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Photo courtesy Tobi Fairley Interior Design
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Photo courtesy Tobi Fairley Interior Design
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Photo courtesy Tobi Fairley Interior Design
What do you get when you mix equal parts design, business sense and drive? Well, if you're lucky, you get Tobi Fairley. From television to print to the Web, this native Arkansan's colorful body of work continues to inspire people to live out loud. As head of her eponymous design firm for more than a decade, Fairley has just gotten started. Add customized mail-order design services, business consulting, design training camps and a home furnishings line to the ever expanding list of her company's offerings, and you can understand why R•Home was eager to chat.
R•Home: If you had to distill your personal style down to a couple of sentences, what would it be?
Tobi Fairley: My interiors are bright, bold and tailored; [they're] rooted in traditional forms but executed in a fresh, edited and updated way. They are a marriage of color and pattern joined with function for a beautiful and comfortable result.
R•Home: Who are your design icons?
Fairley: Dorothy Draper, David Hicks, Jamie Drake... experts in using color and form to create dramatic interiors.
R•Home: What's something you didn't learn in design school that you wish you had?
Fairley: Well, because I have a design degree, an accounting degree and an MBA, I learned a lot in school. But I suppose what I wish I knew then that I know now is a more realistic view of what running a small design business is like, including all the challenges, the need for investment capital in order to grow, and how much time and money it really takes to grow a nationally recognized brand. Now that I know all these things, I'm on a mission to teach them to designers through my design camps and consulting groups so other designers don't have to make the same mistakes I did.
R•Home: In looking at your work, color, lighting and fabrics all loom large. Do you have a favorite starting point when deciding a room's direction?
Fairley: My jumping-off point is always gorgeous fabrics, especially colorful floral or graphic fabrics. In fact, when I first see a space, I get a sixth sense about the color and style that I think it should be. Then I come back to my workroom and start scheming with fabrics in that color to create a palette. (At that point I don't always know where each fabric is going to end up.) Next, I go back to square one and make sure the bones of the project are good with respect to traffic flow and architectural detailing. Finally, I layer those fabrics back in the project to create a gorgeous, interesting and visually stimulating space.
R•Home: What room of a house do you most enjoy decorating?
Fairley: I love to entertain, and I love to create interiors that stimulate, inspire and nurture my guests. Two rooms that offer me that opportunity are living and dining spaces.
R•Home: What makes a dream client?
Fairley: One who is willing to take risks with design and color, and one who has a budget substantial enough for me to give them what they are asking. (This doesn't necessarily mean an enormous budget, just one that is realistic.) It's frustrating to know what the client wants and know how to create it for them but not have the means to give it to them. In this scenario, ultimately, both client and designer are unhappy with the result.
R•Home: Final question: dangle or stud?
Fairley: Wow, how can I pick just one? I'd say stud for everyday and dangle for the weekends.
Eager for more? Join Tobi Fairley for a champagne luncheon at the IFDA Day of Design at noon on Sept. 27 at the Richmond Symphony Orchestra League Designer House for additional wit and wisdom. For details and ticket information, visit ifdadayofdesign.com .
