Tour Weslie Pierre's Wesleaf Designs & Decor Plant Design Studio

Weslie Etienne Pierre takes her houseplants seriously. She is an interior plant stylist and the owner of Wesleaf Design & Decor, a plant design studio in Needham, Massachusetts, that specializes in one-of-a-kind container plantings for homes, businesses and special events.

“We are not a plant shop,” she explains about the bright and airy studio filled with lush greenery in this Boston suburb. “We are truly a design studio where any plant that you purchase from us is truly hand designed by us.” And, she says, she never makes the same design twice.

Credit the pandemic for planting the seeds of an idea that became Wesleaf. “I was kind of born into the life. My mom had plants, my grandmother had plants. I grew up with them. I didn’t really care for them much,” she says. “But when the pandemic hit, I literally thought the world was going to run out of food, so I taught myself how to garden and shared that experience on Instagram. One thing kind of led to another with people asking me to come decorate their houses. And then I was doing businesses and events, and it turned into this beautiful thing that is now Wesleaf.”

The company began as a three-month pop-up, “because that’s what we thought it would be, and all we thought we could afford.” The concept caught on with customers in Needham. “We are now going on our third year,” Weslie says.

A studio tour could begin at the front window, where visitors and passersby enjoy a season-appropriate display. “My favorite part of the store is our display window,” Weslie says. “We change it seasonally. We like to feature some of our favorite plants in this space.” The window lets in “tons of light,” so it’s often the place to show some of the elegant plants that thrive in that environment.

A special source of pride is the studio’s moss wall displaying the Wesleaf name. “This is a visual of some of the work that we do,” Weslie explains. “This moss wall was handmade by myself and my team. It is preserved moss. You often see these in the entryways of businesses, and it’s just a really beautiful way to accentuate your logo or your brand.” And the best part: “It requires no care.”