Heather Cooke manages Interior Swag, a design service and blog. With over 10 years of commercial and residential design experience, Heather possesses an eclectic, diverse design eye, and knack for discovering extraordinary statement pieces.
By mixing her vintage secondhand finds with other transitional pieces, Heather’s designs are well-balanced, while never losing touch of the client’s individual style and budget. She serves many clients via her online e-design experience. Heather is known as the budget designer of the South!
Q&A with Heather Cooke
What interests you most about taking on DIY projects?
A good “do it yourself” project is somewhat empowering. I love the accomplishment feeling after you complete it. It’s a good way to stretch yourself.
What creative areas do you prefer to focus on?
Transforming something old (maybe a recent Facebook marketplace find) and making it new again. Mixing the old with new. I love finding those extraordinary statement pieces and mixing styles.
What do you consider to be your greatest business accomplishment thus far?
My most treasured business accomplishments are our publications on Mind Body Green, sharing tips on shopping resale, and our recent Apartment Therapy publication featuring our diy Master bathroom. Also, meeting Instagram friends virtually and being welcomed into their home via our e-design service and getting to design their spaces.
What has been your most difficult project that you’ve tackled?
90% of our business is e-design, meaning I design clients spaces virtually, communicate via FaceTime and email. It’s tough not to follow through the whole project process and not getting to see the end result. It can be frustrating as well when a client has their heart set on an item and it be backordered!
Do you have a brand partner that you consider to be your favorite?
Our partnership with Dollar General is my favorite relationship I’ve developed. I love their story behind their business and what they stand for. It also helps they have locations popping up in rural areas so we have one a few miles from us. I love that!
Which platform helps you to reach your audience the most, and how do you keep them engaged?
Instagram is my biggest. Being consistent on posting daily on my feed as well as consistency on ig stories. Using the “questions” and “poll” to keep our audience engaged.
Based upon your personal experience, what’s one piece of advice that you’d give to blogger/influencers?
Just to be real, find your own style/niche and stick to it. I am inspired by several on all platforms but being yourself is most important.
What’s one fun fact about you that our readers would be surprised to know?
While in Design school at UA I interned with a firm that had the contract with UA. I got to help pick out the carpet for the stadium. Still today those samples are my floor mats in our van!
What do you like most about HAVEN Conference?
I enjoy and look forward to meeting my virtual friends in person.
What do you want your audience to take away from your presentation at the Heart of HAVEN virtual conference?
Practical design steps you can put into place to engage and grow an audience as well as build CONFIDENCE on their craft/blog. Excited to share my photo editing secret as well! It’s a FREE way to edit your photos! Basically focusing on being a business owner and having a free website/blog/marketing/photography/editing.
Q and A with a HAVEN 2020 Speaker Series
(This section will be updated as more articles are published)
Amber Kemp-Gerstel
Ashley Wilson
Carmen Smith
Jessica Litman
Corey Hudson
Wendy Zock
Racheal Jackson
Jessica Russell
Cara Newhart
Jess Crow
Tracy Pendergast
Brittany Norman
Jenn McMurray
KariAnne Wood
Karen Snyder
Yuni Min
Kera Jeffers
Kate Smith
Erin Marshall
Erin Ruoff
Rachel Rosenthal
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