august 4th, 2024
Many people believe that interior design is simply adding attractive finishes after an architect completes construction. However, the design of a room is crucial to how it makes us feel. Good design is intended to enhance our lives, and Toni Crockett Design appears to be able to create spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also prioritize the needs of everyday living. The Trinidad-based boutique design studio, co-owned by lead designer Toni Crockett and her husband Rishi, is making waves for their ability to design for a wide range of styles, garnering multiple awards for their projects.
In 2014, I attended the launch of Toni Crockett’s designer pillow collection, a collaborative project she did with fashion designer Lisa Faye Fabrics. At the time, we conducted a brief email interview about the collaboration. Since then, like many others, I’ve been following her team’s journey on Instagram. So, when I contacted Toni exactly 10 years after our first chat, I was pleased that she agreed. Now, we could delve deeper into the business of design in the Caribbean, discuss running her growing studio, and touch on motherhood as well.
It has been 10 years since we last spoke. I’m sure a lot has changed in your life over the past decade?
Toni: A lot has happened since then. We’ve changed staff, changed team structure, lots of things like that, and there are different projects but, in general, we’ve grown. But growth means different things to different people, right. It doesn’t mean that I have 20 people now but we’ve done bigger projects and we’ve done more unique projects, and we’ve also developed systems and processes within the business that has helped us to take on more projects while not having a bigger team.
We’re doing 10 projects right now, which is a lot, but we only have two designers and most recently, a design assistant, which is a new role.
We’ve seen the significant growth and changes in your business over the years. Could you share more about the type of work you do and your approach or style?
Toni: Yeah. So I think I am very different, to most designers where I always wanted TCD to have the ability to do any style, so while I personally love traditional Caribbean architecture the most – colonial sort of homes, that’s what I would want for myself but we rarely get those types of projects. For me, if the client is paying you to be a good designer, a good designer should be able to create any space – any style. Right?
We’ve kept with that essence and it has worked for us.
I think what we’ve done is grow to show that we can do anything, Any style, commercial or residential. Because anything can be well designed and that’s who we are as TCD, and it’ll always be like that.
You do architectural work?
Toni: Yes and no. We do new-builds as well as renos. But if it’s a new-build we’ll take the drawings from the architect, review them, and if we see there are little things that we’d like to change internally and if the client has ended the contract with the architect, then we take over fully and we manipulate those drawings. If the architect is still involved, we have a collaborative meeting where we say, look, we see this being put forward in this space so we’ll need to change the ceiling here, etc.
Let’s talk a little bit about the process of working with TCD… From first contact – how does the process flow?
Toni: Yes. A lot of people won’t understand so I’ll clarify.
When a new client reaches out, usually via email or phone, we direct them to our website, tonicrockettdesign.com, to fill out our New Project Inquiry form. We always encourage clients to be as detailed as possible in this form because it helps us get a good grasp of the project from the start.
After we review the form, we arrange a 30-minute Discovery Call. This call is crucial as it helps us understand the client better, their needs, and the project’s scope.
Next, we schedule an Initial Consultation. However, if the project is not too large and the client provides detailed architectural drawings, this step might be skipped. There is a fee for this consultation, which depends on how far the project is from our TCD office. During the Initial Consultation, we dive deep into the specifics and requirements of the project.
Following this, we draft the TCD Proposal, outlining the scope, our process, and the fee structure.
Before we start the project, both parties must sign a contract.
The first phase is the Design Phase. Here, we create and finalize the design concept. It is a collaborative process, with all design elements agreed upon by the client. We draw inspiration from the client’s preferences and requirements during conceptualization. All drawings are finalized by the end of this phase.
The next phase is the Contract Administration Phase. This involves a lot of groundwork, including frequent site visits and constant communication with trades and suppliers. No project runs perfectly; it is the nature of the job. We adapt, make compromises, and tweak things to ensure the client gets as close to what they want as possible.
Once the design is fully implemented and all elements are installed as per the design, we style and stage the project for our photoshoot.
This is a simplified overview of our process.
You mentioned your husband Rishi. Is he also part of the team from the beginning? What role does he play in the business?
Toni: Rishi and I started the business together. He is the Managing Director. He is in charge of the entire business side of the firm. Although I handle the marketing. We do almost all of our marketing on social media and while he has all the marketing ideas, he absolutely hates social media, so I take his ideas and figure out how to make them work for our applications. Rishi handles all the pricing, proposals, contracts and invoicing, etc.
Is your studio a shared space at home or it is a separate location?
Toni: Home, yes. We’re really fortunate; we have a great office at home and it is very comfortable but it does prove to be challenging when you’re hiring because you have to be careful.
What’s it like managing your team?
Toni: It’s hard! (Laughter)
Well the TCD Team is comprised of Beth, our new Design Assistant – since joining TCD, she has implemented systems that have totally streamlined our entire company and how we manage our tasks; we have Arianne, our Interior Designer – a true design powerhouse and an extremely positive person; we have a new Junior Designer who starts in a couple of weeks, that we interviewed and hired entirely remotely, we’re so excited to have her fresh perspective on the team and of course Rishi and myself.
I was so against hiring people when I started because I thought, how am I going to manage people? I can’t do that and the job. Our accountant said to my husband and myself, “You can’t grow if you don’t hire people, you know. If you refuse to delegate, you’re going to stay this way. And, if you’re fine with that, great, but if you’re not, this is what you’ll need to do.” And when we hired our first employee, I was amazed. I was like, how did I not do this before?
So, no regrets. And managing a team, I feel grateful that I even have a team. Every day, I am like, I could not do this without them. But it is also hard because I have to remove myself from some things because I have to focus on delegating and scheduling.
It is a hard thing for any small business owner. You start this thing for your passion, then it has to become everybody’s passion somehow. You have to figure out how to motivate everyone, including yourself. But that is something I really enjoy. It’s like, what I said, when you meet a client for the first time, it’s like that and then you click– it’s beautiful to have people around you who want to help the brand do better and bigger things, and that’s a very rare thing to find. And over the years, we’ve had amazing employees and people on the team who genuinely had an interest in TCD, you know, for their time with us. And that makes such a difference, yeah!
Your presence and the way you interact on social media has changed over the years. And we’ve got to enjoy watching your transition. What made you start to clearly position social media marketing as a priority?
Toni: That’s all Rishi, my husband! And then, to be honest, the followers kinda drove me into doing more because I got so much positive feedback that that helped me feel more comfortable sharing. But what we shared was more personal in the beginning and I actually really enjoyed that more. So it wasn’t a business strategy to start. In the beginning we never got clients from Instagram; ever! But that started to change over time, and when we started to realise that, we were like, okay we’ll keep posting more of the process and behind the scenes. But it wasn’t like this big marketing thing. No, no! Because before that all our work came from referrals. Now we get a lot of work from people seeing us on Instagram.
Let’s take a step back. When did you discover Interior Design and when did you decide this was the passion and career you want to follow?
Toni: I went to school in Toronto. I paid my whole way through school. I did not have any money from my parents. I worked fulltime and I went to school at night for four years. That’s how I did my schooling. I ironed clothes in a basement for a year. Eventually I worked my way up in the retail sector and landed jobs in the Home Industry. I have worked for an iron works company, bespoke wooden furniture company and had an amazing job as colour and paint consultant at Benjamin Moore. Later on, I also worked at a well-known Interior Design Firm, an invaluable experience! Each of these jobs played a very integral role for who I would later become, not just as a Designer, but as an entrepreneur.
Do you spend any time looking at what other interior designers or architect firms are doing and or comparing prices and services?
Toni: We always look at what the top international designers are doing, just to keep informed with any industry changes or developments but Rishi always says, don’t be obsessed with looking at what other designers are doing or charging. We just continue to provide the highest standard of design that we can to our clients and we charge based on our value. First of all, you can’t even find that out because Trinidad is so hush-hush, which we are trying to fix.
It’s frustrating that there is no accreditation for Interior Designers in Trinidad. Architects have that, but Interior Designers don’t; and what’s happening is, junior designers are not charging properly, or they’re not charging at all, and that is not good because that does not allow for a standard in our industry and it creates an imbalance.
Oh I can relate to this painfully as a Graphic Designer. (laughs)
You collaborated on a creative project with Lisa Fabrics in 2014, producing decorative pillows, and you also launched a scented candle line. However, you haven’t introduced any new product lines in a while. Are you considering re-entering the branded products market in the future, or did you find it unprofitable?
Toni: Oh the pillows were a huge success and working with Lisa Fabris was a dream! Lisa is so awesome and incredibly talented!. And I would love to do products and collaborations again but right now, because of how big our projects are, and the workload, I can’t focus on anything else right now. And Naya, our daughter is at an age where I need to be more involved. I already feel I’m not involved enough. So the little time that I do have, I try to focus on her.
Ah, the balancing act of the business woman and motherhood. Is there a balance?
Toni: Oh no. Balancing is very tough, VERY! Rishi is a tremendous help! Rishi’s schedule is more flexible than mine, plus, by not being involved in the design aspects, he does not need to be on design calls, at design meetings, etc. But we still try to keep a somewhat balance. While he may do the homework and pickups, I always do the bedtimes and meal preps, etc. During school holidays, though, Naya is always in and out of the office while we work but, and thank God for this, she is not a very disruptive or an overly needy child. I am extremely grateful that our office is at home, so I still get to spend time during the day with Naya.
Do you have any personal practices that help you achieve mental balance and function at your best? How do you manage the stress of life and business?
Toni:Well recently, I started therapy because I’m actually dealing with a lot of childhood family trauma which I’ve never really dealt with before.
What I do is, I schedule it right after work, so I don’t leave the office; I stay in the office. The team leaves and I have the privacy to do my sessions because I do it online with my therapist. And that really helps me.
I would say that I am so fast-paced, that I would be lying to you if I told you that I like to sit down in a corner with a candle and read a book? It just doesn’t happen. I am constantly thinking of how to make the business better, and if I’m not doing that, I’m looking up ideas of quality things I can do with Naya because I spend so little time with her during the week.
My husband says, “But Naya is at home. She’s around. She’s around the office. She’s around you”. I hear him but I’m not present with her. So I kinda feel that when I am centered is when I am present with my daughter, because it means I am most likely not on my phone, which is very rare. And again, I would be lying if I told you that I’m not living on my phone, because I am. So I think, in the moments when I am detached is when I’m centered.
It’s hard to find the time when you run your own business. I admire people who have break-out regimes and things like that. I do that as well but for very short periods, because I am really attached to the business right now, and again, I would not be authentic in telling you, like I am relaxed. I’m not. I’m very hyper-business. But, as I said at the beginning of this, I could tell you that even though we’re doing so many projects. I’m fortunate because I’m less stressed because of the team and support that I have, which is amazing to me.
We live in a time where many of us are overly concerned with others’ opinions and current trends, often losing sight of our true selves and what genuinely brings us joy.
For homeowners considering a renovation, regardless of the size of their space, what is one key piece of advice you would offer? What specific change do you believe could significantly enhance their quality of life?
Toni: Loveeee this question! In today’s world, it is easy to get caught up in the opinions of others and lose sight of what genuinely brings us joy. My advice to homeowners looking to invest in a renovation is to focus on creating spaces that reflect their personal tastes and needs. The key is to design your home for your own comfort and happiness, rather than trying to impress others.
One significant change that can truly enhance your life is to create a sanctuary within your home—a space dedicated to relaxation and rejuvenation. This could be a cozy reading nook, a serene outdoor porch, or a luxurious spa-like bathroom. The idea is to have a place where you can unwind and recharge, away from the stresses of daily life.
Ultimately, the most important aspect of any renovation is that it should bring you joy and improve your quality of life. By prioritizing your own preferences and needs, you can create a home that is not only beautiful but also deeply satisfying and enriching.
Thanks for the design advice Toni.
Interviewer: Tanya Marie | Photos courtesy: Toni Crockett Design Ltd. & Ravindra Ramkallawan
