Design
Tina Frey’s designs
Small ice bucket and champagne bucket with ice scoop. The leather handles are made of lead and BPA-free, food safe resin.
Image courtesy of: Home Nature
Like many other designers, the road to finding her passion was not a straight one for Tina Frey. After spending thirteen years in finance, Frey began experiencing in designing handcrafted wares in her San Francisco home. With no formal training, Trey taught herself the art of clay molding and resin casting in 2007.
The Hong Kong-born designer says that she was always a creative child; however she graduated with a degree in Biology. Following graduation, Frey worked in a lab and quickly realized that it was not her calling. She went back to get a degree in finance and became a CPA. Luckily, Frey was able to take many art and art history classes while taking her required business classes. She says (courtesy of Wynne Ware), “Finance was the safe route even though I knew it my gut that I loved designing and creating.”
Initially, Frey was a “one-woman operation.” Pieces such as those pictured above are dishwasher-safe and shatter resistant.
Image courtesy of: California Home Design
Frey was intent on using a material different from clay… a “unique” material. She experimented with resin and realized that she was able to use it to make many interesting pieces. It was two-fold: not many people worked with resin, perhaps for a reason; but maybe that was a good thing? Frey’s base knowledge informed her first collection which consisted of bowls for Tina Frey Design.
Primarily using resin, Frey incorporated (courtesy of Forbes) “solid brass, copper plated brass, and subsequently included stainless steel into the collection since I think it is a nice contrast to the resin material with the polished surfaces against the matte finishes which are hand sanded.”
The designer at her San Francisco studio.
Image courtesy of: Tina Frey
Now, many years after she debuted her first collection, Frey continues to add new products and colors to her offerings. Sometimes new items come out of a request or a need, and other times, Frey is inspired by something out of the ordinary. The designer concedes that she most likes creating things that she’d like to use within her own home.
Frey credits her hometown of San Francisco with always providing her plenty of inspiration; however she is also inspired by her travels. Eloquently said (courtesy of Frey’s own web site), “Bright pink saris as they catch the wind while drying on the line in India. The rich, warm wood of a Japanese tea house. The quiet minimalism of a small Swedish kitchen. I also love the soft curves found in nature, whether it is a tree branch bent from the wind or rocks that have been carved by the elements.”
Black troughs, to be used decoratively.
Image courtesy of: Fleur Detroit
The process within Frey’s design studio and workshop in San Francisco remains hands-on. She designs and sculpts every piece before the master mold-maker creates the molds for each design. Then, the team casts the objects in small batches according to color. Following, each item is hand-sanded which allows the item’s individuality to shine.
There is zero heavy machinery in the workshop… and no glimmer of mass-production. Frey truly believes in the human connection and touch. As such, it is no surprise that the pieces are organic in style, and just what her clients are want. She says, “Our customers have a good eye for design. They like unique, minimal, simple, functional designs but with a slight wabi-sabi element.”
Vases are available in red, white, grey, and brown, and in four sizes.
Image courtesy of: Creative Home
In conjunction to beauty, functionality remains a pivotal aspect of Frey’s creative process. The designer’s playfulness comes with a color palette that she has developed over time… a feast for the eyes, indeed. Throughout it all, Frey remains committed to mimicking the “curves and imperfections found in nature.” Perfectly imperfect!
