail and a terrazzo countertop) captures the distinctly 70's feel Mikey wanted to bring to this space. Hanging just above the plant bar is a custom brass and glass shelf unit to display plants and bring greenery to every corner of the shop.
Seating Nook
Mikey and the team brought in mid-century style furniture for a casual seating area, with a retro-inspired light fixture identical to the one in Mikey's own living room. The custom shelving on the back wall makes the space feel like home.
You can watch the entire story of how Ferny’s came to life by streaming “The Retro Plant Shop with Mikey + Jo” on the Magnolia app or magnolia.com with a discovery+ subscription.
A One-Of-A-Kind Collection
Part of what makes Ferny’s so unique is that it features items handpicked by Mikey while shopping at antique and vintage stores. Mikey also helped design all the graphics on the t-shirts, hats, and mugs. Her curation of old and new products makes this shop is truly one-of-a-kind.
Bring Ferny's Home
For those who can’t make it to Waco to see Ferny's in person, you can still bring a piece of the shop home. A selection of planters, apparel, and more are available to shop online!
