Interview & Home Tour with Heather Spriggs Thompson.

I have an absolute treat for you today. The wonderfully brilliant Heather Spriggs Thompson has agreed to talk to me about decorating her home, her inspiration and how blogging has helped improve her work. We also get to look inside her stylish home and studio which she describes as modern romance with a vintage twist!

Hello Heather, lovely to have you here! Could you please give us an introduction to you, what you create, your job, location, etc

Hello! Thank you Helen for having me today. It is a joy to share a piece of my work and world with you.  My name is Heather of Gathering Spriggs, my online creative workspace that includes a blog, flickr, etsy shops,etc.. . By nature I am an artistic dabbler. I love having my brush in multiple pots, experimenting, exploring and unearthing more about my self in the process. My background is Fine Art . In college I investigated all mediums from paint, to installation and performance art. It was a time of discovery and searching. Upon graduating in 2005, I flew the nest with wings stretched wide seeking to find my true voice. During this time I was emplyed as a decorative painter/ faux finisher here in Nashville, TN which has been my home since 1998.

How long have you been blogging for?  Would you say the internet has helped your work in any way, have you been featured anywhere else?

It wasn’t until 2008 when I attended the Country Living Women’s Entrepreneurial Conference in Chicago that I heard about the benefits of blogging when pursuing an online creative presence. I began my blog the day I returned home in March of 2008 . Wow! That means I’ve been blogging for 3 years! Goodness. It was a slow process getting started. I didn’t have any real direction until I took Holly Becker’s Blogging Your Way Class in Spring 2009.  Soon after my blog blossomed and was being featured on Decor8, Creature Comforts, Desire to Inspire, and a few others. Within the year my home was featured on Apartment Therapy, Lovely Clusters, and Sfgirlbybay. My blog and artwork were recently featured in Dujour Magazine and Artful Blogging.

The internet and blogging specifically has changed me. It’s given me courage and the voice to be a confident creative, network and build relationships with other artists, bloggers, designers. The online community is vast yet runs very deep. I have made some incredibly deep and lasting friendships.

Your home looks beautiful, where did you get your inspiration from when you were designing your new home? (How would you describe your style? Did you have a budget to stick to? Did you buy new home accessories or did you source pieces from thrift stores/yard sales etc.)

Inspiration comes in many forms: blogs, design magazines, friends. Overall I would describe my style as Modern Romance with a Vintage twist. As a daughter and grand daughter to self described antique hunters and thrifters, I would say that I am always scouting on a budget, always looking for new uses of old familiar pieces. So I when decorating I start with what I have then try to fill in. I begin looking for unique vintage finds to begin to create harmony.

Can you describe yourself in three words?

creator, collector, connector

Your craft room/office is stunning, where did you find the pieces to decorate it? (Did you ‘revamp’ any of the furniture yourself?)

Thanks so much!! My office space is a work in progress and is currently being used to house a second guest bed (from my childhood) as well.  When I began the office/ art room project I had next to nothing so a trip to Ikea helped provide the basics like desk, bookcase and extra shelving. From there I added some older vintage pieces that I had in other rooms. I gave a small vintage vanity and a corner shelf a new life by painting them a vibrant coral and aqua. I also created a chalk board from a vintage mirror by flipping the mirror over and painting the back with chalkboard paint. Easy! Then filled in accessories from my vintage housewares collection : Gathering Vintage

What are some of your favourite artists/designers/blogs for inspiration

Holly Becker of Decor8, Jeska of Lobster and Swan, Selina Lake, Marie Nichols, Carolyn Quartermaine

If you haven’t already you have to visit Heather’s beautiful etsy shop Gathering Vintage. You can also see more pictures of her gorgeous new home on her Flickr page: Gathering Spriggs. To follow her work & beautiful inspirations you can visit her blog here

Thanks for taking part Heather & sharing your lovely home with us, it’s been wonderful!

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