How renowned interior stylist Hilton Carter finds zen by caring for 200 houseplants
This article is part of our Life With Intention series about high achievers who exemplify intentional living.
Plant stylist and author Hilton Carter said that he used to have a neighbor who walked his bulldog with his phone in front of his face. "I used to make fun of that guy," Carter told Insider. Now, Carter says that's him.The stylist, who's written three books about plant care and has a product line at Target, sometimes finds himself scrolling and responding to direct messages while he walks his dog. But when he's tending to his plants, he's unplugged from the rest of the world, which he cherishes - even if it's just for a few minutes.
"It's my form of meditation," Carter said. "Being able to check in on plants, watering plants - all those are the moments where I'm not tied to my phone, scrolling through social media, or checking an email. I'm only focused on that plant."
With years of plant care and brand-building experience under his belt, Carter shared some of his strategies for employing his passion, personally and professionally, as well as maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Carter uses plants to unwind and create a serene space
Carter said he brought his first plants into his home in 2014. Two years later, he decided to turn plant styling into a side hustle. Now, Carter has about 200 plants in his living space, and taking care of them is a big stress reliever. Carter said he also relieves stress by designing his home to make it feel more relaxing. To do this, Carter fills his space with natural tones and textures, like wood, and embraces natural light.
Carter draws on his plant-care expertise to explore professional ventures
To inspire others to embrace the beauty of plants in their own spaces, Carter wrote his first book, "Wild at Home: How to Style and Care for Beautiful Plants," published by CICO Books in 2018.
By May 2019, Carter said he quit his role at an ad agency to be a full-time plant stylist. Since then, Carter has written two more books, "Wild Interiors: Beautiful Plants in Beautiful Spaces" in 2020 and "Wild Creations" in April.
Carter's most recent title is full of DIY home projects and tips on caring for plants.
"It stemmed from being at home during the pandemic and trying to create something for myself to do," Carter said of "Wild Creations."
His most recent book includes some of what Carter calls "plant rants," pieces of advice he's picked up over the years about plant care.
"It's like the things that your parents say to you, like, 'You should listen to what I'm saying because I've gone through this,'" Carter said of the lessons he included in his book.
In "Wild Creations," Carter writes of the importance of bringing plants into your space that you are able to care for - just like you would a pet.
"Most individuals who have small apartments and travel a lot, or don't have a lot of time on their hands, more than likely won't bring in a puppy," he told Insider. "Those are the same sort of thought processes you should go through when you're bringing plants in."
Carter doesn't work during quality time with loved ones
Aside from his plants and decor, Carter maintains a healthy work-life balance by working only after his wife is asleep or when she's at work. When they're together, Carter is not working. This is the most important way he separates his work life from his personal life.
After a long day of work, Carter and his wife, Fiona, talk about things they're excited about. Right now, it's the baby girl they're having. Fiona is due in August.
Throughout the day, when Carter gets stressed, thinking about his growing family pulls him out of negative headspace.
"Whenever I feel any sort of negativity trying to creep in, somehow I'll lean back toward our daughter," Carter said. "It helps out a lot."