He coined the term “Plant Stylist” and leaned in, showcasing his photography and videography skills in increasingly engaging content. Traditional media caught wind, and features in the Wall Street Journal and Good Morning America eventually led to a book deal (his sixth is currently in the works). International engagements like book tours and workshops now pepper his calendar, and he’s become a comforting presence to those who turn to his account for its design inspiration and plant advice.
With agents in the UK, team members in DC, and lots of travel, Carter could have moved his family out of Baltimore, but this city is woven into his DNA. Even as a teen at Carver Center for Arts & Technology, he hustled, selling drawings on top of juggling jobs and school, and that work ethic never left him. There’s a belief, he says, that you have to leave Baltimore to make it, but Carter is determined to prove otherwise.
“You can be great wherever you are, you just have to find the path or door to open for everyone else to see,” Carter says. “Any corner of the world can see what I’m creating in Baltimore.” His social media presence always drops his location, a quiet but persistent declaration of pride in his city. “The idea of where we come from, people wear that shit on their backs. I like to make it known when I’m anywhere else that I’m from Baltimore.”
And while he’s here in Baltimore, he feels the love right back. His ubiquity, coupled with his 6’5″ frame and broad smile don’t exactly help him fade into the background. In a city with a very short list of celebrities he says, “It’s rare to go into a space without someone saying ‘Hi,’ but people here are friendly. Everyone is so sweet and kind.”
Asked in which Baltimore spaces he finds himself, he lights up. With two young daughters, he and his wife Fiona have the well-trod daycare-playground-swim lesson trifecta taking up calendar real estate for now. But with free time outside of family and work life, you can find them at Puerto 511 for dinner, Baltimore Photo Space to peruse photography books, or Green Neighbor and Valley View Farms to scratch the unending plant itch.
Two of the most striking manifestations of Carter’s vision are his home and studio spaces, both heavily featured on his account. His mother used to drive him around Baltimore’s affluent neighborhoods, showing him what was possible. It wasn’t about wealth—it was about aspiration. “Money doesn’t make happiness, but it changes how you’re able to maneuver as an artist. You can trust your judgment better,” he reflects. He now lives in one of those neighborhoods, meticulously documenting his home’s transformation from dark, closed-off rooms to a modern, bright, and—of course—plant-filled space.
The studio space where he sits today is a more recent acquisition and a rising star on Carter’s Instagram account. Tucked into a repurposed warehouse that now houses artists in the heart of Woodberry, the studio resides within a warren of unfinished drywall and overhead lighting. But Carter has transformed it into a den of greenery and creativity, integrating art (some, his own), plants, and design under the soaring ceilings. The space serves as both a personal workspace and a hub for visitors and collaborators alike; a functional reminder that urban living and natural beauty can coexist seamlessly.
Through books, collaborations, and an ever-growing interior design brand, Hilton Carter continues to define what it means to cultivate beauty—both in our houses and in the city he proudly calls home. His work is showing the world that creativity, ambition, and greenery can take root anywhere—especially in the heart of Baltimore.
