Artful Living: Tiles To Go Before I Sleep--Zhuzhing It Up with Syzygy

Mar. 3—Hello, March! I cannot believe we are heading into Spring already. It's a very exciting time of year for a little updating and for showing some love for yourself and your home. Last month I focused on renewal and refreshing a home with artfully reupholstered pieces by my good friends at Enchantment Upholstery...a significant part of what I like to call "my tribe." Over the years I have had the pleasure of working with so many talented people and vendors with the end goal being the revitalization of interior and exterior spaces.

One of my favorite ways to liven or "zhuzh" up a space is with TILE! Yes, those thin, usually square little coverings that are mostly made of hard-wearing, long-lasting material like ceramics, stone, metal, baked clay, even glass. And as anyone who knows me is well aware: I have a serious tile obsession. I obsess over tile the way Yayoi Kusama obsesses over dots. I like to use tile as a type of wallpaper, if you will. I love full tile walls behind vanity mirrors and tiles that are floor to ceiling in bathrooms. An artful and dimensional tile on a fireplace can make a room sing with life. Powder rooms are one of my favorite places to go a bit crazy. Tile, in my opinion, is an extraordinarily effective way to invigorate a multitude of spaces.

So, it should come as no surprise that one of the favorite members of "my tribe" of resources, and one of my dearest friends, is Lois De Laura, longtime Santa Fe tile expert extraordinaire. Many of us interior designers have relied on her vast knowledge of tile for many years, to help us identify the perfect tile selections for every client and every job. Several years ago, Lois introduced me to the yummiest tile maker I have ever had the pleasure of using on my projects: Syzygy Tile! (And yes, it is just pure joy to say Syzygy! Pronounced 'siz-i-jē,' and the actual meaning of which is, in astronomy: "a conjunction or opposition, especially of the moon with the sun," or, non-astronomically: "a pair of connected or corresponding things." It's that second one with which I identify most—and the definition that totally resonates with my ultimate design goals: connection and correspondence.)

There are so many wonderful things to be said about Syzygy Tile. First and foremost, Syzygy not only makes the most exquisite field tiles and decorative mosaics, etc., it is all handcrafted in Silver City, New Mexico by a team of twenty artisans. Every tile is handmade per order, offering an unending selection of decorative, field and trim pieces in over 123 hand-painted glazes. (Obviously, these are tiles for tile-ophiles like myself.) Syzygy and its tiles have been a favorite of both myself and Lois because Syzygy's tiles are made from a high-fired, red-bodied clay that is rated for Residential and Commercial installations, including pools and fountains. Even better, their tiles are also frost-proof and perfect for our New Mexico climate. I have used Syzygy tiles on pools, fireplaces and as a wainscoting in a cigar room. Every time I have used these tiles it has made a significant impact and has afforded me the exact statement I was hoping to achieve. As co-owner Josh White says, "Syzygy prides itself in the realm of highly customized projects, including those of a restorative nature; replicating significant pieces/carvings in order to preserve and renew historic installations when needed. These types of undertakings can be among the most challenging to execute, but nonetheless welcomed by the artisans themselves, as they look forward to problem solving and flexing their creative muscles."

Getting samples and getting the color I want from Syzygy has always been a dream. Always. Every time. According to Lois, "In all my years working with clients and their custom needs, Syzygy has never let me down, creating even the most intricate bespoke requests—no cookie cutter here. There is no limit to the creative genius behind Syzygy, nor to your imagination."

Now that sounds like an amazing resource for tile and a fabulous way to enliven and animate a boring kitchen or an uninspired powder room. And I CANNOT wait to use Syzygy Tile again! Thanks to Syzygy Tile and Lois for introducing this great resource to the interior design community of Santa Fe. Let the "zhuzhing" season begin!

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