Icons Collection Sweepstakes Week - Meet Tobi Fairley

As part of our Icons Collection designer sweepstakes week we are sitting down with Tobi Fairely and getting to know her better. We’ll find out what the inspiration was behind the Tobi Fairly Icons Lighting Collection design and her favorite design rule she likes to break.

The “Icons Collection” is comprised of an elite number of designers asked to design a shade pattern that is unique and available exclusively at Lamps Plus for a limited time.

Each designer we have chosen is a true “Icon” in their own style. From eclectic to vintage inspired designs, each designer brings high end design, at an everyday value to Lamps Plus customers.



What sparked your interest in becoming an interior designer?
My mother has an amazing eye for color and scale, and she instilled so much of her creative gift in me just by cultivating an always-lovely and inviting environment for our family and our guests, so I was constantly surrounded by color and design.

What are a few of your favorite textiles or materials?
I’m crazy for fabrics from Duralee, Kravet, Schumacher, and more. I love to start on a project by going into my workroom and just working with those patterns and colors and a vision starts to come together. And of course I love paint – it’s such a great way to change the look and feel of a space. I have 10 go-to colors with Sherwin-Williams that make up my favorite palette.

What is the one design resource you can’t live without?
That’s a tough one. It isn’t really about one company, necessarily, but I would say again that it’s all about fabrics and textiles. They really tell the story of the room – from the upholstery to the window coverings to the lamp shades. Fabrics make the room pop!

What qualities do you admire in a room?
I love a room that really shows the personality of the family living in it. That is so key. I really believe that the best rooms resonate with both the creative vision of the designer as well as the authenticity of those whose lives will unfold in the home.

 

If you could be a piece of furniture or object, what would it be?
Upholstery, no doubt! It’s where comfort and rest become a launch pad for creative and innovative ideas.

What design rule do you like to break?
The one thing that always surprises people is that I select the paint colors last because I want the color story to be told by the fabrics and accessories. The paint on the walls should be a complement to the rest of what is happening in the room.

What was your inspiration for the Icons collection design?
I really like the classics when it comes to design motifs, but then giving them a more modern twist. I took inspiration from the trellis work on vintage bamboo furniture, and then made it a little bolder and more updated.

Lamps Plus Icons Collection Sweepstakes

We’re giving away five Icons Collection table lamps; you can win one of Tobi Fairley’s exclusive designs by entering our sweepstakes here!
 


After you’ve entered, you will be prompted to earn extra entries by referring your friends and increase your odds of winning. Competition ends Sunday, April 20th at 11:59pm PST.

Good Luck!

By participating in this promotion you agree to the Official Rules.

For more ideas and inspiration from Tobi check out the Lamps Pus You Tube interview.