Happy Friday Friends! We are back with another one of our favorite brands and people. Everyone say hello to the fabulous Tatum from Timber & Gray!
We met (like we meet a ton of our favorite people) from Instagram. As soon as I saw this girl’s account, I was hooked and basically wanted every single thing she made in my house right now. From tables to blanket ladders to signs and decor, this girl makes it all.
This sign is what had me at hello. It resonated with me so much. It’s hard balancing being a mom, business owner, wife, and everything else. When I feel as if I’m failing (happens often) I am always reminding myself that no matter what, just love that family of yours and everything else will be okay and you will be making the world a better place.
Alrighty, so let’s get to know this darling woman!
Tell me a little bit about yourself. Who are you and what you do?
Hey C2S fans! I’m Tatum, the girl boss behind Timber + Gray Design Co. I create rustic, modern, and chic wood furniture and home décor pieces.
I love, love your name and your business name. How did you come up with your business name?
I wish I had a super cool story for this! When I first started out I went by the name Alexis Rustic Décor, Alexis is my middle name. I found as I progressed on, the name just didn’t fit with my business model anymore, so I wrote down about 100 name combinations on paper and started matching them up. If you ask anyone that knows me they will tell you I’m obsessed the color gray, and I guess you could say I like wood too (also my last name) so I guess it totally fits!
I hear ya! I think it took us five months to come up with construction2style and that’s all we got…haha! Names are hard, but yours is adorable.
I almost peed my pants when I read that your business started from too much wine and champagne. That makes me so happy! I straight up tell our clients that we will be drinking wine when we’re creating together because after all, that is what gets the creative juices flowing, right? Haha!
Can you tell our readers a little bit more about what pushed you to focus on building and pursuing your dreams?
I’ve always been a bit of a nomad when it comes to jobs. I would find that I’d somehow land myself these fantastic opportunities and then by the end of the year find myself getting bored. I guess that should have been a red flag that I’m just not meant to work for someone else!
I originally started out building things for our new home that we just moved into two years ago. Then friends started asking if I could make them the same thing, and so on and it just escalated from there. I think my “hobby” really began to turn into a business when I started devoting all my free time to it. It helped me cope with our struggles with infertility. It was a way to keep my mind pre-occupied and truly was a safety blanket during our struggle.
When we went to our IVF info session, there was a grief counselor who briefly spoke there, and she said that many people put their life on hold when going through treatments. And she was totally right…I had been playing with the idea of going full time with my building for quite some time. She said, “What if, in nine months your treatments didn’t work and you still do not have a child…will you be content with the decisions you made?” Just like that, it was settled. I quit my full-time corporate marketing job to jump head first into my entrepreneurial journey!
Wow. That’s so powerful! Sometimes we need people like that in our lives to make us wake up and jump! I got chills getting to know you more through online, and my heart is always loving on you.
Creating projects like you do is hard work! Jamie and I can whip up tables like no one’s business, but when it comes to making a good sign, it’s bad. It’s like those Pinterest fails you see on Facebook. Yeah, that’s us. It looks like a second grader made them. Haha! You are talented, and your work is to die for. Has this always been a knack of yours? Or was it after several DIY attempts one just stuck?
I’ve always been really creative, artsy, crafty ever since I was a little girl. Somehow crayons and felt markers morphed into miter saws and power drills, haha!
Haha, I love it. Well, you get it girl! You’re a rockstar at it all! What is your favorite tool that you can’t live without when working on a project?
Toss up between my Dewalt Planer and my Ryobi Cordless Brad Nailer.
Any brands/paint colors/ materials that you love and want to share with our readers?
A lot of people struggle with their top coat. My favorite polyurethane is the Varathane Diamond in Crystal Clear Matte. It’s water based + non- yellowing!
What is your favorite project or top item sold?
This (pictured below) “You Are My Home” sign is my number #1 selling item from my online store.
Oh my, first time seeing that one. Add another must have to my list, haha! What piece are you most proud of creating?
My favorite build is this coffee table I built with plans I drew myself! You can check it out on my Instagram HERE.
I got chills when I read what supporting small businesses means to you. Wow. That’s incredible and brings so much more importance to wanting to support and love on you. Can you expand on this a little and let our readers know what I’m talking about?
I think the importance of shopping small gets overlooked and shopping always comes down to pricing. I totally get that. But I think what people don’t realize is the chain reaction that takes place when you shop small. When you purchase from a local/small business you’re helping put food on that family’s table, that family buys their bread from the farmer’s market which supports that family, that family buys five of your son’s hockey raffle tickets, and so and so on. By shopping small, you’re keeping your money in your community and strengthening your local economy!
I couldn’t agree more. Where can everyone find you?
Website/Online Store/Blog: www.timberandgray.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/timberandgray
Instagram: @timberandgray
Email: hellotimberandgray@outlook.com
YA! YA! Thank you so, so much Tatum for hanging with us today. I’ve had so much fun to getting to know you better today, and I can’t wait for so many more collaborations ahead. You truly are an inspiration. Keep shining that bright light of yours!
