Real Mom Tamara Robbins Griffith Says Corporate Life Is The Perfect Fit For Her Career and Her Family

Tamara Robbins Griffith is a former stylist and editor with a career mojo that has helped her leap from one desirable industry to another. She’s worked as a design and managing editor at Style at Home magazine, appeared on CityLine as a guest expert for over ten years, made a jump to the marketing department at IKEA Canada (jealous yet?) and is now the PR and Social Media manager for HomeSense and Tri-Brand (including WINNERS and Marshalls) at TJX Canada where she gets to exercise her creative and strategic muscles. A mom to two littles who are 1 and 5 years old, she says freelance life isn’t the more desirable path for her right now because she’s lucky to be in a position that allows both her career and family to flourish.

“I love decorating and styling. To this day, I still have a few private clients and it gives me a chance to connect with some of the tradespeople and vendors who I have built relationships with over the years. I began my career as a floral designer during university and then started playing around with merchandising and styling. I had been obsessed with magazines from a very young age, so when I landed at Style at Home, I couldn’t have been happier unearthing trends and collaborating with photographers on beautiful shoots. And it was through the magazine that I first started appearing on CityLine and getting used to being an on-air expert.

Tamara’s husband Edward has a flex schedule and shoulders a big part of the load with their kids, Noah and Amelia. “He’s very involved with them…I admit it would be more difficult for me to have my job if we both worked traditional hours with separate commutes.”

While I adore the bright lights and creating beautiful rooms on set, there’s another side of me that loves seeing the bigger picture, developing long-term plans and making creative business decisions. And my company lets me express those skills more than a freelance styling or decorating career could. There are a lot of opportunities for me to learn and grow on the job, which is especially exciting at a time when retail, marketing and media are changing so fast.

However, I recognize corporate life isn’t easy for a lot of working moms and it wouldn’t be easy for me if I didn’t have an amazing support network in place. I believe that when it comes to parenting, there’s no shame in reaching out to family, friends and neighbours for help. And of course, the most amazing partner and resource is my husband. His work allows him a lot of flexibility. He’s very involved with the kids and he takes Noah to school every day and watches Amelia two days a week… I admit it would be more difficult for me to have my job if we both worked traditional hours with separate commutes. Every family has challenges when both parents are working and this is how we make it work for us.

“I’m surrounded by smart, funny and inspiring women every day who certainly all want results for the business but they also believe in life outside of work.”

I loved reading Unfinished Business: Women Men Work Family by Anne-Marie Slaughter. She’s a working mom, international lawyer and foreign policy analyst who happened to serve as the Director of Policy Planning under Hillary Clinton. She says to take that corporate seat and don’t short change yourself, however there are certain conditions you need to make it possible without going crazy and one of them is an understanding partner. Unless you have tons of money for childcare, parents often have to take turns focusing on their individual careers, and it will get easier for both of us to follow our passions at the same time as the kids get older.

Another important point she brings up in the book is seeking the right conditions at work, which I’m so fortunate to have. A big reason why I’m at TJX Canada is because I really respect the women I work with. I’m surrounded by smart, funny and inspiring women every day who certainly all want results for the business but they also believe in life outside of work. I think because we are a fashion and decor retailer, our organization has a lot of female associates and absolutely gets the needs of working moms.

Johnathan Adler is one of Tamar’s design heroes and she keeps a handwritten note from him in her office. “I like his sense of humour and whimsy in person and in his work. He’s not afraid to embrace colour and patterns and it’s hard for me to resist his pottery.” She has a collection including these two cats that pay homage to her own furry friends, Edie and Winston.

When I was offered this job, I was a new mom to a 9-month old. For me to start working sooner than later, I needed access to a private room once or twice a day to pump breast milk at work and it was made available to me. There are even parking spots for expectant mothers and a flexibility and trust that retains not only working moms but also meets the expectations of millennials who like freedom of movement and working dads who are sharing the load at home and at work with their wives. I really believe forward-thinking companies should all adapt to attract top talent.

Most of all, I have a lot of fun at my office job. I wear a lot of hats and can be on set shooting a creative one day and in an executive meeting the next. There is truly never a dull moment and I adore my team. I hope that when they settle down and have kids (a lot of them are still in their 20s), they feel like they can find the right balance in the corporate world with littles and I want to be there to support them. I also hope my kids see their parents as a role models for their own families one day. There really is no one right way to raise a family while working anymore. There’s just a whole lot of love.

HOME TOUR
A small space with plenty of personality

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

The kitchen backsplash was a custom design inspired by the colours and shapes of one of Tamara’s favourite pillows. She commissioned Edgewater Studio in Vancouver to bring her vision alive. FYI: Her faux foliage throughout the home looks anything but fake. “Even when I was a floral designer, we arranged really high quality faux flowers. I don’t have a lot of time to take care of plants, plus my cats eat them. I get all my faux plants now at HomeSense because the selection looks so real and the price is right.”

KEEP IT QUIET

“This painting was a gift given to Noah soon after he was born from my lovely friends at Art Interiors. I thought it looked so great in the kitchen, so don’t tell Noah it’s actually his.”

GET ON BOARD

The kitchen cork board houses a parenting cheat sheet (it’s smack in the middle on the yellow paper) with tips from parenting pro Alyson Schafer. “It’s not about labelling your child as a good or bad kid. It’s about establishing consistent house rules and not getting into power struggles with your kids.”

HEARTH & CIRCUMSTANCES

One of the first improvements to the house was the addition of this fireplace to make the home extra cozy, however it nabbed space in the living room which meant arranging small scale furniture so it can still fit plenty of seating. Rug, HomeSense, and mirror, Jamie Young Co.

HOLDING PATTERN

Tamara is a master at mixing patterns and textiles. “I usually have a specific colour palette in mind. For the main floor, I stuck to one one palette and upstairs each room has its own thing going on. Once I have a palette in mind, I play with a variety of patterns and textures.” Couch, Barrymore; custom made coffee table by Blast Metalworks; and plenty of baskets for hiding away the littles’ toys are all from HomeSense.

GOOD & PLENTY

“I’m not a minimalist by any stretch. I love collecting and surrounding myself with things that spark a memory or puts a smile on my face.” Her rule of thumb when arranging must-haves, start with a group of three and play different sizes against each other. Artwork, a rug from Anthropologie that was framed at First Picture Frame Warehouse; sideboard, photo frames, hurricane and glass vase, HomeSense; and distorted candlesticks, Areaware.

IT’S A SMALL WORLD

A petite ghost chair from HomeSense and side table from Cabinet completes a very chic kids’ corner in the dining room.

BOY MEETS DEN

“I always hoped this room, which we turned into a den when we first moved in, would be a kids’ room one day, so I chose colours and fabrics that could make the switch.” Wooden drum side table and wall medallion, HomeSense; and duvet cover, West Elm.

HEIR APPARENT I

Noah gets a much-loved chair from Tamara’s grandmother’s house that she had reupholstered with fabric by Lulu DK from Y&Co.

HEIR APPARENT II

The 5-year old was also gifted with dad’s keepsakes including a dresser and rocking chair from his childhood room. About that Muppet’s drum kit face…yup, Edward rocked that out when he was a kid and he had it framed to hold onto the memory without taking up so much space. Smart huh? Rug and faux fig tree, HomeSense.

RELAXATION STATION

This mom’s love of pretty things naturally makes its way into the master bedroom. Bedding and throw cushion, HomeSense; antler wreath: Oly Studio; and radio, Tivoli.

MY FAVOURITE THINGS

“I’ve never been one to wear all black or stick to a uniform. Patterns and colours make me happy in my home and in my wardrobe. I enjoy variety and I know I would get bored wearing the same thing over and over again.” Jacket, Smythe; Skirt, J.Crew; Bag, Chloe.

“It’s kind of perfect that I work for WINNERS and Marshalls too. I love certain brands and high end designers, but I hate paying full price. I do have some shoes from other retailers, but most are from WINNERS. I have a lot of glamourous high heels, but truth be told, my favourite shoes are my Frye Engineer boots (not shown). I live in them on set and when I’m with the kids on weekends.”

“My hair just has a mind of its own. I have to literally bend it to my will. These days, I let it be curly more often but I will smooth them out with a wand and Living Proof Restore Instant Protection Spray. When I have a bit more time, I’ll use Moroccan Oil and then blow dry it first and either smooth it out or add some tamed waves with a flat iron. Either way, I don’t like to heat style too often, so I try to get a few days out of any style. That’s where Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo comes in handy.”

“I love all these design books but The Perfectly Imperfect Home stands out. The author, Deborah Needleman, was the founding editor of Domino magazine and anyone who was a magazine editor when that pub launched will remember how influential the aesthetic was. I still have every single back issue. Her book is beautifully illustrated and shows how to have great style that reflects your personal story without being too precious or perfect about it.”

“Perfumes are an obsession I’ve had since I was a tween buying scents at The Body Shop. Then I graduated to Theirry Mugler Angel and CK One. I’ll always love Jean Paul Gaultier Classique. I’m still breastfeeding once or twice a day, so I put on my perfume after I feed Amelia, otherwise I would put it on right after my shower.”

“A lot of my jewelry marks special moments. When I left Style at Home, I was given a Holts gift card and was able to buy this Alexis Bittar resin bracelet and to celebrate my permanent position at TJX, I bought this Gucci watch—I call it my big girl watch. The bracelet from Tiffany’s has an ‘N’ for Noah and I’m going to add an ‘A’ for Amelia.” Leaves necklace, House of Harlow; chain with pearls, Alexis Bittar; and the vintage gold bracelet with pearls is close to her heart as it belonged to her maternal grandmother.

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