Taking Steps to Enhance Air Quality

Improve Air Quality

Whenever an interior designer wants to liven up a room, decorating with living things is one of the best ways to do it. Plants are typically the first decorative choices to accessorize an office because they bring a certain sense of vitality to an otherwise industrial look. However, what some interior designers may not realize is that desk plants are extremely healthy for office environments too!

Cities are full of terrible pollutants that can take a toll on health, and plants provide beautiful air purifiers. If you’re looking to liven up your office space, and feel a little healthier as well, here are five great plants for the home and office that may have you breathing a little easier!

Spider Plant

 

Spider plants are great for improve air quality in your home/office environments in particular because they bring tons of life to a room with very little care. This plant does well in hanging baskets or pots with lots of rich soil and can survive infrequent watering. It prefers bright sunlight but can thrive well under artificial lighting for office workspaces too.

Researchers at the University of Hawaii performed studies on this little beauty that proved it as a great plant for cities. They found that spider plants are one of the top leafy greens for removing harmful VOCs from the air indoors. As a result, people around this plant breathe easier and have fewer toxins in their system to impair cognitive function. And best of all, they feel better. For all these reasons and more, it is the perfect plant for those that work high on skyscrapers!

Peace Lily

If you want a plant that looks just as beautiful as the rest of your office, say hello to the gorgeous peace lily! This pretty plant looks best sitting on the corners of great corner desks for office use while it’s young, and looks just as elegant in a corner of its own as it grows bigger. Studies by the University of Minnesota, Penn State, a University of Technology in Taiwan, and even NASA and the U.S. military have all produced results that have proven the peace lily’s extraordinary air cleansing abilities.

Like the spider plant, it is adept at removing harmful VOCs from the air. It does well in nutrient-rich potting soil with loose dirt and plenty of drainages. For those that want frequent flowerings, this plant requires a bit more watering for those that can handle the task!

Lemon Balm

Stuck in an office that’s prone to mold or other smelly smells? Then the lemon balm is the desk plant for you! This aromatic plant provides all the air-cleansing qualities you would want and even puts off a wonderful perfume all its own. As you may have guessed, lemon balm smells a lot like lemons, and studies have shown that it is great for improving mood. They do wonders in office environments that don’t get a whole lot of sunlight, making them ideal accents in stylish cubicles for office environments.

Just plant this lovely little shrub in a size-appropriate pot and water it frequently for an aromatic office that everyone within a whiff of will surely appreciate.

Golden Pothos

In another NASA study, the golden pothos proved to be a top air cleanser alongside the peace lily. This pretty little plant boasts adorable heart-shaped leaves that compliment modern executive desks for home office use with ease! Hardworking moms and dads are sure to love it, and they make great gifts for holidays. They thrive beautifully in low-light environments, making them perfect for both home and corporate office environments.

 They prefer slightly dry soil and are a little bit root-bound, so don’t worry too much about proper care. All they ask is an appropriately sized pot or hanging basket, and they’re ready to get to work cleaning your office air!

 

 

Gardenia

A grandmother’s favorite for a reason, gardenias are perfect for gardens and offices alike. According to research from Rutgers, this beautiful little plant makes an excellent air cleaner and improves your mood as well. Just a few whiffs of its wonderful scent will have you swooning. Its classic look and brain-stimulating qualities make it the perfect plant to sit on the edge of pretty glass desks for computer use in either home or public office environments. With moderate sunlight and a bit of fair care, your gardenia may even last your whole career as they can live for up to twenty-five years!

Creating a Living Wall in Your Office

A living wall is all the rage these days, for decorating both home and office. These design elements are not only beautiful, but they also improve indoor air quality and the mindset and mood of those exposed to them. Although you may perceive it as a new concept, hanging gardens and green walls have been used since ancient times to beautify and delight. In the office, these dramatic design elements not only serve as conversation pieces but also improve the mood and job satisfaction of employees while cooling the environment and filtering the air.

What Is a Living Wall?

A living wall is simply a vertical arrangement of plant materials, structured and mounted in such a way that it appears the plants are growing from the wall itself. Although they can be installed both indoors and outdoors, experts have discovered many measurable benefits from adding a living wall indoors, especially in a commercial or office setting.

The wall of plants can be virtually any size and configuration, and it can include any species of vegetation you prefer, although some may be harder to care for than others. The right way to design and install yours depends on your space and the look you hope to achieve.

Design the Armature

Once you have identified the place you hope to hang your green wall, verify that the wall or ceiling of choice can support a heavy structure. When fully loaded, you can expect your arrangement to weigh approximately 5 pounds per square foot. Secure anchors are crucial because should the arrangement fall, someone could be seriously hurt by its weight.

You can purchase pre-fabricated frames, designed specifically to hold your plantings, or you can make one yourself. The Internet is full of ideas and plans for living walls of all sizes and shapes. Some people prefer their arrangement to float, in essence, on the wall. Others prefer to utilize a horizontal base below the vertical plant wall, which can be designed to coordinate or add additional design elements while supporting the heavy arrangement.

Determine Your Plant Layout

One interior designer recommends that you think of your plant layout as planting a living picture. To look right, your plants must be tightly grouped so they all run together, leaving the observer no glimpse of the underlying structure, lest it ruins the illusion.

Whatever plant species you select, make sure they are compatible in terms of their needs for light, water, fertilization, and care. Combining succulents and ferns might look amazing, but as one needs lots of water and the other very little, chances are good that neither will survive.

Consider also how much time and attention you and your staff have to give your living installation. If the wall isn’t tended to regularly for the removal of dead leaves and foliage, it will start to look ragged in no time. Many interior designers recommend using succulents exclusively. They come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, almost all of which are striking to look at. They require little water, and thanks to their cactus-like nature, you don’t need to remove dead foliage. Finally, consider how your wall will be watered.

When you get it mounted and later learn that water runs out onto the floor, you’ll have a big problem with your hands.

A living wall will enhance any indoor environment, but especially an office where it will be viewed and enjoyed by everyone. Consider contacting a professional interior or landscape artist to build and install yours.

Because they are experts, they will ensure that the right species are included, that the living wall is safely mounted, and that they will care for it regularly, to ensure that you never need to be concerned with watering, feeding, or cleaning up. Contact an interior landscaper in your area today, and get started on your living wall!