We sat down with Tilly Barber, designer and founder behind Monde, to talk about the rhythms and rituals that shape her days. 

In our conversation, she reflects on the dance between motherhood and running a business, and how curiosity, experimentation during lockdowns, and community collaboration brought Monde to life. She speaks candidly about the less visible parts of building something from the ground up: the admin, the self-doubt, and the quiet questioning of self-worth that can creep in along the way.

We also explore the sensory world she creates at home through scent, sound, and light, and how these elements become an extension of self, offering both grounding and expression. Alongside this, Tilly opens up about her recent discovery of yin practices, and how learning to slow down has begun to soften her pace, her perspective, and the way she relates to herself and others.

This is a conversation about creativity, identity, and finding steadiness within the many moving parts of a full life.

 – 8 minute read

Carly Tomadin: Morning Tilly!

Tilly Barber: Morning!!! I just wanted to say before we start, I’m really, really grateful for the opportunity to be part of what you’re doing! It’s amazing, you’re amazing and I feel lucky lucky lucky.

Carly Tomadin: These words ❤️. What an honour to have you here. Thank you for being so willing to share some of your story.

Tilly Barber: Awww big smiles 🥹☀️

Carly Tomadin: I’d love to begin by hearing about what life looks like for you at the moment. Can you paint a little picture for us?

Tilly Barber: Well right now / today I’m going for a big walk before preparing for my son’s 11th birthday party this afternoon. Life is ultimately a juggle between mothering my two babies (one being a human and the other being my business), along with friends, family, and various random interests dotted throughout.

Carly Tomadin: Ah yes, the dance between motherhood and business. That’s part of what I was hoping to explore today. How do you find it… juggling being a mother and running a business?

Tilly Barber: Exactly. It is a dance! Sometimes it’s a slow dance and it feels easy, and other times it feels more like an expressive contemporary dance haha. I think I chose to work in this way because I could shape it around what being a parent asks of me. It’s spacious, flexible, and a good creative outlet. But it has had its moments where it feels like spinning a zillion plates and trying to keep them all up. Still, I do feel lucky that I can do both.

Carly Tomadin: Haha an expressive contemporary dance sounds so accurate! There’s something special about working for ourselves and being able to shape life in more flexible ways. And I know what you mean about those moments of spinning a zillion plates. 

When was Monde born, and what was the inspiration that led you to bringing the business to life?

Tilly Barber: Hahah yeah, it can feel crazy and chaotic but it’s also a sign that you’re alive and kicking!

Carly Tomadin: Totally.

Tilly Barber: Monde could not have been born without the input and drive of my friend Lauren Haynes, who at the time was studying furniture design. I had a little business sourcing vintage furniture for customers and clients when my son Mars was small. It was fun, and my knowledge of furniture construction came from pulling things apart and putting them back together — I had no formal training, just curiosity.

Lockdown came along and Lauren and I talked a lot about design, questioning design practices and materials. We decided to explore ways furniture could be designed end-to-end (including its disposal at the end of its life). As a result, we designed a foam chair with removable covers, hinged off a foam seat I had at home.

This was initially just something to keep us busy in those lockdown days where time felt a bit endless — it started as a research project really. We had friends sewing upholstery for us and helping with technical drawings. It was a lot of fun. We kept exploring and prototyping together, and it eventually shot both of us into our own respective furniture businesses by the time lockdowns had lifted.

Monde has evolved since then with the help of the local facilities I work with, and the input, ideas, and feedback from customers, friends, and other designers who shared resources and knowledge with me. Though I run Monde on my own, it certainly isn’t a single-handed operation.

Carly Tomadin: It’s inspiring to hear how your curious mind (and those long stretches of lockdown time) led the way in exploring different ideas and materials, and ultimately to your iconic couch, which we absolutely love. What have been some of the harder learning curves in figuring things out your own way?

Tilly Barber: Hmmm good question — on a practical level, I didn’t foresee that so much of my time would be spent behind a screen as a glorified keyboard warrior! I struggle spending time at my desk. As someone who is ultimately creative in a tactile way, I suppose I’d pictured myself in workshops with fabricators, prototyping and experimenting and making. Then suddenly I had to learn numbers, and figure out how to use Google Workspace or Shopify lol 😂 all things I’m not naturally good at! I still don’t really have a proper website because of my lack of patience with technology (and my short attention span & dopamine-seeking brain!)

On an emotional level, identity in the design world has been a big one. The way outcomes can get tied to your sense of worth or the validity of your ideas… and imposter syndrome. I definitely have that condition for sure!

Carly Tomadin: I hear you so much here. There’s such a gap between what we imagine running a business will feel like, and what it actually asks of us. It’s hard when parts of the process don’t come naturally or don’t feel energising.

And imposter syndrome really does show up across every industry, no matter how much experience someone has. It can be especially tricky when we start linking outcomes in business with our sense of self-worth. In many ways, we’re constantly surrounded by messages that productivity equals value. And we forget how essential it is to not get everything right — that the fumbling is part of learning too.

Tilly Barber: Yeah exactly. I think it’s part of being a creative… and human! There are parts that come so easily and bring me so much joy I don’t question a thing. And then other parts where I find myself thinking, “who the hell do you think you are?”

I think it’s normal though — and maybe even useful. It tells you something about your strengths and where you’re being invited to grow.

Carly Tomadin: 100%, I couldn’t agree more. What do you find helps when your mind gets carried away questioning your worth or feeling that your ideas aren’t valid?

Tilly Barber: It’s funny, I used to resist practices like meditation and yoga, saying things like “my mind needs stimuli”, “I can’t sit still”, “I need to be productive” etc etc… but recently I discovered YIN!!! And honestly I feel a bit sad about all the years I could’ve been doing it.

Carly Tomadin: What a discovery. There’s something about slowing down that ends up making everything else feel more spacious. And that feeling of “I wish I’d known sooner” is so real… I guess that’s part of how we learn to meet ourselves in new ways.

Tilly Barber: It’s shifted my pace and softened my outlook on everything around me. I can be quite quick, direct, even harsh sometimes, but yin practices have helped me slow it alllll down and bring a gentler perspective.

It’s shifted how I engage with myself and the people close to me too. I still resist it sometimes, but I never ever regret showing up and slowing down.

Carly Tomadin: So beautifully said. Yin practices really are the way, even when we don’t feel like it.

Let’s chat a bit about design… what do you think creates that feeling of being at ‘home’?

Tilly Barber: Ooo the feeling of home… it’s all about the senses for me. I probably spend way too much time perfecting my environment. There’s always something soundtracking the space — if it’s raining it might be ambient sounds, if it’s warm I’ll open the windows and doors and put on something with a bit more energy.

I have a deep love for scent — it’s a bit of a niche obsession. I think scent contributes to how a space feels more than we acknowledge. Lighting is also important: natural light (I don’t have curtains), and then in the evening, warm ambient light. I could go on and on.

Carly Tomadin: I feel relaxed just reading that, honestly.

Tilly Barber: But ultimately, I think home is — and should be — an extension of the people living within it. I love a curated, minimal, tidy space for how it feels on my nervous system, but the little piles of life we leave around are just as important. Probably more important, actually.

Carly Tomadin: So beautifully said Tilly. Are there any scents or other things you’re loving at the moment? Or music that’s been hitting the spot?

Tilly Barber: Gosh! It’s hard to pick. I lean towards green and woody scents, but different moods call for different things. One I’ve loved for years is Black Oud by APFR because of the memories it holds for me.

Vyraro Ember is incredible. I found it in Japan when I was with Mars. It’s amazing in winter. Bodha also has really beautiful scents.

As for music — I’ve been loving a few mixes on SoundCloud by Rhada, and always Chico G, Hotwax Soundsystem, and Earthtones.

Carly Tomadin: I can imagine those scents and sounds are absolutely divine.

Tilly Barber: You must try!

Carly Tomadin: Final question — what’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given, and do you actually follow it?

Tilly Barber: Ooo. The best piece of advice was from a friend before I gave birth. She told me I would get a lot of input about how to “do” motherhood, but reminded me that I already have all the knowledge I need — and that intuition is the most purpose-built resource if I can learn to trust it.

It stayed with me. And I think it applies to more than motherhood.

I also really like: “If it’s not a 100% YES, it’s a NO!” Especially for decisions — even small ones like what to eat for dinner, or bigger ones like where I live, or who I spend my time with. I can be quite impulsive, so I try to check in with myself a lot.

Carly Tomadin: I love that. There’s something so grounding in trusting what you already know, even when there’s a lot of noise around you. And I also love how the “100% yes or no” brings a simple clarity to decision-making, like a way of staying close to yourself.

A huge thank you for sharing all of this Tilly. It’s been so good to hear more about your life as a mother, designer, and home-enthusiast, and how all those parts of you are woven together.

Tilly Barber: It’s been really nice to chat Carly, thank you! I’ve been soaking up this beautiful sun while doing it ☀️