Daily Inspiration: Meet Cynthia Moreno

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Moreno.

Hi Cynthia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m a first-generation Cuban/American and was born and raised in Los Angeles. After high school, I thought I wanted to be a teacher and studied education but eventually, I decided to go into set design and set decoration. While in college, I landed a six months internship in the art department at NBC which led to a number of random no pay/low pay jobs like music videos, indie movies, etc. Eventually, I started working part-time then full-time back at NBC and stayed there as a set decorator for ten years. Some of my favorite projects were on E! Entertainment shows such as Fashion Police, E! News, and Live on the Red Carpet. When Instagram became popular, I loved looking at all the creative and colorful images people were making. I started creating my own content, just for fun, as a creative outlet and my account quickly started to gain followers. Eventually, I was able to attract enough sponsorships it allowed me to leave my job and commit full time to creating content on social media.

Now my husband and I work full time creating content and developing my HotPinkPineapples brand. I’ve always loved all types of design and getting to share all my favorite things with people has been a dream. It’s a lot of work, actually, but it’s still amazing and I feel extremely lucky. Over time I’ve realized, more than anything, I love teaching and sharing DIY tips on ways to update your living space whether it be a temporary apartment or permanent home. One of the most valuable things I learned while working in television was how to create beautiful but non-permanent spaces and now, with some carpentry help from my husband Wesley, we’ve translated those skills into helping you beautify your home…if only for a while.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Yes and no. When I started my Instagram account, I had no intentions other than to have a creative outlet where I could share images and designs that I liked. I made it a goal to post everyday because I enjoyed when people liked and followed my content but I didn’t have any aspirations beyond that. It wasn’t always easy to create content everyday that held up to my standards, I can be a perfectionist sometimes, but it was more fun than anything so I kept going. Absolutely, the hardest part was deciding to quit my job. I literally had my dream job which I poured myself into and it wasn’t lost on me how lucky I was to have it. My job was deeply a part of who I was, which I realize now wasn’t exactly healthy, but never the less leaving it couldn’t have been harder for me. At that time, I didn’t have any sponsorships or any other means of income so it really was a leap of faith that I would figure it out.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I mainly create lifestyle, design, and home DIY content on Instagram and other social media outlets. I specialize in DIY tutorials specifically for rental/apartment homes which can easily be installed and removed when a resident moves out. I’m most known for my colorful design aesthetic and my apartment DIY content. I’m most proud of the ability to interact with, help, and learn from so many people around the world that I otherwise would never know and the incredible friendships I’ve created through HotPinkPineapples. What sets me apart from others is my ability to create tailored interior design DIY’s which are easily removable and specifically for apartment dwellers. Just because you rent doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your happiness in your living space.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Yes! I get inspiration from a ton of things and places. One of my main design inspirations comes from travel which, of course, with the pandemic has been completely cut off so that’s been really tough for me creatively. Another thing I absolutely love to do, which has also been paused, is going to a bookstore like Barnes and Noble, grab a bunch of design magazines, sit in the cafe area and do a deep dive. I very much prefer this to scouring the internet because I feel like I see new design ideas that haven’t already been shared a million times on all the design blogs and outlets like Pinterest. That said, with my two favorite design inspiration activities unavailable right now, I do extensive searching on Pinterest and the internet. I also have go-to social media accounts like Domino magazine, Architectural Design magazine, Milk Decoration, Apartment Therapy, and others.

Contact Info:

• Email: hello@hotpinkpineapples.com
• Website: www.hotpinkpineapples.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotpinkpineapples/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hotpinkpineapples
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/hotpnkpineapple
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HotPinkPineapples
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotpinkpineapples?lang=en