Chloe Varelidi was initially trained as an architect and spent several years working in the field before making a career switch in 2007. At that time, she became a play designer creating games, toys and other products for kids.
Varelidi now owns a small business, Follies, that she founded in 2021, which makes playsets for children, with an eye for design, and juggles the responsibilities of being a business owner and parent.
Varelidi lives in the Glover Park neighborhood of Washington D.C., with her husband and their two children, ages 8 and 5.
Note: Names of children were omitted to protect their privacy, as the family is well known in the area.
Where did the inspiration for your business come from?
The inspiration came from a visit to the National Gallery here in D.C. with my then-2-year-old. We had just entered a room [with an exhibit], and she said, “Oh, toys.” You know how little kids will say things. She was so impressed by those beautiful shapes. And that was a big inspiration for me for starting this project, and then this company.
What does the job of a play designer look like?
With Follies, sometimes it’s just the life of a small business owner. It’s nothing super glamorous. But when the actual play design happens, that’s a fun process. Usually for me, I always try to find inspiration from things around me. It’s a very interactive process.
People probably don’t realize this, but to just launch a new toy, it usually takes about 18 months—the whole process of research, development and then production, if you’re lucky. Sometimes, it’s like two years… My day can be anything from laser cutting things in my studio to running a little focus group with kids to try to understand if a ball is
bouncy enough.
What is something that you love about your job?
One of my motivations as a play designer is to design good and sophisticated toys, because children are sophisticated, and [to create] toys that inspire creativity, because that is one of the most important skills. In general, it’s lovely to work in a space where the kids can understand what you’re doing and see how something that might feel trivial, like a toy, actually has a big thinking and design process behind it.
What is it like balancing your time as a small business owner and a parent?
There’s no perfect answer to this. I remember reading this line… I think it was Michelle Obama, who said that your fulfillment in the areas in your life, like your family and your marriage and your work, not all of them are going to happen at the same time. I do find [that] when I’m busy with work, it’s very helpful to involve my kids and explain to them why I’m busy. I think it’s a good example for them to see that I’m passionate about something, and I encourage them to find what their passion is, and encourage those passions.
What has your time as a business owner and a parent taught you?
Being a parent makes you much more efficient. I remember before becoming a parent, I was working at a startup, and I was one of those people that were [in] until 10 p.m., and [when I became a parent], I just couldn’t do it anymore. I realized how much more efficient I could design my day to be. The wonderful thing about parenthood is that it, by default, sets boundaries for you… It really forces you to compartmentalize work and family and take a break. That’s very healthy, actually, as we are all working people. It’s good to just have those spaces for personal life and for work life and have those clear boundaries.
Family Favorites
Holiday Tradition: Santa visiting in-person on Christmas Eve
Family Movie: “The Wild Robot”
Meal: Pesto pasta
Activity: Swimming
School Subjects: American history and learning letters
