Silhouette® Sheer Shades Fabric: Elan™, Halo with ClearView Color: Daisy White<br> <br> Photos: Ryan Rhodes
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How Stylist Hilton Carter Perfects the Light in His Plant-Filled Office
April 17, 2024
by Hunter Douglas
Interest in greenery has exploded during, and post-, pandemic. But the grass is always greener at Hilton Carter’s home.
Perched in the Colorado mountains, this striking Breckenridge vacation home is outfitted with everything you need for enjoying your surroundings, relaxing with convenience and resting with comfort—the window treatments included.
Complementing the home’s rustic sophistication, our
In fact, Carter’s fervor for flora education is designed to transcend the lifecycle of transient trends.
Wild at Home: How to Style and Care for Beautiful Plants (his latest tome, The Propagation Handbook, drops in April), prioritizes the right kind of light for his space by balancing the amount of sunlight needed for both plant and human health. He recently installed Hunter Douglas with
Carter sat down with Hunter Douglas to probe all questions plant, and light, related.
Q: Take us to the beginning: your start as a plant designer and stylist. How has your focus deepened over the last few years?
I got started as a plant designer and stylist by first styling my own space. I wanted to create a space for myself that felt warm and inviting, while bringing the outside in. After receiving so many compliments from friends and family about what I had done to my space, I decided I would try and create that feeling for others. Over the last few years my love for creating living spaces has only deepened due to my ability to design more complex and interesting types of spaces.
Q: Light is everything to a plant! And it’s key for humans, too. For your office space, how did you approach the lighting — from a human and a plant focus?
Light is everything to every living thing. This was top of mind when I was looking for a new studio space, so large windows were a must. I wanted to make sure I had southern exposure for my plants and that there were moments during the day that I could get sun-kissed as well. Feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin is just so relaxing and keeps me energized and creative throughout the day.
Q: There must have been some lighting challenges with the new studio. What were they, initially?
The main challenge I had in the studio was controlling the amount of direct sun that streams in. Of course, that's a good problem to have when your studio is full of plants, but having the ability to control the harshness of light was important to me.
Q: You used Silhouette Duolite Shadings with PowerView Automation to improve the environment for your indoor plants. How can the average plant lover manipulate light in their space to improve their plants' health, either by selecting the right shades or through other light-management techniques?
With the addition of the Hunter Douglas shades, I can now turn direct sunlight into bright indirect light, which most indoor plants prefer. So if you’re someone with plants and you have them in southern or western facing windows, having sheer shades, which can diffuse the light rather than block it completely, is the way to go.
Before I had Hunter Douglas shades, pools of direct sun would flood the south facing windows in my studio space, which can be harmful to some of my tropical plants. Having the ability to open the vanes of the Silhouette shades turns that direct sun into diffused light, while still providing me with a view of the outside world.
Q: As you put it, light is “everything to every living thing.” But it’s also incredibly powerful and potentially destructive. What are the downsides to light — for example, how can light damage floors or interiors if not managed well with shades?
While light is everything to your plants and you, I can’t say the same for your furniture, the paint on your walls, or your flooring. Too much direct sun can fade the colors in furniture, wood and paint, making it look worn and uneven, and can cause some woods to warp and wallpaper to peel.
With PowerView Automation, I can conveniently schedule my shades to close during the sunniest times of the day, protecting interiors from harsh UV rays.
Q: A recent 1stdibs survey found that biophilic design was the top design trend for last year. That trend even encompasses inanimate items, like floral-print wallpaper. Where does that uptick in interest in nature, and in bringing the outdoors’ influence indoors, come from?
Me? Haha! But honestly, I believe it has to do with people finding themselves in spaces that have put an emphasis on biophilic design, and having witnessed for themselves how wonderful a space designed with nature in mind feels. We’ve all come to understand how important it is to stay connected to nature and all of the amazing benefits it provides us.
Q: Are there some plants that you just won't grow because of their requirements for care? Do you have any "dream plants" that you'd love to own?
I love so many species of calatheas and ferns, but I stay away from them because of how much attention they need. With their limitless moisture needs as well as their sensitive light temperament (not too bright, not too dark), they really require the perfect environment year round.
And at this moment, my dream plant would be a 100-year-old maple bonsai that’s cared for by a master bonsai artist. I just want to enjoy admiring it!
Q: How do you integrate plants into your décor? Are the plants the focus, or do you add plants to, for example, the room design you've already chosen?
It depends on if I’m starting with a blank canvas or not. If so, I base my plant selection around the theme and vibe of the design I’m going for. Then I let the level of light in that space help me dictate what plants can live there.
Ready to manage light in your space like a professional plant stylist? Discover how Hunter Douglas Silhouette Duolite Shadings with PowerView Automation can diffuse the light entering your home or office for improved plant, and human, health.
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