With a trio of degrees in interior design, accounting and an MBA, it’s no surprise that Tobi Fairley has had tremendous business and marketing success. In addition to her tremendous talent, she has endless positive energy. What a combo!
Based in Little Rock, Arkansas, Tobi established her interior design firm more than a decade ago. In September of 2008, she launched her blog which helped catapult her career. Just one year later, Tobi was selected by Traditional Home Magazine as one of the Top 20 Young Designers in America.
Simplified Bee: Your signature designs are fresh, colorful and multi-layered. When did you know you wanted to be an interior designer?
Tobi Fairley: When I was a child I would create “floor plans” from pine needles while I was playing outdoors and then I would bring all my doll furniture and dolls outside and move into my pine straw “house” and play for hours. So I guess you could say design has always been in my blood. My mom has always had FABULOUS style, so she also played a huge role in my decision to be a designer.
SB: How would you describe your personal style and how has it evolved over the years?
TF: I tend to lean toward classic interiors. As you may know, I LOVE color, so I’m always open to new pairings and using it in unexpected places. Being open to new ideas and keeping my eye on trends in both interiors and fashion allows me to always keep things fresh.
SB: What type of architecture are you drawn to?
TF: Usually, I find myself drawn to traditional homes with great architectural details. However, one of the things I love about my job is being able to go into different types of spaces (for example, an urban condo or a rustic lake cabin) and think outside the box for the client. Exposing yourself to different spaces and styles can really help you push your boundaries!
SB: Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?
TF: I would love to collaborate with Kate Spade. We both are crazy about color and I think it would be an exciting partnership.
SB: I love that you don’t shy away from bold use of color. Do you have “go to” paint colors? If so, which ones?
TF: I do have a list of my Top Ten paint colors. I will send you a pdf of it, but would love for you to let your readers know they can get the download of these colors by signing up for our newsletter on my blog {found in the upper right hand corner of the blog}. These are for the most part great neutral-based colors that really work well with my signature pops of color.
SB: Which of today’s interior design trends are here to stay and which ones will we see fade away?
TF: I always say that no great design elements (trends) ever really go out of style, they just experience surges in popularity at various points in time. So those things that are classic and timeless design like chevron, Greek key, animal print, sunburst mirrors, certain color combinations and other great details that we see as “trends” right now have really been around for many, many years and will always be in style if used in good taste.
SB: Where do you recommend clients splurge versus save?
TF: I think splurging on drapery, great lighting, your key upholstery pieces and fine art are all great places to invest. Saving on lesser used furniture like more formal rooms if you don’t often go in there and saving on playroom and kids rooms is a good idea since they will get a ton of wear and tear make good budget sense. Secondary lighting fixtures and art pieces can be less expensive as long as a few of the key pieces of each are show-stoppers. To save money you can always use expensive fabrics just as pillow fronts so you get a lot of look without a lot of money. You can also use solid inexpensive drapery with a contrasting band to save money instead of using a pricey fabric on drapes which require yards and yards of fabric.
SB: You embraced social media many years ago and it helped catapult your career. You can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and write a very popular blog. Do you prefer one over the other? What is your advice to other interior designers who are timid about trying social media marketing outlets?
TF: This is a question that I’m often asked and that I plan to speak to on the panel at Design Blogger’s Conference. For me, the blog is really a launch pad for the other social platforms. It gives me a place to share content in a variety of formats and lengths. Then, I can use Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to help further expound on those ideas or simply let my readers know there is new content available. I have so enjoyed the interaction that I have with others on Twitter and career-wise, so many great things have come out of the relationships I have formed there. I also love Pinterest because it so visual and really allows you to collaborate with others on ideas. In short, it’s hard to choose because I love them all for different reasons!
SB:Gorgeous fabrics, pillows and lighting. What’s next for Tobi Fairley Home?
TF: More of all of these coming soon. Hopefully furniture in the next 12 months or so and I am just about ready to write a book. All very exciting stuff.
SB: Fill in the blank. No room is complete without…
TF: drapery. I just don’t think a room looks finished until the windows are dressed. It’s like the icing on the cake!
Thank Tobi for inspiring us and your time!
*images via Tobi Fairley Interior Design and used with approval
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