After earning a degree in graphic design, Andrea Tahlier pursued a stationery fetish by managing the design department of River North's Paper Source, where she worked for a year and a half before opening Fuss, a Lakeview paper goods boutique she co-owned and operated for three years. In 2006, Tahlier shuttered Fuss to tend to personal matters. "I took a break, got married, and helped my family open a restaurant," she says. But design was never far from her mind. "I was always doing artsy projects around the house, whether it was designing invites for family and friends or building mobiles," she says, "and then I really got back into it." Freshly inspired, she rented a Lincoln Square studio in May 2008 and launched Float Paperie, a business she named after the mobiles she enjoyed building at home.
Tahlier describes her new business as "design for hire," and most of her work is custom. "I work with a range of clients, from brides to businesses, and can design everything from business cards to stationery, basic paper goods, and thank-you notes." She describes her aesthetic as clean and classic with pops of color. "I want people to look back on an invite I designed for them 20 years from now and still love it."
Robert Steinmetz, a doctor of optometry with Advanced Eyecare Professionals P.C., recently commissioned Tahlier to design office newsletters and thank-you cards, as well as a logo for a scholarship foundation he founded. "What amazes me about Andrea is her ability to listen and create a perfect image after only a brief interview," he says. "She understands what the client wants and is able to create your vision on paper as if she knows what you're thinking. Her talent saves valuable time. There is very little need for multiple revisions."
