On Sale at A+R: Andrea Living Air Filter

Mathieu Lehanneur + David Edwards & LE Laboratoire Paris'
Andrea Living Air Filter $100.00 @ A+R

Yes, so you could probably just buy a whole bunch of house of plants, and actually, that may be the easier way to go but... the Andrea Living Air Filter is currently on sale at A+R, and whether it's a gift or simply for yourself this device is worth having, simply even for the originality of this cool home machination.

*Description, at read on A+R

Transform any house plant into a super toxic avenger! Andrea is the first living air filter that uses plants to absorb toxic gases via low-power consumption, ozone-free operation. Independent third party testing by RTP Labs certified Andrea is 40 times more efficient than standard carbon and HEPA filters (aka High Efficiency Particulate Air) in removing volatile toxins such as formaldehyde (a known human carcinogen used in floor coverings) and benzene and ammonia (found in many home-use cleaning solutions). RTP found that interior plants alone are more efficient than HEPA and carbon filters at removing toxic gases from air--but significantly less efficient than Andrea, which it determined is over 1000% FASTER THAN PLANTS ALONE. A plant’s natural metabolic activity eliminates pollution, boosted by Andrea's whisper-quiet fan that propels it through the leaves and root system, out through the water and soil filtration and back into the room environment. Andrea can be turned on and off through the day. No replaceable filters needed.

• Dimensions 14.5"w x 14.5"d x 20.5"h
• Biochemically transforms waste
• Ozone-free operation
• Low power consumption
• No replaceable filters needed
• Plants are not included but any household plant will do but those will best filtering abilities are philodendron gerbera, spathiphyllum, chlorophytum and pathos.

View other On Sale items @ A+R

Decorative Planters That Can Only Add To Your Wanted Ambiance

Between finance and all the other things that I want for my home getting a worth-while planter is forever being pushed to the side.  I think it's about time I appreciate what a great-looking planter can do for the home, add to the ambiance of your home.  With the right purchase you can get a beautiful planter that will add color and character to your window sill, fire mantle, outdoor patio or floor.

Spiraled Citrine Planter $48.00
Material:  Terracotta
Dimension:  12.5"h x 8.5"diam
Description:  Handwash, lemon-lime glaze coated tripod pot, with lid.

Giraffe Medallion Pot $32.00
Material:  Earthenware
Dimension:  15"h x 10.25l x 5.5"w
Description:  Handwash

Item Of Note: A+R's Self Watering Planter & Umbrella Stand

I am an aspiring green thumb and have been at my new planting hobby for roughly 6 months now, sadly no matter how much I love my plants and how well I take care of them... they just die.  My green thumb friend says it may just be my watering habits, I suppose there is such a thing as loving your plants a little too much, which in my case means I'm over-watering the poor little fellas.  That's where the A+R Grobal Self-Watering Planter comes in to play, perfect for someone like me who doesn't know how to keep plants alive and also perfect for someone who's never home to keep their plants alive, "note to self, must introduce Self Watering Planter to all busy-body friends".

Grobal Self-Watering Planter $25.00
Dimension:  Large (7.1"w x 7"h)  Baby (4.6"w x 4.8"h)
Component:  Water-level window, reservoir providing water & nutrients, 3 Nutra-packs

Comes in colors:

I'm not much of an umbrella user myself being from Southern California, not that it doesn't rain, just very rarely, and when it does I suppose I'd rather get wet- I blame it on the kid in me.  I have noticed in places though umbrella cans, and truly they seem to be trashcans, how sad is that?... and ugly.  I think, any self respecting household or business should have a proper and why not fun umbrella stand/holder... like this one from A+R Design House Stockholm & Eva Schildt's Umbrella Stand+Umbrella! Whew, what a name.

Umbrella Stand+Umbrella $160.00

Material:  Lacquered steel, soft sponge

Dimension:  28.5"h

Component:  Sponge to soak and draw water away from wet umbrellas

The Woolly Pocket Living Wall

A product that can be characterized as spectacular, innovative, helpful... FASCINATING!  Perhaps you already know of this great thing, my latest find that I'm about to present to you, which would mean I'm way behind- but no matter!  Here it is... the Woolly Pockets Indoor & Outdoor LIVING WALL.  If you appreciate greenery in your home and wish it didn't take up floor space or maybe you just have a huge blank wall just waiting to be used this is a great alternative to anything else you can do, just imagine,  a wall of greenery- the Woolly Pocket Living Wall makes it happen.  Nix the hassle of putting up shelves simply hang the pockets on the wall, indoors or outdoors, and fill it with herbs or other greenery.  Check it out.

This is how it works.

Materials:  Industrial felt & lining made of 100% recycled plastic bottles, metal grommets
Dimensions:  15"h x 24"w, .40 cubic feet
Components:  Mounting hardware included
Base Price: $39.00 @ A+R Woolly One Indoor & Outdoor Living Wall

Notes:  Indoor versions are lined to protect walls while allowing plant roots to breath, outdoor versions are unlined so water can drain without pooling.

Saving Money & Eating Organic, Growing Veg On The Window Sill

I was stuck with the idea that if you wanted to grow your own vegetables you needed land, you needed a yard no matter small or big just as long as you had ground space to dig.  I had the impression for a very long time that if you wanted to grow your own vegetables you needed space.  I would drool in envy as I saw my friends grow their own organic vegetables in their yards and was sad that I had no small yard space of my own to nurture my cravings of growing organic vegetables that I would be able to pick and eat straight away.

One day sitting at the computer surfing the web as usual I came across a book whose title caught my immediate attention, Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces, the book practically had my name written all over it, 'this book was made for me!' was my very first thought.

The book doesn't have all the answers (208 pgs long)
It deals with basics & upon first reading it
is very comforting and supportive.

I bought the book, and as dramatic as this may sound please know it to be true, it changed things for me drastically.  Living in a one bedroom 900 sqft. apartment in the middle of Los Angeles near one of it's many busy streets with only one side of the apartment that gets sunlight, I am now growing my own veg.

I often thought growing things in cans and toilet rolls would look

ugly and embarrassing.  To my pleasant surprise it actually looks

 cute & gives my living-room a very homey feel (this pic does not

do it justice).

The middle container:  A recent re-pot of a chili pepper

that was getting too large for it's starting container.  To

the left of it in the white tray I just started some sprouts

which supposedly is the easiest thing you can grow,

we'll see about that!

Thyme, basil and tomatoes were all pretty easy to grow.  Resist the urge to plant as

many seeds as you can in a container, I couldn't resist this urge & now I've got one

too many tomato plants in a single container, which I'm sure which will just make

it harder come time to replant them.

A tip in the book: using toilet paper rolls.  An awesome & much easier way to

plant especially if you need to replant them in bigger pots, replanting is not one

of the better things I can do I've found.

I planted 3 kinds of Chili: Ancho, New Mexican Joe Parker & Jalapenos.  I found all three

were much slower to sprout but they're all coming a long beautifully now.

Now I've got a window sill full of trays, cans, pots and toilet rolls growing thyme, chili peppers, basil, dill, french beans, sprouts and tomatoes.  It's become a new hobby of mine that I absolutely can't get enough of, and though the progress is slow I find it worth-while just watching the babies grow.

Start with one or two to see if you like growing your own vegetables in your small apartment space, the materials needed are priced wonderfully so that you can get an ample sized bag of organic soil at Home Depot or Osh for only $8 and an envelope of seeds from $2-$4.  If you save cans, plastic bottles even toilet rolls (which I do), these are all easily transformed into pots with draining holes for you to plant in.

Here a couple of apartment/small space dwellers who were quite successful with their growing...

Happy planting!

I Love My Plants As Much As I Love The City

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I love growing my very own plants in pots and anything else I can find, I set them near my sunny window and look at them and smile.  Naturally I love them more now that I live in the city.