From beautifully decorated cakes to cupcakes to confections of all imaginings, Asia Coffee—a registered interior designer at Schmidt Associates—is just as sweet as the beautiful creations she makes. Below, we take a few minutes to get to know her.

 

 

Tell me about your background.
I was born and raised in Indy. In high school, I had a growing interest in art, so I enrolled into a special art Program at Broad Ripple High School. From there, I went to art school for a year in Chicago, where I met my future husband. I moved back to Indy and started the Interior Design program at IUPUI.

With such an interest in art, what inspires you?
I love the elements and principles of design—color, texture, composition … I also love to look at other people’s work and stay current with trends on social media.

And your family?
My husband, William, and I have four sons—David, 13; William Jr., 10; Benjamin, 3; and our newest, Elliot. We don’t have any pets (yet). William keeps talking about getting a dog, but we haven’t taken the plunge.

How did you get into cake decorating?
Several years back, I took a few classes and really enjoyed it. The instructor asked me if I had ever thought about teaching, but I didn’t think much of it. Instead, I started doing cakes on the side for family and friends. Not long after, I decided to fill out that application to teach. Now, I teach cake decorating at several stores around Indianapolis and decorate cakes as a side business. I have an Instagram account— “mrs.coffeescakes”—if you would like to see some of my work.

Do you feel like your two worlds—interior design and cake decorating—intersect at all?
I feel like because I teach, it carries over into my interior design world when having to do Owner presentations. The crazy thing is that I am up in front of people teaching nearly every weekend, but I still get nervous doing presentations for work. I can’t figure it out!

Do you keep anything special at your desk?
I have sat on the board of IIDA (International Interior Design Association, Indiana Chapter) for four years now. When the current president took office, she took a quote from the person who nominated you about why they enjoy working with you. I keep that at my desk to remind me to keep doing my best.

And, just for fun, what is your favorite food on Mass Ave?
Ohhhh, I love The Eagle. They have a chicken sandwich that is amazing. Boneless chicken, coleslaw, and pickle. It is magnificent!

 

So, when that sweet tooth hits or you want to see some of the latest trends in the industry, feel free to come by. Asia would love to chat with you!

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