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With a bright aesthetic and a brave approach to design, Janelle Blakely Photopoulos leads the team at Blakely Interior Design and its clients to inspiring, uplifting places they never dreamed of going.

Janelle founded her company in 2012 as Fresh Nest Color & 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 and unwavering commitment to integrity. 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 spent the next five years at 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.

Janelle and BID are frequently featured in the press, including local and regional publications throughout Rhode Island. She also sits on the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island Builders Association and was recently awarded Woman Owned Small Business of the Year for 2020 by the Rhode Island Small Business Association; an award that she was honored to receive as the business heads towards it's decade mark.

If she’s not at work, you might find Janelle anchored up at Dog Beach with her three kids and husband, taking a hot yoga class, devouring the business books she’s addicted to or accidentally stealing your pen (she swears she doesn’t realize she took it!).

Kristian brings over two decades of executive management experience to Blakely. His experience is rooted in the high growth, fast-paced “ed tech” space. For the last decade, he was at the helm of driving scaling initiatives and growth across all parts of the business for market leader, Blackboard – which has set him up for success to bring Blakely to new heights.

With a desire to let his knowledge and experience benefit a purpose closer to home (figuratively and literally), Kristian joined forces with his wife, Janelle, in the Spring of 2021. As Blakely’s Chief Operations Officer, he will be involved in all facets of the business – focusing on operational excellence and strategic growth.

When not at work or with this family, Kristian can most certainly be found somewhere out in the vast ocean fishing off-shore for big eye tuna, or deep in the woods hunting whitetails with his compound bow.

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!

When not at the office, you'll find Becky kayaking, rock climbing or running with her husband as well as reading those 25 books they just checked out of the library!

Meridith earned her Interior Design Certificate from RISD in 2006, and brings many years of experience working on high-end residential design projects to BID. As our Procurement Coordinator, she works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that every piece of the design puzzle is in its proper place. She creates proposals, places and tracks orders, and manages every detail throughout the course of the design process.

Her priority at BID is keeping all the balls in the air and then making sure they land where we designed them to, which she does with grace and a wonderful sense of humor.

Outside of the office she can be found exploring the natural beauty of Rhode Island, listening to live local music, and encouraging her young daughters to express themselves to live vibrantly through art and creativity.

A New England Institute of Technology alumni with her bachelor’s in Interior Design, Brianna possesses an excellent eye for detail and strong sense of creativity. As Associate Designer, her main role at BID is to support the Design Director and project managers in creating CAD drawings, communicating with vendors, sourcing products, and specifying finishes & materials - she does it all! She also assists clients by answering questions, performing site visits, and connecting with contractors to ensure every part of each project is going smoothly. Brianna’s level of enthusiasm and willingness to help on any level makes her a valuable member of the team - not to mention the addition of her bright personality!

In her free time, Brianna loves to unwind by exercising her artistic talents through painting and drawing. She also considers herself a “taco connoisseur” and will never say no to Mexican food!

Emily recently graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Endicott College’s Interior Architecture program. During her studies, Emily traveled often which lends her a unique design perspective with global influence. Emily's affinity for bold patterns and bright colors (she's a huge lover of all things pink) perfectly harmonizes with the Blakely design aesthetic.

In her role as Assistant Designer, Emily supports the team in sourcing materials, communicating with vendors, and creating CAD drawings. Her close attention to detail and organizational skills play an integral role in her day-to-day tasks. If you’ve met Emily, her bright and bubbly personality is sure to leave a smile on your face!

Emily keeps it creative outside of the office too by designing clay jewelry and accessories. She's an avid coffee drinker and loves to unwind by spending time with family, friends, and of course her lovable dog Roxie.

With a bachelor’s degree in textile marketing from The University of Rhode Island, and an associate’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in textile design, Jessie brings a great mix of marketing knowledge and creativity to the team.

Jessie is the woman behind the screen, curating Blakely’s social media platforms and website to ensure you are always up to date on our latest design projects, events and anything else new and exciting. She plays a substantial role in the creation of all marketing content from blog posts to advertisements, ensuring all materials are consistently in line with the vibrant Blakely brand.

Like any native Rhode Islander, Jessie enjoys spending her free time by the ocean whether it’s laying on the beach or taking a boat ride to Block Island.