7 minute read
Pot Paradise
Maria De Vargas knows a pot or two. In fact she houses a urban jungle warehouse full of unique and quality pots and plants. A pot is more than just an object; it’s a way to create life. It has the ability to bring out the best in your plant, and make them thrive in any environment. Maria is the expert on all things pot-related, so if you need help deciding on which pot is right for your plant, she is the person to go to!
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Maria, your pots are beautiful. How many pots do you have in your warehouse? Thank you, we love our pots as well. They are too many to count! Our range changes frequently depending on shipments and availability from overseas suppliers.
What do you think will be the next big trend in pots this Spring and going into Summer? I think people will be drawn again to the “cluster of 3” design, in which three pots of varying heights and dimensions are clustered in the same style. It’s an attractive option for many gardeners. Our Fibreglass range in pure white and black, such as the Bondi, Palm Beach and Avalon, is particularly popular for this design choice.
A new shipment of amazing statement pieces has just arrived from Indonesia, and we are also waiting for a container from Turkey and Morocco this November.
What are your top tips for choosing pots? The most important thing to remember is to measure the space that you have and monitor how much light is available. Light is key to maintaining a healthy plant. It is also worth taking photos of the space and accompanying furniture so that you can refer back to them when faced with a huge choice at The Pot Warehouse.
ONE OF THE POT WAREHOUSE’S CLIENTS, THE BOATHOUSE ROSE BAY
Describe your most inspirational pot jungle for the home. I love mixing all styles of pots and plants. Big vibrant leaves will always create that feel of a tropical holiday in your home like Giant Elephant Ears or a Fan Palm.
You’ve announced an extension to your beautiful store called The Pot Garage . Tell us more. It was created to help our customers discover more than just beautiful pots and plants. We wanted to offer our customers beautiful pieces of furniture and homewares that can become instant statement pieces in their homes.
Our purpose is twofold. We have fi lled the space with a selection of unique homewares, art and one-of-a-kind items for your home. Plus we also wanted to create a space for local artists and designers to showcase their pieces, offering it as a Pop-Up space to hire.
The variety of pots on the market is vast and can be overwhelming. What ’s your advice when choosing a pot for the home? Really a lot of it comes to budget. Make sure that you have one and that you are true to your own aesthetic. In my opinion, every home needs at least one statement pot. These work on their own and do not need to be clustered with other pots. We have many spectacular pieces ranging from those best suited to being on a mantel or much larger freestanding options. If you are unsure of what you want, going for a classic colour and shape is the best place to start.
Describe the types of pots available from the warehouse. We pride ourselves in stocking a very large range of pot styles in varying sizes, colours and prices in order to cater for everyone.
We’ve been privileged to work with some exquisite clients, like The Boat House Group and their locations around the Northern Beaches, Patonga and Sydney—particularly their recently opened Manly Pavilion on Manly Cove.
We understand that people have different budgets and tastes and we like to provide for all budget levels.
How should pots be arranged? The correct arrangement really comes down to the area you are working with. It’s really important to take the dimensions of the space into account - in order to choose the right size pot(s). You also need to decide where you want the eye to be drawn to. For example – do you want one large statement pot to highlight a beautiful plant or do you want symmetry – such as two pots either side of a door so that balance is created.
The cluster of three design is very popular at the moment and I think it will continue to be in trend. It involves placing three pots in varying heights in a cluster – when the right plants are placed in each of the three pots the cluster becomes a statement focal point.
Each space is unique which is why our team are always on hand to help the customer choose the right combination.
What is the Pot Stylist? Tell us more about this new service? It’s a service that helps customers choose the right pot and plant for their home or offi ce. We advise on which plant will thrive in the space and which pots will suit their style. We can also deliver and install the pots into your home.
Do you have any tips or tricks for planting in small spaces? Think tall and narrow to make the area feel higher and won’t take up as much space.
If you ’re looking for a hero piece to showcase - what is your ultimate pot in store at the moment? It’s hard to go past a white Turkish pot as they are timeless and each pot has its own personality as they are handmade and have their own history.
How should pots be mixed and matched? Do you choose by colour or style? We can suggest lots of different combinations to our customers but there is no hard rule on how to mix and match – it’s more about what “vibe / feel” the customer is trying to create. It depends if the customer likes everything matching, or a hero statement piece.
Where do all the pots come from? Do you design your own range? We really like to showcase variety and have long-term relationships with many Australian and overseas suppliers. We also support small bespoke businesses with their ranges as we like to offer our customers something that is uniquely different. And yes, we also design our own ranges such as the Lightweight Palm Beach range – which means that our customers get a unique pot that is not going to be seen in everyone’s home.
Maria, we can’t wait to pop down to Mona Vale and visit your emporium of pots. See you soon! •
CNR BARRENJOEY RD & HARKEITH ST, MONA VALE // (02) 9979 1177 INSTA: @THE_POT_WAREHOUSE // www.thepotwarehouse.com.au
