Carling Design was founded on two important principles:
 
1. For Tom Carling to make a lot of money doing work he loves; and
2. To create great work fulfilling the vision of the publishers who engage us, especially those who tremble at the thought of outsourcing design services.
 
“I’m still getting the bugs out of the first, but have totally nailed the second. Many of my clients are reluctant to work with outside designers at first. Oh they know I can bring a fresh creative approach to their project but can they count on me to deliver the whole package, on-time and within budget. Let's face it, most publications are very complex; dozens of components coming from many sources, all have to be tracked and turned around within a tight schedule. Even as their staff resources are being spread thin, many publishers feel it’s just too risky to entrust such deadline-critical jobs to someone offsite. It’s a concern I encounter over and over again.

My clients tell me I put them at ease — that I’m as reliable as any in-house member of the team. In fact, they say they get the best of both worlds: dependability and flexibility — a fully dedicated creative partner on an as-needed basis.” 

Here's what some of them have to say:

“Tom has been an absolute delight to work with. His design solutions are always fresh, creative, and distinct. I have used him for 3 different projects and not only was I very pleased with the results, but the editors also remarked on how attentive he was to the project and how wonderful both the process and the end product was. Tom is simply unflappable. Never one to get frustrated when given difficult requests; he works until he gets it right! When I make presentations of the books that our company produces, I always show the books Tom designed as examples. I recommend Tom Carling highly. He listens, he hears, he creates great solutions.” —Anna Palchik, Senior Art Director, Bedford/St. Martin's

“With Carling Design, we know two very important things: First, we always get quality design consultation. And second, we have someone we can count on. Tom’s design solutions are always fresh and the workflow is as seamless as with our staff designers.” “For more than a decade, working at four different Time Inc. magazines, I have used the services of Carling Design to create special advertising features, sections, posters, booklets and more. That we get great design work is a given. But working with Tom Carling also means having a creative, reliable, conscientious partner who offers quick turnaround without compromising quality. I give Carling Design my highest recommendation.”
“Whether for a simple board book or a complicated, 300-page, illustrated book, Carling Design is always the first call we make. Shoreline has worked hand-in-mouse with Carling for more than seven years and they have never delivered anything less than superb work...and on time and on budget. I personally also worked with Tom while I was at Sports Illustrated and can also highly recommend him for magazine projects as well. Plus, along with being a fine designer, he's also one of the nicest people you'll ever work with in this business!”