Wednesday, August 12, 2009

breathe clean air! put plants in your home.

Adapted from Your Naturally Healthy Home, by Alan Berman.

Indoor air quality has been something that has become a health hazard this century. We hear about sick building syndrome and assume that it only affects 'sealed' commercial buildings- when in fact, the level of toxins and mold in the average household are astonishing and do have physical effects. Read more here:

http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.36056/k.BDFB/Indoor_Air_Quality/apps/lk/links.aspx

The good old houseplant is here to save the day!!

These often-overlooked air cleaning helpers rid the air of pollutants and toxins, counteracting outgassing and contributing to balanced internal humidity.

Find out which houseplants are our most effective allies in
keeping your household air clean and pure.

It is suggested that one plant should be allowed for approximately 10 square yards of floor space, assuming average ceiling heights of 8 to 9 feet. This means that you need two or three plants to contribute to good air quality in the average domestic living room of about 20 to 25 square yards.

Research has shown that these 10 plants are the most effective
all-around in counteracting offgassed chemicals and contributing to balanced internal humidity.

  • Areca palm
  • Reed palm
  • Dwarf date palm
  • Boston fern
  • Janet Craig dracaena
  • English ivy
  • Australian sword fern
  • Peace Lily
  • Rubber plant
  • Weeping fig


Although many plants like light, they do not all have to be placed near windows. Many indoor plants originated in the dense shade of tropical forests and have a high rate of photosynthesis. These are ideal for the home and can be placed in darker corners. When positioning plants, try to strike a balance between light and ventilation because the effect of plants on indoor air pollution appears to be reduced if they are set in a draft.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

home depot? no thanks...

when miami'ans have a sudden urge to beautify outdoor spaces with planters, be it a balcony, front stoop or sprawling terrace- what are the retail options? if you answered target or home depot- you are a correct!

sadly these two retail giants, who perpetuate a total disregard for design and lame conventional aesthetics with their limited offering of terra cotta pots, ceramic pots with whimsical butterfly or flower embellishments and overpriced plants that never look so hot- are our only options. until now.

welcome, pots and plants miami! i am an interior designer with experience in hospitality and retail projects, and design marketing/branding. and it so happens that i married a hardcore Florida horticulturalist who was born with a pair of clippers in his hand. it also helps that my father has an extremely green thumb- and dragged me every sunday to the nursery to help him pick plants for our garden. photographic memories of dr. seuss-ish succulents oozing out of our flagstone retaining wall from the age of 10- alone- fuels my horticultural passion today and fuels pots and plants miami.

i have always been envious when travelling to urban centers like los angeles, new york, toronto, vancouver and montreal. door steps seem to always be tastefully adorned with perfectly planted sanseverria in concrete rectangular planters. foxtail ferns sit bushy, green and happily in low stone bowls. and succulents are beautiful, bountiful and architecturally sound. these simple planters to me, are a symbol of good design.

an eye for good design is indeed relative, but it is something that must be fueled by a passion and understanding of distinguishing the conventional vs. unconventional. i want pots and plants miami to be the unconventional source for pots, plants, birdhouses and hammocks. all the things that i believe are the roots to any perfect outdoor living space. i grew up in canada- where summers were stolen away from me after a mere 3-4 months every year...see why i'm so passionate about outdoor living!

here in miami we live in a climate that invites us outdoors at least 365 days of the year. people should take advantage of this fact and start beautifying an outdoor space. start with a front stoop or balcony!

embrace your outdoor space by making it yours and start enjoying the great outdoors!
pots and plants miami...coming soon.