Honestly, it’s pretty cool to have a mom that has a popular social media account. My mom has more Instagram followers than me (and most of my friends), and she has loyal and supportive followers of her platform, which I know is super rewarding for her. It’s been awesome to watch her work really hard to reach her level of success, and I think it’s important for others to hear her story too.
Her Campus (HC): Hi mom. So, to begin, tell me the name of your social media platform and what exactly it’s used for?
Tammy Akel (TA): The name of my platform is “@mycolonialfarmhouse.” I use it to share my home décor, vintage items and my day-to-day life.
HC: Awesome. What do you credit for your success in interior design?
TA: I credit my need to do things myself and stay within budget as being the reason for my success. I also took a 6-week design course many years ago at Chandler’s School of Design, which helped me learn a lot of basic principles.
HC: I had no idea that you took a course in design! How did you become so interested in antiques and vintage items? What makes you love them more than newer, fancier things?
Courtesy: Tammy Akel
This is a photo of my mom’s antique booth located in Wirewood Market
TA: I became interested in antiques because I grew tired of mass-produced furniture. I wanted my home to stand out. I’m really intrigued by antiques because of the story they can tell. I love having items in my home that have been around for a while and have stood the test of time.
HC: That’s a really nice sentiment about antiques. Do you consider yourself as being more of a “vlogger” or an antique connoisseur? Which is more important to you?
TA: I consider myself more of an unpaid vlogger that shares all things pertaining to antiques, cooking, lifestyle and DIY projects.
HC: Your followers do really love watching you cook. How does it feel having such a large and loyal following?
TA: It feels great to have such a loyal following. They give me a sense of community and it’s nice to connect with likeminded people who are just as passionate about home décor as I am. They’re always very supportive and encouraging through all of my projects.
HC: That’s really sweet to have such good followers to support you. Do you feel pressure to perform a certain way or amount on your vlogging platform?
TA: I feel absolutely no pressure to “perform” or to post every day or keep up. I actually somewhat rebel from that mentality & I think my audience respects that. It shows that I’m a real person with other obligations and interests, just like them.
HC: Obviously, you come from humble beginnings in which you just loved to decorate any apartments or homes you’ve lived in, then you moved on to sharing your décor with social media. Now you have a pretty sizeable following and have been featured by huge magazines. How has this progression made you feel?
These are some photos of the magazine (Cottages & Bungalows) my mom was featured in, as well as some photos of her home designs that were included in the Holiday Edition of the magazine.
TA: I started small, decorating my first apartment as a newlywed. I didn’t care how tiny my living space was, I treated it like it was the Taj Mahal! I progressed through the years & kept doing what I loved. It paid off in a big way when I was featured in the Cottages & Bungalows magazine. It made me feel good that all my effort and hard work throughout the years wasn’t in vain. Someone saw value in what I did and appreciated it!
HC: I’m really proud of how you’ve progressed over the years. What advice do you have for others who may be interested in building their own social media platform, especially a design one?
TA: The best advice I could give is to stay true to yourself and not succumb to what you think your audience wants to see from you. People respond very well to accounts that are genuine and that don’t fold to the pressures of social media. Do what you love, and your passion will always shine through!
You can follow my mom’s interior design/personal page on Instagram @mycolonialfarmhouse and you can follow her antique booth page on Instagram and Facebook @myvintagegrind.
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