Faint of Heart is a boutique design collective that creates bold, highly functioning interiors that also happen to be vegan and planet friendly.
Vegan interior design, put plainly, means that we do not use any material that comes from an animal, or that is a byproduct of animal agriculture. It is a natural progression of sustainable design, and personally aligned with our morals. It makes us more passionate about the spaces we are designing, and our clients reap the benefits of a more environmentally friendly interior.
Most importantly, it does not hinder design opportunities nor the final product. Luckily, most classic materials; think wood, clay, stone, and linen are inherently cruelty free, so chances are, you won't notice the "vegan" in our design, and that’s exactly our intention.
We are first and foremost designers professionally, we simply layer in a bit more attention to detail.
origin story
FAINT of HEART was founded by Heather Ditmars in 2024 after nearly two decades in the interior design industry, most of which in NYC. While struggling to find passion in various design leadership roles, Heather realized what was missing, a shared core value between herself, her clients, and the projects being designed and built.
A vegan since 2001, Heather’s compassion for animals supersedes her design career. It didn’t become obvious that working with like minded clients could be an option until she exhausted several others. When the realization struck that incorporating vegan practices into projects could be a reality, the thrill for design was reignited.
Heather’s years of experience ranges from painstakingly designing massive workplace campuses to tediously detailing custom hospitality furniture for fabrication. She has seen it all as a designer, design director, studio director, and design principal for well respected architecture and design firms. This multi-disciplinary background in commercial, retail, hospitality, and residential sectors equate in a wealth of knowledge. She is no stranger to leading teams, seeing the big picture, tending to the details, and acting as an advocate for her clients throughout the lifespan of a project. This, all while keeping her cool and keeping it real.
process & perspective
Faint of Heart begins each project with no conceived notions or assumptions. We pride ourselves at excavating a client’s vision and translating it into reality in unexpected ways. The design of a client’s space is a unique reflection of their brand and personality, not ours.
Every project is a one of a kind and concept driven. However, our process is streamlined to ensure that expectations are exceeded and ultimately, the project is built as it was presented. We pride ourselves in transparent communication and going above and beyond to act as an extension of the client within the team structure. We’re mailable and take on challenges within a project calmly, as we know from experience it’s all a part of the process.
We are as detail oriented as we are creative, and as logical as we are daydreamers.
studio
FAINT of HEART is located at Silk Screen Studios in Philadelphia, PA. We’re a (fresh) boutique design studio, so, for the time being, Heather runs the show alongside savvy and trusted consultants. Luckily, her wide range of experience means she is able to wear many hats in order to successfully complete projects.