Gwen Hefner, known as the Makerista, is a local influencer with a passion for home and design. She’s a Jane-of-all-trades sharing her tips and tricks for a variety of projects, including how to renovate a room, thrift, throw a party, and make a house a home with some flair. Whether it’s something for herself, her children or her Leawood home, the Makerista believes there’s beauty and satisfaction in making it yourself.
“I have always enjoyed being creative,” says Hefner. “I was a music major in college and dabbled in fashion. Before having kids, I did P.R. and event planning. When I became a stay-at-home mom, I started reading blogs and quickly realized I was doing the same things the women on the other side of the screen were doing. The Makerista was born, and I’ve been enjoying connecting with other creatives over the internet ever since.”
Hefner came up with the title “Makerista” by combining her two loves.
“As a girl and a young woman, my primary obsession was fashion. When I became a mom living in the suburbs, I really used my creativity to stretch our budget and make everything around us as beautiful as I could. When I wanted to share that with others, the Makerista was the perfect marriage.”
Her Leawood home proves she’s not afraid of color.
“I’m a traditionalist at heart. My designs are grounded in classic bones, but I bring in bold color and pops of modern minimalism to keep things fresh and interesting. I am an obsessive overthinker who puts a lot of time and attention into the details. My spaces are always thoughtful and rarely trendy. I want to create rooms that feel fresh but that don’t have an expiration date. In the current market, I stand out because I love to use color.”
Her inspiration to create comes from what she sees online, in books and in the world around her.
“I am inspired by anything and everything. I find a lot through Instagram, but I also enjoy going to art museums, flipping through design books and traveling. Even a quick getaway to a location that isn’t necessarily my style refreshes my eye and gets me excited to create.”
For your next get-together, decorate your dinner table like the Makerista.
“People tend to be intimidated by tablescapes, but the formula for a beautiful yet simple table is easy--all you really need is foliage and candles. A bunch of candlesticks down the center of your table with tapers and some greenery (be it vases of flowers or pine branches from your backyard) add life and light to any gathering.”
The Makerista’s future plans involve family, designing and writing beyond her blog.
“Being a stay-at-home mom to our three children is my primary objective in this season, but I’m open to what comes my way and is a fit for this time in our lives. On my list of goals this year is to write a book. We’re constantly renovating our home and sharing it all on my blog and social media. We just finished two bathrooms, and that makes my Instagram stories an outlet filled with a lot of design and sometimes some drama, too, because renovation is never dull or predictable. One of the most loved things I do is share my thrifting journeys through Instagram. I am a passionate thrifter (I have a five-part series on my blog), and it’s the thing I share that seems to resonate the most with people.”
Keep up with Hefner’s latest projects on Instagram @themakerista and online at TheMakerista.com.