Growing up in Northern California with Dutch parents, San Francisco-based interior designer Tineke Triggs creates designs that reflect a captivating mix of her European heritage and West Coast roots. Inspired by designers who broke away from the pack, she is known for creating sophisticated and eclectic interiors that incorporate imaginative details at every turn. This fall, she launches a new tile collection for floors and walls that takes her passion for creating daring designs one step further.
TF: Is this your first time designing product?
Triggs: I’ve been designing custom furnishings and original tile patterns for my clients for years, but this is the first time I’ve brought an entire collection to market—and its really exciting!
TF: What made you want to branch into tiles?
Triggs: They say necessity is the mother of all invention, and for me that was particularly true. There were so many times I’d come up with an idea for a great tile pattern that I wanted to see in a space, but there was nothing like it on the market. I started designing my own tile patterns several years ago to fill that void and the idea for this collection evolved from there. I wanted to create something different and design spaces unlike everyone else’s. Over time, the designs and ideas continued to grow until eventually the Tineke Triggs Tile Collection was born.
TF: You’re known for your eclectic, and sometimes daring, designs for interiors. How did your unique style influence your tile ideas?
Triggs: I’m not afraid to take risks when designing, to be bold and push the envelope —and that definitely influenced my ideas for this new collection. There is magic to be created just outside one’s comfort zone, and I’m really excited to bring these designs to the market so that people can expand their ideas on what’s possible with tile design.
TF:The new tile collection is rooted in the luxury and glamour of the Art Deco movement. Can you share more about your inspiration?
Triggs: The inspiration behind the Muziek line came in part from my reflections on the 1920s Art Deco period, particularly in my current hometown of San Francisco. It was a time when the city was absolutely thriving, bustling with innovation and energy, much as it is today. The designs of that time were bold, exotic and full of ornate details. I wanted to rediscover and reinterpret these styles using these beautiful marble tiles as my canvas.
TF: How did you choose the name for your new tile collection?
Triggs: I chose the name “Muziek” in homage to my Dutch roots as the name means “music” in Dutch, and because the Art Deco period was so heavily influenced by the music movement, the name just stuck. We then started looking at each pattern and how each related to inspiring and artistic individuals of that era—Basie, Ellington, Hemingway, Dali. We had so much fun coming up with the names.
TF: How did you come up with the designs?
Triggs: I had collected ideas over the last three years and slowly started making each one into a pattern. Making patterns for tile is not as easy as it looks. You have to really think about the repeat and the connections, but that’s what my partners at Maison Surface are so good at. The patterns in this particular collection are primarily geometric based designs, but there are also the beautiful curves of the Tallulah pattern that are so unique and fun.
TF: How do you envision these tiles being used in people’s homes?
Triggs: The usage is endless. I can envision anything from an amazing fireplace wall or an accent wall behind the bed to the more obvious entryway or bathroom flooring and kitchen backsplash uses. The designs are unique in their use of larger scale patterns which means you can introduce texture and pattern in a space without completely overwhelming it.
TF: What made you choose the black-and-white color palette?
Triggs: Black-and-white is a timeless color palette. It’s always modern and current. But beyond the classic black and white options, the tiles are available in a wide array of custom colors, including beautiful tone on tone options that are more subtle and can be used in so many different ways.
TF: What material did you choose for this tile collection?
Triggs: We chose hand leathered Italian marble for this line. It’s timeless and elegant. And using a natural stone is always in fashion.
TF: Where will the tile collection be carried?
Triggs: The collection will be carried by tile dealers nationwide, including Ceramic Tile Designs and All Natural Stone in Northern California, and Venetian Tile and West Side Tile in Southern California. A full dealer locator is available online.
For more information, visit tineketriggs.com.