Designer Spotlight: Loczi Design

With a "best idea wins" mentality, San Francisco-based design firm Loczi Design fosters a collaborative environment where every team member's voice is heard. This dynamic approach, combined with their passion for pushing creative boundaries, results in spaces that are both innovative and deeply personal—and, of course, filled with Fireclay Tile.

We chatted with the Loczi team about their unique approach to design, their best tips, and more. Keep reading for the full interview!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and Loczi Design?

Paige Loczi founded Loczi Design and has thrived under the leadership of Paige, Catrina Cooper (Design Director), and Mike Ufferman (COO) for over 13 years.

Behind us, we have a small but mighty team consisting of Eva Klein, Diana Hernaez, Erik Angel, Jennifer Frisbie and Samantha Lowder

Collectively, we’re a well-oiled, dynamic team of passionate and skilled professionals, each bringing a unique strength to our work. Our team combines creative thinking, strong communication, and expert project management for design and construction projects. From discovering the coolest, most innovative products to building strong client relationships, everyone brings something essential to the table. Our team goes above and beyond to add personal, artistic touches that make each space one-of-a-kind, tailored to the Client. We take the approach of “best idea wins”. This keeps us collaborative and has always produced incredible results. We don’t create spaces to fit our brand - we design spaces that reflect our Clients.

We’d love to hear about your design process. What’s that look like, and what is your favorite part?

We cover all the essentials you’d expect from a designer—listening closely, researching exciting products, and carefully vetting materials. But our real passion lies in crafting custom spaces and doing something we’ve never done before with each project. We aim to leave something behind that’s fresh and as new to us as it is to the homeowner. Those unique, one-of-a-kind elements are what stay with us and become the heart of each project story.

It sounds trite but our favorite part is working closely with our Clients. We dive deep into what the homeowners truly want for their home focusing on leaving them with something they love and feel reflects what they communicated to us. The relationships we develop throughout a project are amazing. It feels great to work with folks who understand the benefits of good design and truly appreciate what we do. 

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Inspiration is all around us! Loczi draws design inspiration from a wide range of sources: exciting new materials, art, architecture, and nature - and even from our peers in the industry. 

We’re always on the lookout for fresh textures and unique materials. Our clients’ personalities and stories play a huge role too, sparking ideas that shape each space into something deeply personal and full of character.

Can you share your 3 best design tips?

Hire a designer! When selecting a designer, trust your gut and work with people you like and can easily communicate with.

Inside each space, pick a star and let that element inform the rest of the space. That doesn't mean you can only have 1 dynamic item in a space but 1 (or 2) anchors for a space are important. Design around that. 

Never be afraid of color - a good color palette can transform a space more effectively than almost anything else.

How do you factor sustainability into your designs?

At Loczi, we see sustainability as an important aspect of responsible design, and we aim to incorporate sustainable materials and practices when they align with our client's vision and project goals. We’re passionate about collaborating with local artists and makers to bring custom, one-of-a-kind elements to our projects. We love building relationships with talented artisans in our community, ensuring our designs are as distinctive as the clients we serve.

When possible, we with contractors who recycle materials removed during remodels. These materials are donated to local organizations or repurposed, giving them a second life and reducing waste.

You’ve used tile in so many gorgeous projects! What do you love about working with tile?

Well…We all love tile! Catrina most specifically - she loves the geometry, the math of it all, and the endless possibilities of how a tile can be laid out. As a team, we love to create unique tile patterns setting tile in a nonconventional way. Tile brings a powerful visual impact to any space, adding depth, texture, and character that effortlessly elevates the design. We’ll use it anywhere we can!

What does the tile selection process look like for you?

We are constantly on the lookout for innovative and unique tile designs, including interesting shapes, creative applications, and distinctive glazes. When we start a new kitchen or bath project, we look to our favorite tile manufacturers to see if they've got anything new to offer. When we discover something fresh and inspiring, we incorporate it into our upcoming projects. Finding and using these standout elements is one of the ways we keep our designs dynamic and engaging.

You’ve customized our Handpainted Tile on multiple projects–we’d love to hear about your experiences creating these one-of-a-kind pieces of art.

The handpainted line has always been a favorite of ours. The designs are so unique and beautiful, it’s easy to be drawn to them. What designer wouldn’t love to create something of their own when Fireclay offers such a beautiful array of glaze colors. It's the most fun to create something that no one else has. We look to the surrounding materials, outside environment, and overall design story we are hope to convey in a space when choosing the pattern and colors.

We love the multicolored Kite kitchen! Can you tell us more about that project?

This amazing couple loved their split level home in the mountains of Corte Madera. They were looking to modernize and expand the space so we embarked on a massive remodel, shifting the home from 2 stories to 4. They wanted to incorporate their love of 70’s architecture along with their passion for eco-friendly materials.

Fireclay was our first choice for their kitchen backsplash. The clients loved the kite-shaped design and the concept of blending a variety of calming tones. Catrina suggested rotating the entire pattern 45° creating what she affectionately calls “The Partridge Family” design. Do you see it? :)

Please note, Kite has been discontinued. See more of our unique shapes here or chat with our tile experts to find the best match for your project.

Do you have a favorite tile moment from your Fireclay projects?

One of our favorite moments, unfortunately was never photographed, something that will haunt us forever! 

We worked on a large house remodel in West Portal several years back where the clients chose the Chaine Homme tile. We set the tile on a diagonal and created a butterfly pattern - at the transition corner in the kitchen, the pattern shifted to mirror the adjacent wall. It was a very unique project with Clients willing to consider unique ideas.

Which of our tiles would you love to use in future projects?

We have been in love with the Agrarian patterns for years. Excitingly, one of our favorite clients decided to use it in her Lake Tahoe primary bathroom.  Your team did some fantastic renderings for us (below). The project is in construction now, and we hope to share images of the finished bathroom soon!

Next, we’re interested in designing something using the Natural Press Ceramic tiles. The glazes are incredibly beautiful!

If you're feeling inspired by Loczi Design's gorgeous projects, bring home your favorite Fireclay colors used in Loczi interiors—your first five color samples are free through a rep!