We think there’s something you should know about us. We’re different. As in “broke the mold” different.
But you should also know that we prove that different is great!
In fact, you may notice images on our site of a beautiful agate-patterned wall in stunning shades of blue. This wall greets visitors to our offices in Rhode Island the moment they walk in, and it’s there not only because it’s everything our aesthetic is about – bold, colorful, sophisticated, unique.
This agate design is front and center because it perfectly symbolizes BID’s company culture. Like agate, the BID team is one very strong, beautiful whole made from smaller individual layers – pieces that by themselves are unique from one another but together, they create something so solid and so dazzling, it’s unlike anything else.
Each member of our team is a mix of creative and professional talent, and delightfully quirky personality traits. That’s why, when you put us all together, we’re a powerhouse of design ideas, know-how and experience who handle your project’s every need as a well-coordinated team and who take the very best care of you every step of the way.
the blakely team has your back
Janelle Blakely Photopoulos
Owner + Creative Director
“I believe design has a profound impact on overall wellbeing. I see the transformations, not only in our clients’ homes but also in their lives.”
With a bright aesthetic and a brave approach to design, as well as an unwavering commitment to integrity, Janelle Blakely Photopoulos leads the team at Blakely Interior Design and its clients to inspiring, uplifting places they never dreamed of going.
Janelle founded BID in 2012 as Fresh Nest Interior Design, later changing the name as a way of carrying on her family’s name. Since then, she has quickly established the firm’s reputation for creating beautiful, colorful, livable interiors, making it one of the most sought-after interior design firms in Rhode Island.
Janelle’s artistic nature and eye for design are equally matched by her business acumen. She originally earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing at Syracuse University (all while dancing her heart out as a Division 1 cheerleader and dance team member!) and then built a successful career honing her management and creative problem-solving skills in corporate America as a marketing executive with AT&T. Janelle later realized her “true calling” and attended the Rhode Island School of Design to learn the technical aspects of interior design. After founding BID, she was accepted to and completed Goldman Sachs’ prestigious 10,000 Small Businesses program, where she received a crash course “mini MBA” education in entrepreneurship, benefitting from the input and mentorship of top business executives.
Today, that all translates into the rock-solid foundation of integrity, creativity, detailed processes and great communication on which Janelle has built BID. It’s this foundation - plus the team of carefully curated professionals she’s built - that consistently give Blakely’s clients an exceptional design experience and remarkable results.
Further living out her own personal values, as well as BID’s, in 2018, Janelle established the Rhode Island chapter of Savvy Giving by Design, a nationwide non-profit whose mission is to provide comfort, support and healing to families with a child facing a medical crisis by transforming the interior spaces of their homes at no cost to them.
Janelle and BID are frequently featured in the press, including local and regional publications throughout Rhode Island. She was also nominated for Rhode Island’s 2018 Small Business Woman of the Year.
If she’s not at work, you might find Janelle having a dance party in her kitchen with her three kids, devouring the business books she’s addicted to or accidentally stealing your pen (she swears she doesn’t realize she took it!).
Judy Schraer
Business Manager + Client Concierge
“I get great joy from making ‘magic’ happen for our clients!”
Judy’s background in real estate flipping puts her in the unique position of understanding both the fine details of home design projects and what homeowners go through during their projects. Her official duties as Business Manager include handling all the nuts and bolts of procuring the products for our clients (creating proposals, placing and tracking orders, and scheduling installations and deliveries). As Client Concierge, Judy makes sure all the details are always taken care of and that things run smoothly for every project. She also regularly does little extras - surprising and delighting the client with thoughtful gifts and acknowledgments of the entire BID’s appreciation for the client.
Unofficially, Judy acts as “the (wo)man behind the curtain” at BID, pulling all the levers to make everything happen for everyone, from managing orders to watering plants to fixing just about anything that breaks around the office.
She tells it like it is and her strong attention to detail and encyclopedic knowledge of “how stuff works” make Judy an indispensable asset at BID.
Bringing her adorable dog, Elton John, to work with her every day doesn’t hurt her popularity around here either!
Becky Slater
Interior Designer + Project Manager
“Swift problem solving is basically my hobby.”
Becky studied interior design and fine art in college and earned her interior design certification from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2016. In addition to creating beautiful roomscapes with punchy patterns and vibrant colors, Becky ensures every detail of our clients’ projects is executed beautifully. She plays an integral role in developing initial design concepts and space plans, as well as orchestrating the many “moving parts” in each project.
A master at meeting deadlines and sticking to budgets, Becky is a key creative force on the BID team. She is calm under pressure and is always quick to find a solution to any problem that should arise - design-related or not. Even better, she has a heart of gold and she brings her fantastic sense of humor with her everywhere she goes. She’s a BID rockstar if ever there was one!
Becky does other rockstar things, as well, like running marathons and climbing mountains - on purpose, even!
Jackie Sullivan
Interior Designer + Project Manager
“In every design, my main objective is to create thoughtful, inspired spaces where clients will enjoy making memories.”
Jackie’s responsibilities at BID include developing concepts and designs for clients, creating space plans, elevations and custom furniture designs, sourcing materials and products for client projects, and developing and managing project budgets and schedules.
With a Bachelor’s degree in art and a Master of Arts degree in interior design, Jackie is well-versed in how to lay the foundation for great design; but it’s her desire to get to know the clients and to listen to their everyday needs that help her create designs that clients love. BID’s clients particularly appreciate her lovely “bedside manner.”
Jackie lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two adorable children, and she just might be game for a good chips and guacamole/margarita pairing if you ask her nicely. Or just put them in front of her.
Bernadette Heydt
Lead Stylist + Visual Marketing Specialist
“I love transforming a design into a home by incorporating finishing touches that reflect the clients’ hobbies and interests.”
Bernadette’s roots in art and interior design run deep. Her father, a landlord of several historic homes, is also a renowned watercolorist and her grandfather - a prominent contractor in New York City - gave her an appreciation for how design can be both beautiful and functional.
Bernadette is fluent in Italian, and she lived in Europe for several years, bringing home her Bachelor’s degree in interior design (and a husband!) from Lorenzo di Medici in Florence, Italy before moving to Rhode Island.
She loves to “geek out” on science topics like geology, oceanography, plant life and dinosaurs, but as a true “sun baby,” she loves spending time outside enjoying the sunshine more than anything and believes a day in the sun can heal the soul!
Renee Mason
Junior Interior Designer
“I love knowing that I’m always in the background on our clients’ projects, helping things run smoothly for them.”
Renee is a critical part of the BID team, as she’s the woman behind keeping our design library of fabrics, trims, finishes, tile, etc. well organized and up to date (you have no idea how difficult it is to handle a client project if the fabrics are a jumbled mess!). She also meets with all vendor representatives to keep us stocked with samples for our design library, as well as helping us stay in-the-know on developments like new product introductions and customization options.
Renee is a jack-of-all-trades in the office, helping our designers with whatever they may need, including pulling design options, sourcing products, working on CAD drawings and even managing our styling inventory.
Renee graduated with from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Textiles, Merchandising and Design, bringing a strong fashion perspective to the table at BID.
She loves hitting the beach with her two Golden Retrievers, eating oysters as often as possible and racing her family’s sailboat as a team with her parents every summer.
