She was later hired by Dan Carithers, who was one of the leading interior designers in the country, and had incredible on the job training. Heather managed projects from Palm Beach to Boston to Palo Alto, which was difficult pre-internet and cellphones.

Keep reading to learn more about Heather, her favorite podcasts, brands, perfumes, destinations, recipes, and more.

“Many years ago one of my clients moved from Atlanta to Sao Paulo, Brazil. The design choices we made for his new home were really interesting, as we schemed how to incorporate his antiques and furniture with new items that reflected the spirit of Brazil. This was almost 25 years ago, so the logistics of shipping and customs in Brazil was fascinating and frustrating all at once. The icing on the cake was traveling to Brazil to see it all in place and experiencing the amazing local culture with my client. We traveled to Rio and Buenos Aires as well, and there are elements of that trip that still influence my work (and wardrobe!) today.”

“Working on a house in Montecito, near Santa Barbara would be so dreamy! It’s one of my favorite places in the U.S., and I married my husband Steve close by. The Mediterranean architecture is very inspiring and it’s a favorite place to visit. We’ve worked on similar style homes in the southern U.S. and they lend themselves well to our favorite collected blend of old and new. The indoor/outdoor lifestyle there is so enticing as well and I love to decorate exterior spaces.”

“We offer a full-service design experience. We work with clients from the architectural phases up through the final installation of furnishings. We work on all aspects of a project down to the last wastebasket and tissue box cover.”

“My dining room. Of course, since I love to set the table this is one of the places that I gravitate towards. We have lots of amazing family memories in here too, as we use it for informal weeknight family meals as well. Why not elevate the everyday and enjoy one of the prettier rooms in your home more often?”

“My most treasured possession is a small Italian chair that belonged to my grandmother. It was her “telephone chair” and she kept it next to her bed for phone books or to have a quick conversation back in the day of corded phones. It’s now in my living room, painted with an antique white finish and covered in a striped fabric I had embroidered with her monogram in tribute. I love the lines and it serves as a reminder of my roots and family that has always supported me.”

“Anything made with lucite or acrylic. Lucite tables and accessories don’t add much character to the room since you can see straight through them and they feel cold. I have a lucite coffee table in my living room that was in my husband’s collection before we met and I’ve loaded it up with coffee table books and accessories to give it some weight.”

“One piece of advice is to always check the entry points in your house before you order the furniture! Lately I’ve had challenges with smaller doorways and tighter stairwells in historic houses and we’ve had to brainstorm with our upholsterer and movers to build the furniture accordingly. We’ve built custom sofas that can basically be assembled once they are in the room. Many years ago I had a client in Houston who fell in love with a bed that wouldn’t turn the corners in his stairwell and there wasn’t a window it could be lifted through with a crane. Luckily he had another project in Oklahoma and the bed easily fit there!”

“I like dinner parties where I don’t have to be very active in the kitchen and I can enjoy being with my guests. My go-to recipe for years has been Gena Knox’s Herbed Salmon with “Crowded House” Cucumber Salad from “Southern My Way”. It’s always a hit, is beautiful on the plate, and all of the prep work happens before anyone arrives. Add more cayenne pepper than she recommends for a little extra zing!”

“We really work hard 9-5 and make sure that we are present with our families after hours. I make a weekly menu and grocery shop with my daughter on Sunday afternoons so that I don’t have to stress about what’s for dinner every night. I rely heavily on Pamela Salzman’s “Quicker than Quick” cookbook and weekly dinner schedule. For fast and healthy meals. “Damn Delicious” is another source of great weeknight recipes, the “Korean Beef Bowl” is on repeat at my house!”

“Yes, I love to set the table with different tablecloths and patterns, and I’m a complete china addict! I feel like laying the table is a lovely way to show friends and family that you are excited to have them there. Guests know that they are special when a table is set just for them. For me, setting the table is very therapeutic, it’s basically pulling together a mini design scheme that is completed a lot faster than a typical design project!”

“I am lucky to have a china cabinet full of patterns I adore, some from family and some I’ve collected. I like to mix and match so they are arranged with salad plates on one shelf, dinner plates on another. A lot of my china is discontinued, sadly!”

“I have collected Celedon Wedgwood pieces for many years. I love the soft greens and classical motifs, they quietly complement any room.”

“Some of my past faves are Ojai Valley Inn (CA), Saint James Paris, Zero George (Charleston), Relais Christine in Paris, and Bacara, where my husband Steve and I were married in Santa Barbara almost 7 years ago.

We are headed to Italy this summer to explore the wine region in Montalcino, since Brunello di Montalcino is one of our favorite wines to drink. We are staying at a pretty vineyard called Arigiano Dimore and my husband has lined up some amazing tours, tastings and dinners close by. We’ll also visit Lake Como, Milan and stay with friends in Padua.”

“Cool climate Pinot Noir from the Santa Barbara wine country is definitely our go-to wine. It’s a gorgeous place to visit with friendly vintners and we’ve been many times since my husband is from Los Angeles. Favorite vineyards include Brewer-Clifton, Melville, Ampelos, Presquille, Sea Smoke and Tatomer.”

“Luckily my avocation became my vocation, so I feel like everything I like to do relates to my chosen profession. I love visiting art museums wherever we travel. The English Ceramics room at The High Museum of Art is a perennial favorite, and I visit on my birthday every year.”

“Recently I read “Horse” by Geraldine Brooks at the strong recommendation of a fellow English major friend from college. I am not a horse person nor did the summary on the back of the book entice me, but I couldn’t put this one down! It’s an amazing story that incorporates art, science and race across multiple characters and timeframes. It also won the Pulitzer Prize, so I’m not the only one to be in awe of this novel!”

““What We Wore” by Laura Vinroot Poole of “Capital”, a womens’ boutique in Charlotte, has great guests from the fashion world and she is a talented interviewer. I just listened to both of her interviews of La Double J founder JJ Martin, and they were very inspiring. JJ enumerates the power of relaxing, patience and discovering pleasure she’s embraced in Italy which is something all of us type A Americans could stand to incorporate!!”

“I discovered a new favorite fragrance this winter on vacation in Naples, Florida at my friend’s beautiful shop — Jett Thompson Home. It’s called “Gin Fizz”, and was developed in honor of Princess Grace in the 1950’s by Lubin, a French Perfumery. One spray and I was hooked on the lush bergamot and lemon notes! It smells like a Mediterranean holiday, clean and fresh for everyday wear. It’s new to me, but I love that it’s a classic green scent that’s been around for many years. I also love Aerin Aegea Blossom, which has bergamot notes as well!”

“Right now it’s floral printed midi dresses, I’m crazy about beautiful patterned fabrics! I also wear a lot of puff sleeve T’s or simple tanks with longer skirts in prints and solids. I’m more comfortable in a dress than pants any day, and I feel more pulled together.”

“Misa Los Angeles is a perennial fave for their beautiful prints and flowing fabrics. I also love L’Agence for jeans and jackets. SALONI, Zimmerman and Cara Cara make some of my most cherished dresses.”

“Why not have a fabulous family entry hallway instead of saving all the love for the foyer? We decided to create a space that really welcomes this family home with serene soft blues everywhere.”

“This room is from a recent re-fresh of a lovely home that we first decorated in 2008. Combining the old-school checks, stripes and floral prints with the quiet soft blue on the curtains and lacquered bookshelves created a winning new look.”

“This is a comfy guest retreat for our clients’ friends and family. Always hang your curtains higher than the windows, closer to the crown molding or ceiling of the rooms. Here we disguised a lower window with natural fiber shades and a terrific floral print.”

“Blue and white is always right, as shown in our clients’ cheery guest apartment! Blues always complement each other, and the repetition of this classic floral pattern adds to the charm.”

“A fantastic example that multiple patterns of varying scale can work together beautifully if similar in color, this sunny bedroom welcomes guests in our clients’ home. Toile is so underused these days, and a classic that we never tire of!”

“Doing laundry isn’t such a chore in this happy space of our home! My daughter and I painted the laundry cabinets as a project during COVID-19 lockdown. We selected this pretty blue and white wallpaper to complement our efforts.”