On the search for the perfect turquoise blue kitchen tiles, Lily Spindle Design found it in the form of our brand new Tiki Blue glaze on our Recycled Tile Body. Today we're putting the spotlight on the women-owned design firm and sharing their design advice, lessons learned, and top tile picks too. Keep reading for our full interview!
Meet Rebecca Cox + Debra Vigna of Lily Spindle Design!
Who is "Lily Spindle?" What type of projects do you typically work on?
We’re a small, women-owned design firm based in Los Angeles, predominantly working on residential projects. We tend to weave art and color into our shared passion for creating joyful spaces that feel good.
How did you hear about Fireclay Tile? What are your favorite products?
Social media, no doubt! Pinterest or Instagram, since that’s where we spend a lot of our screen time when scrolling for inspiration. Fireclay Tile colors are especially amazing. From subtle and moody Mist to the saturated and sexy Vintage Leather, the range is just crazy good!
Tile shown: 3" Triangles in Vintage Leather
Why do you love working with tile?
There’s something tile allows you to create that other design materials simply cannot produce. The colors, the shapes, the patterns, the application of where and why and how - it all lends itself to designing unforgettable environments. A single shower wall of Ogee Drop in varying colors, for example, is enough to elevate an otherwise understated powder room to resplendent heights.
Tile shown: Ogee Drops in Emerald, Amalfi Coast, Naples Blue, Tiki Blue, & Waikiki // Design: Greymark Development + Design
What are your 3 best design tips?
- Pet hair gives everything character.
- Original art is vital and life-changing - whether it’s a landscape from the flea market, blue chip collectible, or your nephew’s incredible seascape, having original art on your walls is integral to the intimacy of a space.
- Nothing is permanent, so don’t fear change.
Fun fact about yourselves that others might not know?
1. The idea for our business venture began while floating in a pool in La Saladita, Mexico.
2. The “Lily” in Lily Spindle is actually Deb’s gorgeous, goofy, white pit bull mix, Lily.
3. We’re both married to artists who occasionally collaborate on painting projects.
About Your North Hollywood Project
How did you get involved on this project?
A wonderful past client (now friend), casting director Felicia Fasano, mentioned us to Emmy-award winning Writer, Editor, and Director David LaMattina and his wife, Actress Sofia Gonzalez when they were looking for interior designers to help with their kitchen remodel. *Side note: we used Fireclay Chaine Homme in Felicia’s kitchen.
Tile Shown: Calcite Chaine Homme // Design: Lily Spindle Design // Photos: Michele Thomas Photography
How involved were your clients in the design/build process?
David and Sofia were absolute dream clients! They were closely involved in the remodel process throughout and deserve major kudos for living without a kitchen for several months. Mostly our design proposals were met with tons of enthusiasm-- but whenever they were uncertain, they completely trusted us and our design instincts and gave us the freedom to guide the project. What more can you ask for in a client?!
Tell us more about the space? Is there any story behind it and the project that you want to share?
When David called us about the flooded kitchen in the North Hollywood home he and Sofia shared, he explained they’d been talking about remodeling their kitchen for over a year, but the bursting pipe upstairs was just the right kind of divine intervention to get them motivated to do so. When we first arrived, we were greeted by the delightful couple and their little terrier, as well as a half-gutted kitchen, with over a third of the cabinetry ripped out, wood studs exposed, and what was left of a dark, depressing galley kitchen with a dark floor, black granite and traditional shaker-style cabinets that felt very 1990s.
NoHo Kitchen Before:
Drawing aesthetically from the vibe of their home, we energized and elevated the windowless workspace by blowing out the bulkheads, eschewing heavy upper cabinets in favor of open shelving and integrating warm wood and dazzling white finishes with a broad stroke of Fireclay Tile, global textiles, and distinctive lighting.
What's important to you when designing smaller-scaled kitchen spaces?
Balancing out form with function is essential when designing a small space, especially a kitchen which tends to be a home’s activity hub. We always strive to ensure that the kitchens we design fulfill both the client’s needs AND dreams, regardless of size. For this kitchen we wanted the space to feel spacious and uncluttered, with vibrant color and unique details while still providing plenty of storage, even without upper cabinets.
NoHo Kitchen After!
Tile shown: Tiki Blue 3x6 // Design: Lily Spindle Design // Photos: Michele Thomas
What type of look or aesthetic were you going for in this Kitchen?
Palm Springs meets 1960s French Nouveau Realism
How did you come up with your color scheme? What led you to the color Tiki Blue?
The house was built in 1968 and although modern, had none of the signature midcentury architectural hallmarks. Since our clients loved the aesthetic, we wanted to infuse the kitchen with mainstay MCM colors and character. We explored a few Fireclay blue-greens in search of the perfect turquoise but Tiki Blue was the clear winner with just the right amount of saturated yet muted chroma. In fact, we composed the rest of the kitchen color palette around it!
The galley kitchen layout had the usual challenge of being long and narrow and one end of the room had become a catch-all space with no real purpose. With their dining room just steps away, a dinette set, although prescribed, seemed redundant. This led us to the idea of creating a cozy “Alt” breakfast nook with a low slung table and built-in banquette for lounging with a latte in the morning or cocktails at night. We opted for bright tangerine Sunbrella upholstery for a classic midcentury orange and turquoise combo, making the nook everyone’s favorite place to hang out, including their little terrier, Rick.
What do you love about the Parquet pattern?
The clients adored the Parquet pattern right from the start. Everyone is doing subway or herringbone these days and we wanted something different- elegant, yet playful. We knew we didn’t want to tile up to the ceiling so we were delighted that the parquet pattern was visually interesting and dramatic even as a low-rise backsplash. The white Schluter trim was ideal to crisply finish off the edge. Also, this pattern is a nod to midcentury flooring, when parquet was all the rage!
How did the installation process go? Did you face any challenges?
We knew the tile backsplash would be a focal point and viewed from the living and dining rooms, so the tile pattern had to be laid out perfectly. Fortunately our tile installer is a true artisan and the installation went off without a hitch.
The main challenge was deciding on the grout color. If we used a white grout, it would enhance the pattern but possibly overwhelm other elements, and conversely, we didn’t want to downplay the beauty of the texture. In the end, we chose a light gray grout that subtly highlighted the pattern while letting that gorgeous Tiki Blue pop.
Any lessons learned from this project?
Since we were the designer/general contractors on this project, we were constantly juggling a million details and managing tradesmen from demo to build-out. Top lesson- don’t start tearing out bunkheads until you’ve checked inside all of them. Let’s just say we had to move a few pipes...
What Fireclay products are you dying to use in future projects?
We’ve got our eye on the handpainted tile collections. Los Angeles offers such a wide diversity of architectural styles and we can’t wait to create custom tile for the next Spanish Colonial Revival or Hollywood Regency project.
Handpainted Tiles from our Cuerda Seca Line
Want to see more of Lily Spindle's work? Check out their website! Inspired by Lily Spindle? Order color samples online. Need some help? Simply call, chat or fill out our Design Assistance form and one of our talented Design Consultants will get back to you shortly.
