Member Spotlight: Dawn Heuer of The Heuer Design Collective
Hey ladies! Welcome to another Member Spotlight, featuring our members — influencers, entrepreneurs, bloggers, and girl bosses alike!
Next up: Dawn Heuer, Founder of The Heuer Design Collective. Dawn started out in politics but quickly realized she had to make moves and pursue her dream career in interior design. Since then, her work has been featured on Netflix’s #Stayhere, TLC’s Trading Spaces, Bravo's Backyard Envy and TLC's While You Were Out.
Read on to learn more about Dawn and her journey.
Q: Tell us a little bit about you, girl!
A: Hi y’all - My name is Dawn Heuer (pronounced Hoy-er) I started my design career in TV production. I have worked on over 3 dozen renovation shows - most recently, I worked as a design producer for HGTV’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Since returning from filming Extreme I have decided to start two of my own companies, my design firm The Heuer Design Collective and +the gallery wall collective.
I was born and raised in Prescott, Arizona. To know me is to understand how much I love my hometown. I’m very proud to come from such an amazing little town full of heart and community. I’m a quadruplet, all girls, so I’ve always valued being around strong women. We were raised with the mentality that we could do anything we set our minds too.
At the early age of 19, I moved to DC to start a career in politics - which I quickly realized was not for me. With the help and encouragement of my then-boyfriend (now husband), I decided to pursue the career I always wanted - interior design. I went back to school, while also working full-time to gain as much experience as I could. After a chance meeting with Trading Spaces’s Genieve Gorder, I was offered a job as design assistant on the show Netflix’s #Stayhere which kickstarted my journey into the world of TV design. Some of my credits include TLC’s Trading Spaces, Bravo's Backyard Envy and TLC's While You Were Out.
My husband and I moved to Atlanta about a year and a half ago and we could not be more in love.. Atlanta has brought us so much joy including the love of our life, Remy, our golden chow mix that we rescued through the Golden Retriever Rescue of Atlanta. We are so happy to call ATL home and build our lives here.
Q: What inspired you to turn your passion into a business?
A: After my last round of Extreme Makeover in fall 2019, I knew it was the right time to take the plunge and start taking on private clients. So I started The Heuer Design Collective. The world has become so much more design-conscious in almost everything, from electronics to retail. Interior design was once the preserve for the wealthy. I was inspired by its democratization – great affordable design can and should be available to everyone. Design doesn’t just make homes prettier but when done well it actually improves lives.
+the gallery wall collective is a company brought to life through the desire to bring beautiful art to the masses. + the gallery wall collective uses artist’s work from around the world and displays it in a variation of completely curated gallery walls for your home and office. Each collection will be sold with materials needed to make your wall perfect - layout design, framed artworks, hanging hardware, and a visual layout for you to follow. We are launching our first five collections this March. Custom walls will be available as well.
Q: What advice do you have for women wanting to start their own business/achieving their career goals?
A: Just do it and know you can do it. You will be excited, scared, determined, and unsure of yourself all at the same time. That’s totally okay just keep pushing through. Knowledge will be your best tool. Learn everything you can. Be a sponge. Most importantly, know that you are capable of doing whatever you put your mind to. Don’t let anyone discourage you. You have no time for negativity when you’re a boss babe.
Q: What’s the most rewarding—and most challenging—part of your work?
A: Through the years, I’ve been able to design a life I love and one that I’m very proud of. Everything about my job is rewarding. From designing a set to creating the perfect family room - creating a space for homeowners to be happy and live their best lives is truly rewarding. Beyond the craft, getting to work on TV sets all over the country with some of the most talented and wonderful people I’ve ever met is also incredibly rewarding. I would say the most challenging part of the television world is the intense amount of traveling and being away from home and family - it can be very taxing. But the good definitely outweighs the bad, I’m beyond lucky to do what I do every day.
Q: What’s the best story or favorite moment you have from working on sets?
A: I was fortunate enough to be a design producer on the reboot of HGTV’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition this summer. To be able to design a bedroom for someone who has never had a bedroom of their own is life-changing. On this show, we build a home in 96 hours through the help of amazing volunteers, and builders. To see a community come through for a family in need is awe-inspiring. We truly change lives through design.
You can catch one of the episodes I worked on and I’m super proud of this Sunday! February 23rd 9/8c on HGTV.
Q: Can you give us a few of your favorite interior design tips?
A: Designing a home is a journey, it doesn’t happen all at once with one quick trip to Ikea or Target. Much like a person, you have to grow and evolve the design over time. A home is a collection of beautiful objects and even better stories.
Start a collection and display it! My husband and I have every hotel key card from every hotel we’ve stayed in. They all sit in a bowl (another thing we collect) from Cartegena, Colombia (one of our favorite trips!) on our coffee table. Whenever we have people over its so fun to share the memories of all those trips.
Q: Where do you see your business going now that you’re in Atlanta?
A: Atlanta is an incredible city and I’m beyond excited to put down roots here and continue to build my business. And, of course, to continue connecting with the amazing women of Atlanta! I’m thrilled to be starting my interior design company here to bring affordable, attainable design to everyone.
