Graduate Feature: Lindsay Blashill & Meghan Randall

Tell us a little bit about yourselves!

We are a couple of busy moms who are OBSESSED with all things decor and design. When we aren’t at school drop-off, the hockey rink, or the dance studio, we’re sourcing beautiful artwork, textiles, and furnishings for our clients—and, let’s be real, our own homes! With all the gorgeous items we come across, we are constantly switching things up at home (sorry, hubbies!)

We always loved interior decorating. We met while attending the University of Waterloo many years ago. Even in the (shady!) student housing we shared, we were always finding ways to make the spaces we lived in look and function beautifully.

Those days, it involved wallpapering with our favorite magazine ads. These days, it’s a little more refined, but the theme is the same: We want to surround ourselves with beautiful things that make us happy! We love to pass on all those feelings to our clients.

How did you get together?

After those student days, we spent many years working together in a corporate setting as project managers. You know, the 9-5 desk job with lots of spreadsheets, databases, and reports to write (blah). It was important work, but it wasn’t fulfilling the creative (decor-obsessed) sides of us. Add young kids, the desire for more flexibility in the equation, along with a dash of courage, and Tilly+Bridge was born.

Small business has pushed us outside our comfort zone at times, but we’re glad to have each other (three cheers for partnerships!). The good news is that all that formal training in project management hasn’t gone to waste – it actually makes us really good at understanding our clients’ wants and needs and helps us deliver high-quality products.

You offer a few different services like decorating and staging. Can you describe what it’s like working in these different design areas?

Decorating is our favorite – it can be so satisfying. It all starts with our clients taking our online Lifestyle and Style Quiz. The quiz helps us figure out their interests, style, and decorating preferences. We also want to know their feelings about color, and, of course, the practical needs of their space.

It’s always so exciting to dive into a project from that perfect jumping off point. We collaborate on all our designs (#dynamicduo) and each one is a labor of love! We work with spaces and budgets of all shapes and sizes. It can be challenging to hit the mark on style and functionality, but it’s oh-so rewarding to see those plans come together.

We create detailed Style Guides for our clients. These guides include a Style Board to give them a sense of our overall vision for the space, 2D and 3D floorplans, and a Shopping Guide with all the details on where to purchase the items we’ve selected. Many of our clients take their Style Guides and DIY them at their own pace. But, we have to say, it’s the most fun when we get the chance to ‘takeover’ the space and decorate it from start to finish. Mucho rewarding; we love what we do!

As far as home staging goes, we find that what most homeowners want and need is a staging coach. That is, instead of us setting up stock furniture and decor in their homes, we work with what they have to highlight the best features of the home while minimizing their spending.

We give our clients a personalized and prioritized to-do list. The list includes guidance on things like furniture layout and home organization (purge baby, purge!) and a short shopping list of items that will make an impact. That’s all most of our clients need, and it works really well. Home staging coaching has also been a great way to partner with some amazing real estate agents and meet future decorating clients.

What is your favorite thing about working with clients and changing up their spaces?

ALL. THE. THINGS. We find so many glorious goodies during our sourcing. So, when we land on the perfect collection of pieces for a design, it is so darn rewarding! We’re talking high-fiving, office dance-partying, celebratory GIF-exchanging bliss.

ALL. THE. PEOPLE. We’ve met so many wonderful people along the way and have felt so fortunate to play a role in designing the spaces where they spend their time. We believe that a beautifully designed space has the power to evoke feelings of comfort and peace and can invigorate and inspire. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what life is all about?

How do you think QC Design School has prepared you for working in the field and running your business?

These courses provided a theoretical basis for many things we have learned over the years through experience (trial and error!). The lessons filled in some of the gaps in our knowledge, and led us towards useful software and tools to develop effective floorplans, which we’ve found to be really valuable. Earning a professional designation in the area has given us (and our clients!) great confidence in our abilities.

What do you think the future holds for Tilly+Bridge?

We’d love to keep doing more of what we’re doing now! We also have dreams to open a shop one day where we could sell a curated collection of our favorite things. Stay tuned!

Are you a graduate of QC? Give us a shout and you could be featured in an upcoming post…

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