Seattle Social Media Stars: The Beautiful Life
Gorgeous interiors, impeccable fashion sense...get ready to feel inspired (or downright jealous)
By Lara Hale May 17, 2016
This article originally appeared in the May 2016 issue of Seattle magazine.
Kate Murphy
@katecph 2K
An architectural designer and the marketing director for Belltown’s Suyama Peterson Deguchi, Kate Murphy has an amazing eye for design. The Capitol Hill resident’s Instagram stream reveals the beauty, symmetry and pattern in everyday scenes and objects, along with details of architectural design.
Cassandra LaValle
@coco.kelley 30K // @casslavalle 29K // “Coco + Kelley” 38K // @cocokelley 96K
Prepare to be inspired—and let’s face it, just plain jealous—when you see Cassandra LaValle’s beautiful life. Formerly an editor at the now defunct Seattle Homes & Lifestyles magazine, LaValle runs Coco + Kelley, a Seattle-based “lifestyle company,” which offers interior styling, event design, branding and art direction. LaValle’s social media channels reveal her work, along with glimpses into her personal life, which includes an enviable amount of travel to exotic destinations.
Sarah Butler
@sarahstylesseattle 41K
The camera loves Sarah Butler, the consummate fashion blogger of Sarah Styles Seattle. Her Instagram account is a stream of photos of Butler in on-trend outfits, attending New York Fashion Week, lounging by posh hotel pools or ski-chalet fireplaces, or just exploring her Capitol Hill neighborhood, along with shots of designer accessories mingling with lattes and pretty desserts as perfectly styled as in a fashion shoot.
Katie Hackworth
@katiehackworth 3K
An architectural/interior designer, Katie Hackworth is the co-owner at H2 Design + Build in Madison Park. Her feed is full of lovely lifestyle shots, and glimpses into her design process, including mood boards and projects in progress.
Joanna Hawley
@jojotastic 9.2K on Pinterest 3.8M
A former textile designer for brands such as Anthropologie and Nordstrom, now a blogger and stylist, Joanna Hawley was one of the first Pinterest users—a fact that’s reflected by her astronomical number of followers. In addition to her shots of “carbs, cats, climbing,” Hawley’s Instagram followers had glimpses into her chic Pioneer Square loft. Now they’ll be able to watch the progress as she creates a stylish home in her perfectly petite new house in Ballard.
Taylor Horn
@ThaTaylaa 29.5K on YouTube 131K on Twitter 7K // “ThaTaylaa” 6K
Following in Judy Travis’ no-doubt perfectly pedicured footsteps, Taylor Horn shares beauty product reviews and how-tos via social media. Frustrated at the lack of makeup videos for people with pale skin, Horn started vlogging around three and a half years ago, using the tips she learned through her own experiments and the skills she gained as a MAC Cosmetics consultant. She’s now has a new role as co-founder of Strobe, a live-streaming platform for beauty enthusiasts that’s currently in beta.
Follow Us
Macy Gray Joins New Seattle Pride Gala
Lifelong’s first formal Pride fundraiser brings music, art, and big-name honorees together to support LGBTQ+ services and youth programs.
Seattle’s Pride calendar is getting a glamorous new addition this year. On June 13, Lifelong will debut the Pride Gala: An Evening for Equality, a new black-tie fundraising event blending entertainment, art, and advocacy at The Sanctuary at the Lotte Hotel in downtown Seattle. Billed as Seattle’s only formal Pride dinner, the inaugural gala aims…
Rearview Mirror: Don’t Miss Dance, Street Sips, and Notebooks Galore
Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).
Three’s the Charm It’s rare when I attend a mixed-bill dance performance and walk away liking all three pieces equally. Last weekend I attended Spring ’26, the show closing out contemporary dance company Whim W’Him’s 2025/26 season. Speaking before the show, artistic director Olivier Wevers warned the audience that we had no idea where we…
KEXP DJ Kevin Cole Broadcasts From the Heart
A new documentary follows the Seattle tastemaker through a remarkable life spent championing music.
For those of a certain generation, there may be no more trusted a voice when it comes to music than Kevin Cole. From navigating his way from the clubs of Minneapolis to DJing Prince’s birthday parties, to starting his own radio station, to revolutionizing how radio can function in the 21st century via KEXP, Cole…
Every Dress Tells a Story
Dhivya Balasubramanian’s new collection reworks fashion classics using Indian textiles.
For Dhivya Balasubramanian, the story often starts with a sari. Sometimes a client brings one in, folded carefully and full of family history. Other times, Balasubramanian pulls from the collection she has gathered on trips to India. Either way, the fabric usually comes first. At her Queen Anne studio, it might become a gown, a…