Introducing the wonderful Tild Simpson and her sunshine-soaked Melbourne home. I stepped inside and was greeted by high ceilings, handmade sculptural objects everywhere (made by Tild & her husband), a unique bathroom renovation and a million treasured marketplace finds. This cosy abode was originally built as part of the Olympic Village for the 1956 Olympic Games. If I could sum up this home up in just a few words? It would be - warm, calming and creative.
Tild works in legal research and social justice advocacy, she is also the designer and maker behind Minnow Glass. Discovering her Instagram felt like serendipity: the aesthetic of her creations aligned beautifully with our spring/summer collection, Isla. When we met, it was her very first day of maternity leave, so naturally, our conversation wandered into nursery styling tips, preparing for motherhood and as always, all things creativity and interiors.
Outside, in her spacious, leafy backyard, Tild shares a studio with her husband, Almo Troup, an architect and founder of Trouthouse, a business crafting objects from recycled materials. Like us, they share a love for the art of handmade, celebrating creativity in every corner of life.
Shop our apparel range here and browse the Minnow Glass website here.
Who are you and what do you do?
I'm Tild Simpson. I have a legal background and work in legal research / social justice advocacy and am also the designer and maker behind Minnow Glass.
Tell us more about Minnow Glass - how did the business come to life?
I first discovered the world of kiln-formed glass by doing a workshop in regional Victoria one weekend with my Mum, Kristen. She has always had a strong creative streak and love of making and it was a really nice activity to do together. We both instantly became a bit obsessed by this type of glass work given how unique it is and the fact that it can be used in so many ways.
After gaining more experience by spending many weekends at a glass studio in Melbourne, I invested in a kiln and the materials required to make kiln-formed glass in the backyard studio I share with my partner, Almo. Almo (his name is Alex but a childhood nickname stuck!) is an architect and also makes objects and lighting out of recycled or sustainably sourced timber through his business 'Trouthouse'.
I launched Minnow Glass in late January of this year and it's already been so fun and fulfilling. Early on I was approached by a stylist to have my pendants included in a show at Melbourne Fashion Festival, and have been involved in some other really exciting collaborations. The most recent collaboration is the 'Moon Safari' lamp, a joint collaborative piece between Almo and I which pairs beautiful recycled and known-source timber frames with interchangeable glass panels.
Along with these lamps, I also make a range of other objects including jewellery, bowls, dishes, as well as pieces for the wall such as flowers, stars and faces. One of my favourite things since launching Minnow has been all of the commissions I've done, as it involves connecting with someone and bringing their vision to life (usually as a gift for a loved one or a little treat for themselves!)
Browse all the Minnow Glass objects here.
Shop the Minnow website here.
Minnow couldn’t be more aligned to our spring summer collection, Isla. What is your creative process with your objects and jewellery… from start to finish?
I usually begin with a colour scheme, which is currently pretty heavily inspired by the colours of the ocean and nature. I therefore have a lot of glass in blues, greens and creams as well as some pops of purple and amber. Once I've settled on colours, I start to cut the glass and experiment with shapes. I try to infuse all of my work with a sense of personality and character, which is why I love making pieces with a face, such as the 'Sisterhood' range or the range of 'Starbursts'.
The most exciting part of the process is taking a piece out of the kiln and discovering what the alchemy of heat and time has done to the glass. Colours and different textures of glass can all react differently, so it's really fun (and sometimes nerve-wracking) to see the end result!
You’ve been balancing a full time job as a Project Coordinator at the Centre for Innovative Justice and running your own business… she’s a busy woman! What are some rituals or routines that keep you feeling grounded?
I am a big believer in the therapeutic power of daily rituals and routines with some of my go-to's including: walks (and before pregnancy, running) with my Border Collie, Rudy, cooking, listening to a podcast every night as I drift off to sleep, reading, cuddles with my cat Nutmeg, and watching a good series with Almo.
You share your backyard studio with your husband who is as equally creative. He's an architect and owner of Trouthouse. Tell us about his biz!
Almo has always been very creative and played drums in bands for many years, as well as studying film before he started architecture. During his architecture studies, he started making a bit of timber furniture and caught the making bug. This escalated when Covid hit in 2020 as we were staying at his family’s place in East Gippsland, and he spent most of his time restoring ‘The Temple’, a small octagonal hut that has a lot of sentimental value but was in pretty bad shape.
Since then, he’s expanded his love of using recycled materials and sustainably sourced timber into making objects, including handles, mirrors, shelves and lamps. The ‘Zig-Zag’ range he released last year can be seen throughout our home as it’s genuinely so practical, and gives a space such a sense of character.
It’s been really exciting that Trouthouse has also been involved in some great collaborations with interior designers and hospitality businesses, and has also been featured in The Design Files and Broadsheet.
Shop our lounge range here and table decor here.
You’re both lovers of design… so when it comes to home projects, do you naturally fall into certain roles? (Be honest, who wins the final say?)
Haha - good question! We’re lucky that we’re generally pretty aligned when it comes to our taste in design so there aren’t many things we disagree on. With our bathroom for example, I chose the feature tiles (which are the Mutina Mattonelle Margherita stars) and then we both decided on what tiles would compliment them. Almo generally takes the lead on the more practical and architectural decisions, which is very useful as my knowledge in those departments is obviously more limited!
Shop our kids + baby range here.
We met on your first day of maternity leave… congrats to you and your partner! Can you tell us about your nursery vision? What kind of space did you want to create?
Thank you! Well, the room was originally a classic ‘stuff’ room, full of musical instruments, random boxes, and other bits and pieces we kept out of sight and out of mind. We therefore started by doing a big organise and cull, before painting the ceiling and replacing the carpet. We wanted the space to feel cosy and warm, whilst also naturally having a sense of playfulness and fun.
We’ve hopefully achieved this by putting up art that we’ve collected over the years, unique handmade toys and lots of books. We’ve also included a few Trouthouse pieces (the Nutmeg Zig-Zag wall shelf and the bookshelf), as well as a big blue Minnow Glass star face, which brings a calming energy to the room.
As you enter motherhood, what have been your favourite resources to prepare yourself for this new chapter?
Life After Birth - Jessica Prescott & Vaughne Geary (book), The Complete Guide to Postpartum - Sophie Walker & Jodi Wilson (book), pre-natal pilates at CorePlus, pre-natal yoga at Mana Health, pre-natal massages at The Little Company and The Great Birth Rebellion (podcast). Romy who runs the birth education course we did at BirthSpace is such a wealth of knowledge and gentle wisdom.
Our designer spied your bathroom renovation on Instagram and fell in love with your choice of tiles. Were there any lessons you learned that you’d pass on to someone else tackling a bathroom renovation?
Think about where you want to allocate your budget! You can cut down on expenses by not moving the location of things within your bathroom and can instead put some of those savings towards materials (e.g., tiles, tapware etc). If you have a small space and a relatively small budget, adopting this approach and focusing on aesthetic changes rather than layout changes means you can still have fun and end up with an original and elevated result.
Shop cosmetic bags here, bathroom decor here and bath robes here.
You have such a unique sense of style... What inspires Tild Simpson? (your glass creations, your fashion and your interiors)
It’s hard not to hit the cliches here but inspiration can come from so many places. I probably draw the most from people watching, traveling, books, vlogs, series on architecture and design, going to gigs and music festivals, and the colours, textures and forms of nature.
I love your tranquil bedroom! Do you have any tips for falling asleep more easily or getting better quality rest? Run us through your ideal bedtime routine.
Thank you! It’s quite a small room but we chose to make it our bedroom rather than a much bigger room with a built-in robe, so it would feel cosy and so we wouldn’t be constantly surrounded by clothes and stuff!
I have always been a bit of a natural sloth in terms of sleep, so I’m not sure if I have any useful tips but my classic bedtime routine usually involves reading (either a book or an article on the iPad), potentially some scrolling or if I’m being good, a meditation on the Headspace app instead. Then without fail, I listen to a podcast or audio book when falling asleep. The latter is a habit that has been with me since I was little and I’ve never been able or willing to shake it!
Shop all our bedding here and cushions here.
You’re an avid reader and currently reading three books… tell us the best books you’ve read so far in 2025?
Saba is a young writer from the UK and this is her first novel. It’s about a young woman living in Brighton, UK who works at her dropkick boyfriend’s nightclub before getting enmeshed in the life of one of the new bartenders who herself falls pregnant. It’s a beautiful story about friendship, love, identity, new motherhood and what a ‘chosen’ family can really look like.
This one is a confronting and eye-opening read. Each chapter tells the real life story of a different person who has migrated from their birth country to Europe in search of a ‘better life’. The reasons for their decision to migrate, the physical journey they go on to reach Europe and then the reality of life once they’re there are incredibly sobering first hand accounts. The author is an investigative journalist who spent many years writing this book and meeting the people it’s based on. It shows that truth can 100% be more gripping than fiction.
A truly wild ride! A story about discontent in mid-life, perimenopause, lust, loneliness, art, connection and what it can look like when a wife and mother decides to put herself first and shake up her life.
Describe your perfect day out in Melbourne to us… GO!
Alphington Farmers Market for coffee and breakfast followed by a dog walk at the Darebin Parklands. Pit-stop at a nursery to buy some native plants. Lunch on Smith or Gertrude street followed by book browsing at Happy Valley and clothes browsing at Somebuddy Loves You. Afternoon picnic and drinks with friends at Edinburgh Gardens followed by a gig, house party…or maybe an early night on the couch in PJs.
Follow Tild Simpson's business, Minnow Glass, on Instagram here.
Browse her magical creations on the website here.
Follow her husband's Instagram, Trouthouse, here and browse his designs + projects here on the Trouthouse website.
With a whole lotta love xx