How to create a calming 'nature nook' with indoor plants. Advice from
Hilton Carter
[February 04, 2026]
By JESSICA DAMIANO
Have you dreamed of creating a calm and cozy spot at home to relax and
recharge, but don’t think you can spare the space?
You don’t need a “man cave,” “she shed” or even a whole room to retreat
to. Just one corner will do.
One corner, warm lighting, a cozy chair and some plants, says interior
and plant stylist Hilton Carter, who specializes in “nature nooks” —
tiny wellness sanctuaries that calm the mind, body and spirit.
Carter has hosted plant-forward specials for HBO and PBS, launched a
plant and accessories line with Target and authored six books (his most
recent is “Unfurled: Designing a Living Home.”)
Nature nooks, he says, improve a home emotionally as well as
aesthetically.
Carter, 46, found himself leaning toward plants a decade ago. “I was
feeling overwhelmed by the hustle and grind working as a freelance
filmmaker in Los Angeles when a project took me to Glen Mills,
Pennsylvania,” he said.
There, he popped into a garden-themed café.
“I was all knotted up, and I walked in there and felt a change. It felt
like a vacation,” he said.
Not long after, Carter moved to New Orleans and bought a fiddle-leaf fig
tree he named Frank. “I was at a crossroads in life, which all of us
face, and I faced it with this plant,” he said, adding that he made a
vow to love it and keep it alive. “Everything I’ve accomplished since
then was all due to that moment.”
A nature nook doesn't need a lot of plants
Today, Carter, who lives in Baltimore with his wife and two children,
has roughly 150 plants at home and another 200 or so in his studio,
including Frank, now 14 feet tall. But creating a nature nook with as
few as five plants can reap emotional benefits, he said.
Before buying any plants, choose your site, Carter said.
“There is no minimum or maximum size” for a nature-nook corner, he says.
The important thing is “how lush you decide to make it.”
Next, assess lighting. “If one side of the corner has a nice-size window
and it gets southern-facing light for eight hours of the day, there are
particular plants that you could go wild with that could thrive in that
light,” Carter said.
“But let’s say you have a north-facing window on one wall and it’s a
standard-size window. You probably will want to bring in artificial
light.”
Don't get just any grow lights, though.
“Find those companies that make beautiful grow bulbs. Some have
two-color tones, some (replicate) daylight and others make warmer
lights” that make the space inviting but still help plants thrive,
Carter said.
If relying on natural light, consider the seasons. “It may be brighter
in the winter because all the leaves on the trees are gone, but in
summer that’s a whole different situation.”
Assess your light and bring that information to a plant shop for
guidance.
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This 2025 image provided by Hilton Carter shows a plant-centered
seating area at his home in Baltimore. (Hilton Carter via AP)
 A comfortable place to sit
Bring in “some sort of accent chair facing whatever direction is
going to provide you with joy: facing out the window, where the joy
is having that sun caress your face, or facing in if you’re
reading,” Carter said.
Select plants realistically.
“Be self-aware about your ability to care for plants,” Carter said.
Your nook might start out looking lush and beautiful, but if you
don't take the time to care for the plants, it will look terrible
and uninviting within weeks.
Personalize your nature nook
When creating nature nooks for clients, Carter asks them about their
favorite vacations or where they spent honeymoons or anniversaries,
because bringing in plants from those places can trigger happy
memories.
“Think about your happy place,” Carter advised. “Get a sense of what
you want to replicate and where you want to be transported to."
A nature nook is an “escape from the chaos of the world,” he said.
When choosing plants, consider their foliage and how they look
together. The glossiness of a burgundy Ficus elastica next to a
Monstera ‘Thai Constellation,’ for instance, is striking, he says.
“But if you met your wife in the Pacific Northwest and you’re
looking to create a look that’s similar to that, you’re going to get
your more shaded plants -- ferns, Norfolk pines, things that refer
back to that space,” he said.
And don’t overlook pots. A beautiful terracotta planter that fits
the space’s vibe will evoke emotion and set the mood of the nook.
Some practical concerns
Consider how tall plants will grow, and how high the ceilings and
windows are.
Carter also advises being mindful of the type of flooring. "Use
planters that will protect the floor” in case water drains out.
Toxicity is another important matter. “Do you have pets? Do you have
kids? What kinds of plants will thrive and keep them safe?” he said.
Enjoying your nook
Once your nature nook is in place, create a routine. Maybe drink
your morning coffee there or read there in the evenings. Using the
space regularly can be transformative, Carter said.
“I’m much more patient, more kind, considerate and I’m a better
listener because of plants,” he said. “I think I’m entirely a more
loving individual than before.”
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