Morgan Mullen is the CEO and creative behind Mullen Design Co. Specializing in full remodels and styling in San Diego, Morgan knows how to perfectly decorate any space. Some of her best days are the days that she gets to go in and style the homes she’s designed. One of her most important design elements has always been incorporating live plants, she believes that they bring life, positive energy and can transform any space.

Because of Morgan's impressive eye and her love of plants, she has partnered with Lively Root to hand-select a collection of her favorite eye-catching plants for you to bring into your home. In honor of the launch of this fabulous collection, we sat down with Morgan to talk about interior design, her new collection and what she loves the most about styling homes with plants. 

Out of all the plants in your collection with Lively Root, which is your favorite?

I love them all! Each one is a favorite for a different reason. I love the baby ficus audrey due to the fact it’s super easy to care for and SO hard to find! The leaves are the prettiest shade of green. 

The aralia ming stumps are amazing and in my opinion something you don’t see often. They have beautiful dainty leaves and the height of this is perfect for an island or tall shelving. 

What’s the easiest way to liven up a room?

“If there’s two things you can do to a room to liven it up and  it is paint and plants! Those are two things I always tell clients. By brightening up your walls and bringing in life with your greenery, you can transform your space again and again.”

Do you feel that plants are an integral part of interior design?

“One thousand percent! There is never a single project that I have worked on that we have not incorporated plants into the design. You can use trees as height to create balance on awkward walls, you can incorporate greenery into shelving to break up a lot of white, they bring so much to a space in such a simple organic way.”

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

“I am constantly looking to be inspired.  I find inspiration in many different places. I spend a lot of time on Pinterest, walking through vintage stores, looking through coffee table books and sometimes things just come to me.  I see inspiration even on the side of the road some days. I am inspired by my family, little quick getaways, architecture, random little farmer's markets, and early early mornings with my computer and a large cup of coffee.”

What do you love about interior design?

“I love what it does for my clients. I love that you can make minor or major changes to a home and shift  the  way they go about their day. From the beginning of my journey, I’ve always said I wanted my clients to be proud of their homes when I am done designing and styling their home. I not only design their space, I teach them to live simply. Eliminate clutter. Learn to live with less, but with intention. Waking up to a clean fresh space sets the tone and mindset for the day. There is truly something to be said about loving your home and I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds and hundreds of people to achieve this which is pretty amazing.”

What’s the best plant for a bathroom?

“Rubber plant! They’re impossible to kill, need minimal light and add so much contrast to a space.”

What’s the best plant for a bedroom?

“I love my beloved Fiddle Fig. Once you truly get down their watering cycle they are so easy to care for. I have multiple fiddles  in my home that have grown so much and bring me so much happiness. Every time I see a new little baby leaf I can't help but smile. Only plant people truly get this.” 

What’s your favorite patio plant?

“Anything in the snake family. They are heartly, okay with lots of sun and will just continue to thrive in pretty much any environment.”

What makes Lively Root’s plants different?

“I have personally had the pleasure of not only meeting the people behind this amazing company, but I have walked the greenhouses and felt the amazing care that is given to these plants. Their facility is pure magic. The feeling I get from walking around Lively Root is surreal.  Their plants are happy and healthy. They are shipped with care and love and they arrive intact and ready to liven up your home. “