I am SO thrilled to bring you the first in a series of posts with the incredibly talented interior designer Tobi Fairley. Tobi is a one woman powerhouse; not only did she start her own interiors firm straight out of grad school, she also has an MBA and runs an art gallery that complements her design business---plus she writes a terrific blog! Tobi's style is at once polished and playful, riotous and refined. And lucky for us, she's also one of the nicest human beings on the planet---when I asked her to give us a sneak peek into her process, she generously complied!
Tobi first described her design philosophy for me: "A little term I love to use is 'logical luxury living'. Believe me, I am all about the luxury lifestyle and the bigger the budget the better! But I have a very logical approach to every room I design. And no matter how many rooms you have, I really like them all to have a legitimate purpose and function. I am not a huge fan of the 'bigger is better' idea. I am more a 'form follows function' girl---I will take a 10 foot ceiling over a 20 foot one every day of the week!"
So how does Tobi bring her ethos of 'logical luxury living' to life? "I believe in a fresh take on traditional elements. I rarely tire of things I truly love. So I never feel like the elements I use are faddish, even if they are experiencing a great deal of popularity at the time...for example, greek key, starburst mirrors, Brunschwig and Fils leopard velvet…all classics in my opinion."
Tobi's approach to combining logic and luxury is a great starting point for all of us at home: "Just find something that inspires you and let it lead the way. Whether it is a beautiful fabric, a great rug, an unbelievable antique buffet or an amazing pair of lamps…take your cues from one piece and layer in from there. If the inspiration piece is full of color, then find neutral elements to compliment it that don’t compete for attention. A great pair of vintage green glass lamps may call for a clean lined white sofa for example. And if you are on a budget, or even if you are not for that matter, don’t be in a hurry! It takes time to find the perfect pieces of the puzzle."
I cannot wait to share more of Tobi's great advice and gorgeous interiors with you, so stay tuned this week for her secrets in using color and pattern with confidence, as well as her save/splurge decorating ideas. In the meantime be sure to visit her blog for more tips, tricks and design resources!
All images courtesy of Tobi Fairley.
Thanks so much for all of your sweet compliments on Tobi. She really is all of these things, and I know firsthand since I work for her. Fabulous Blog!!!!
Posted by: Brooke Wallace | January 19, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Very cool! I'm excited to see more. Love that wallpaper in the first pic.
Posted by: jess@thehomebound | January 19, 2009 at 10:47 AM
GORGEOUS pictures, I look forward to reading her blog! Thanks for sharing it with us :)
Posted by: Liz@VioletPosy | January 19, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Yay!!
Thanks for introducing me to her wonderful blog!!
Posted by: Rachel | January 19, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Loving her design sense - will have to check out her blog too! thanks for link!
Posted by: please sir | January 19, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Thanks for the sneak peek. Her work is lovely and I enjoy her use of color.
Posted by: dwellings and decor | January 19, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Her work is beautiful! So fresh and lively.
Posted by: {this is glamorous} | January 19, 2009 at 01:03 PM
what yummy and dreamy spaces!!!
thanks for posting her work plus her interview. I look forward to reading her blog.
thanks for the intro!!
Posted by: callie grayson | January 19, 2009 at 01:35 PM
She has quite a colorful and almost whimsical way of approaching design, even though everything is functional and has its purpose.
Posted by: Chris | January 19, 2009 at 03:39 PM
the black and white dresser against the print wallpaper is gorgeous, must have it!
oh, and the Chanel bag!
-Amanda
http://meshandlace.typepad.com
Posted by: Amanda | January 19, 2009 at 04:08 PM
i love the contrast in the rooms!
Posted by: jo | January 19, 2009 at 04:27 PM
She (and her work) are absolutely marvelous! I love her aesthetic and I especially love how functional everything is. Excellent interview!
Posted by: christina | January 19, 2009 at 04:31 PM
Wow, thanks for the sneak peek. I must check out more of her work, thanks Anne. x
Posted by: Amanda | January 19, 2009 at 07:15 PM
All I can say is WOW - that first picture captures my dream house perfectly! xx
Posted by: i.d. | January 19, 2009 at 08:21 PM
oh i love the kitchen. i will absolutely show my gal pal this. she is looking for a white kitchen.
Posted by: savvymode sg | January 19, 2009 at 10:18 PM
Wow... I love her style. Very classic, yet fresh. I'll be following what she does... she's one to watch! Thanks Anne for the post! Wonderful, as usual!
Posted by: Rebecca @ Harmony and Home | January 19, 2009 at 10:20 PM
logical luxury living is such a refreshing term. i want to use it not just in regards to decor but also my daily life.
Posted by: a pretty pill | January 20, 2009 at 03:35 AM
I LOVE her concept of 'logical luxury living', it totally makes sense and is so me!
Posted by: Luphia | January 20, 2009 at 06:33 AM
Thank you for your kind and TRUE words about Tobi. I have worked for her for almost 2 years now and she is not only one of the most talented people I know, but she also has such a large heart and passion to improve the quality of people's lives! She truly is amazing and I can't wait for others to see more of her work!!!!
Posted by: Lauren Kreps | January 20, 2009 at 06:40 AM
oh, wonderful words indeed! can't wait to read more!
Posted by: Rebecca | January 21, 2009 at 06:53 PM
Hi Guy's,
I love her aesthetic and I especially love how functional everything is. Excellent interview!
Posted by: 32gb usb flash drive | February 05, 2010 at 10:14 PM