Hot Air Balloon Captain

by | Oct 19, 2016 | Interior Design, Interview, Member, Seattle

Heather Hayes is The Society’s Hot Air Balloon Captain who may or may not go skydiving with her mother every year. She thrives on the energy of spending time around people, and she is constantly looking for new and fun things to experience. Right now, her life outside of design revolves around scoping out the best playgrounds in Seattle with her three-year-old in tow. Navigating the urban landscape has given her a new appreciation of how outdoor spaces influence human interaction. 

We recently gave Heather the opportunity to tell us a few things about herself. Here’s what we found out.

What is one thing you can’t live without?

Laughter. The desire to have fun, humor, joy, and happiness in life is what drives me every day. At the core I want to be surrounded by the people, places, and ideas that inspire me and I look at life as a celebration. 

What design style do you love?

I’m not really a person who has just one favorite, so that answer is always changing for me. It is influenced by what I might be working on, where I might have visited recently, and my mood.  Being a West Coast girl I tend to be drawn more toward styles that are approachable and casual, but I love a little bit of the ornate and a lot of sparkle too.

When working on a project, what challenges excite you the most?

I absolutely love the challenge of figuring out what the story for a design is going to be. There are so many ways to approach any project and the research, conversation, imagination, exploration, struggle, and emotion that it takes to figure out the right story invigorates me. Finding the right story is at the core of the success or failure of a design, so I love both the freedom and the pressure at that stage of design.

What three items would you take to a desert island?

I’m going to answer this as if it’s a populated island, not deserted. [I would bring] sunscreen, my best friend, and a credit card. You have to have a way to pay for all the great places you are going to go!

What’s the coolest hotel you have ever stayed in?

The Citizen M in Manhattan. I checked in late and had to leave early in the morning, but the service, design, and amenities were spot-on for a trip like that. Great innovation!

What’s your spirit animal?

Glitter—I had to answer this question once before on the fly and that was my answer, so I’m sticking to it.