Plumeria Living & Design is now at SmartyPlants

Walk toward Cafe Tico this week and you will notice the light has changed. Plumeria Living & Design, a design studio based in Maitland, has installed a collection inside the nursery: rattan pendant light shades overhead, handpicked decor throughout, and a full outdoor living room set where you can sit down with your coffee.

It is our first partnership of its kind, and every piece in the installation is for sale at SmartyPlants.

What is in the installation

Most of the installation is lighting. Plumeria's rattan pendant shades hang over the space near the cafe, in a range of shapes and sizes. Woven natural fiber suits a nursery: it filters light the way a canopy of leaves does and looks at home next to palms and potted plants.

Around them, Plumeria has placed a handpicked selection of decor pieces. And just inside, close to Cafe Tico, is their Davos set, an outdoor living room you are welcome to sit in.

Why a design studio in a nursery

People come to SmartyPlants to make a space feel finished, whether that is a front entry, a back patio or a corner of the living room. Plants are a big part of that, but so are the light, the furniture and the objects around them. Seeing the pieces together, with plants, makes it easier to picture them at home.

It also makes the nursery a better place to spend time. The space by the cafe has become somewhere to sit, meet a friend or wait out an afternoon storm.

How to buy a piece

Everything in the installation can be purchased at SmartyPlants. To see more of Plumeria's work, visit plumeriadd.com. Ask anyone at the front counter about a piece you like. For larger items, including the Davos set, we schedule delivery for you, the same way we deliver plants, trees and fountains.

Pieces on display are the ones you see, so if something catches your eye, ask about it soon.

Pair it with plants

A rattan pendant over a patio table looks best with something green nearby. Large-leaf tropicals, palms in containers and trailing plants all suit woven textures. If the space is covered or indoors, our Shade House has plants that handle lower light. Our post on what makes a space feel finished has more ideas.

Bring a photo of the space you are working on. Our team can help you pick plants and pots that go with the pieces you choose.

Pots to match

Planters make as much difference as the plants in them. Our pottery section has glazed and natural finishes in a wide range of sizes, and Cindy's Pot of the Month puts one style at 25% off each month.

Natural and earth-tone pots work well with rattan and wood. A few dark pots can anchor a lighter space.

How to use rattan pendants at home

Rattan and other woven shades work best where you want warm, diffused light rather than a bright work light: over a dining table, in an entry, on a covered porch or above a seating area. Hung in a group at staggered heights, a few pendants can define a space without walls.

On a covered patio, check that any fixture you choose is rated for outdoor or damp locations before you install it, and have an electrician wire anything that needs a new circuit. Natural fiber also does best out of direct rain, so a covered porch or lanai is a better home for it than an open pergola.

Outdoor living in South Florida

Our best weather for sitting outside runs from late fall through spring, when the humidity drops and evenings cool off. That makes now a good time to set up a porch or patio you will actually use. A comfortable seating set, some shade, good light for the evening and plants around the edges are the basics.

Plants do a lot of the work of making an outdoor room feel enclosed. Tall containers with palms or bird of paradise can screen a view, and a hedge or a row of planters can separate a seating area from the rest of the yard. Our post on ideas for small front yards shows how much a few well-placed plants can do in a small space.

Caring for natural-fiber decor

Rattan, wicker and other natural fibers last longest out of standing water and harsh afternoon sun. Dust them with a soft brush, wipe them with a damp cloth when needed and let them dry fully. Under a covered porch in South Florida, keeping air moving helps prevent mildew in the humid months.

Ask our team about care for any specific piece when you buy it.

More reasons to stop in

The installation sits in the middle of everything else going on at the nursery. Cafe Tico serves coffee and pastries, the Shade House is full of tropical foliage and houseplants, and the pottery section has planters for every space. More than 30 new fountains have arrived as well, which pair well with an outdoor living room if you want the sound of water nearby.

If you are furnishing a porch or patio, plan to spend some time. Sit in the Davos set, look up at the pendants, and walk the nursery with an idea of what you want around them. Our team is glad to help you put it together and get it home.

Come sit down

The best way to see the installation is to visit, get a coffee from Cafe Tico and sit in the living room for a while. We are open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We are glad to have Plumeria Living & Design at SmartyPlants, and we think you will like what they have brought.

Frequently asked questions