Y’all. I am so excited about this post. I’ve been a big fan of The Design Co. for a long time…the blend of hard black lines with soft touches of white and pink elements has me drooling! And I know you’ll love it too!
The Design Co. is based in Toronto and is run by designers Ashley Tracey and Laura McLellan. They specialize in designing private residences, from simple paint choices to sophisticated renovations. Their style is young and edgy and oh-so-chic! Today we’re getting to know them a little better in my Interview With The Designer.
When and why did you decide to become a designer?
L: I think it was something I was destined to be from a young age. After a brief stint at architecture school I realized this was the wrong avenue and quickly redirected my schooling to focus on Interior Design. I knew immediately that this was for me and the rest is history.
A: Similar to Laura, I feel that I was destined to be a designer. My interests in design started as a kid. If my mom was painting/wallpapering or buying new furniture I was excited to be part of the process. The problem was that I didn’t know being a designer was a real job you could earn a living as, so I went to school for Engineering. After two miserable years, I changed direction and earned a degree in the History of Art and Architecture and then went on to Interior Design School. I was in my glory!
What has been your greatest challenge as a designer?
L: Managing client expectations is always challenging, even today. In the past I would try and be the yes-person, making promises that were hard to keep or nearly killed us. Now we are in the position to ‘tell it like it is.’ If our client’s budget is too low, we tell them. If we don’t like the art they’ve collected, and it doesn’t work in their space, we tell them. If their timeline is unreasonable, we tell them. At this point honesty is the best policy, and our clients appreciate our honest (brutal at times) approach.
A: My greatest challenge as a designer has been my sensitivity. Early in my career if a client didn’t like something, I would be crushed, second guess myself and it affected how much I enjoyed the job. Now at this point in my career, my skin has thickened! Today if a client isn’t sure about something I’ve proposed, I don’t cave easily. I stand up for myself and my design vision. After all, they have hired us because of our skills and talents; for a room/house to meet its full potential we need the trust of our clients. Now, there isn’t too much that hurts my feelings…but it took time to get to this point.
How would you characterize your style?
L&A: Our style is a mix of traditional and modern. It is always luxurious, and looks high-end (even if we’ve mixed some high and low pieces). We often incorporate some element of the unexpected that excites us, whether that is a piece of art or a bold marble choice. We like to feel like we are doing something ‘out of the box’ and not exactly like everyone else. Generally we do what comes naturally to us, and so far our clients have been amazing in letting us execute this style.
Does your personal home fit your design style?
L: Yes for sure! I have my place to myself so everything is reflective of my style.
A: Yes mine does as well, although with three very small kids, I have less finishing touches than I’d like. Some days I fantasize about being able to accessorize and style my coffee table, but for now I feel like any tchotchkes would probably be hurled by one kid, at another…so at the moment decorative items are displayed at a minimum.
How does living in Toronto influence the way you decorate?
L&A: We believe that living in Toronto influences the way we decorate in a number of ways. Torontonians live a very faced paced life, people are always on the go, busy, fighting traffic and generally work long hours. So when our clients are at home, they want a beautiful, comfortable and luxurious space. This is where we come in! Torontonians are also very design-savvy clients; they go to all the beautifully designed restaurants and hotel lounges, art galleries, etc., and our clients generally know good design when they see it. At least they are open to ideas that may be a little ‘cutting edge’, and this is exciting for us as designers!
What was the focus of your first paid design project?
L&A: Our first paid design project was a renovation of the main floor of a house; adding an addition and re-configuring the space. We also did all the decoration for this house. Looking back on it, it was a rather ambitious project for two fresh young designers, but we were confident and it turned out beautifully. The nice thing about being in a design partnership is that we always have each other to fall back on and we make all decisions together.
What is the best advice you’ve received, and who is your greatest professional influence?
L&A: Both of us credit our parents with giving us the best advice. Trust your gut, go with your instincts! We created our design firm from nothing, we were new to the city and didn’t know anyone. We both felt like we had nothing to lose, so we gave it everything we had. Both of us have parents who work hard…I think Laura and I both inherited their work ethics. There were years where we worked evenings and weekends to get the business off the ground, but it has all been worth it. We love our job immensely and feel very fortunate to be able to do this every day!
What is your go-to hostess gift?
L&A: Wine, wine, and more wine!
What is your favorite design era and why?
L&A: This is a tough question for us because there are elements that we love from each design period. We usually take the best from each period and mix them all together to create our designs.
What is at the top of your bucket list?
L: Travel!
A: More time with my kids and husband. Professionally, we really want to do a Toronto hotel lobby/restaurant…something edgy and unique that is missing in Toronto.
What do you have coming up next?
L&A: We have quite a few custom home builds coming up. For these homes we will choose everything from the layout of the house, its exterior design, interior design and all the finishing touches. Having an opportunity to create at all levels of design is a dream come true for us!
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All images courtesy of The Design Co.