MEET THE MAKER: TINA FREY DESIGNS

From Finance to Functional Design

Based in San Francisco, Tina Frey (TF) Designs has quietly amassed a cult following for its sculptural ceramic and resin homewares. Distinctive in shape and feel, we love these pieces for their organic, tactile, and intentionally human quality. Never overly polished, every object holds subtle variations, carrying the unmistakable imprint of the hands that made it.

What began as a small studio practice has grown into a globally recognized design presence. In addition to residential homes, TF Designs can now be found around the world in five-star resorts, mega-yachts, and Michelin-starred restaurants, including the stunning Waldorf Astoria Maldives Itaafushi, Hôtel de Crillon, and aboard the luxury voyages of Ponant.

The TF Designs process, however, remains deliberately hands-on. Each piece begins as a simple form, rendered and refined by Frey in the studio, who draws inspiration from the idiosyncratic contours and textures of nature as well as the visual richness she absorbs through travel. Once a design is finalized, the team’s master mold-maker creates each mold by hand. Pieces are then cast – typically in resin – in small batches, before being carefully sanded and polished.

The result is what Frey calls "perfectly imperfect,” a phrase that neatly captures the very ethos of the studio.

"A perfectly imperfect object – created with heart and by hand – speaks more to me than a perfectly perfect object."

Yet behind this philosophy is a career path that didn’t begin in a studio at all. Before sculptural design became her livelihood, Tina Frey spent more than a decade in the fast-paced world of corporate finance in Silicon Valley. Still, throughout her finance years, she felt a persistent pull to heed her creative impulse – a passion that had been alive within her since childhood.

After a fortuitous departure from a startup, Frey made the radical decision to return “home to the world of creating.” Walking away from a well-established career was no small leap, but it finally allowed her to embrace the path that had been calling to her all along. “I’ve now been a working artist for longer than I was in finance," Frey shared. "And I have to pinch myself sometimes thinking about what I’ve been able to create with my company... In everything we do, we humbly strive to be a source of light and a vessel of joy, doing our small part to make the world a bit more delightful.”

The TF Jelly Collection (left) and resin Fruits Collection (right). We at fête fell in love with the Fruits Collection for how the hand-sculpted details of each piece resemble the organic imperfections of real fruit. Only difference? These centerpieces never spoil.

Even with a thriving studio and a growing team, Frey continues to seek ways to stretch her imagination and stay connected to her creative core. Always chasing new sources of insight, Frey has embraced an unconventional wellness practice: annual darkness retreats. Rooted in ancient Tibetan Buddhist tradition, these retreats are designed to cultivate deep mindfulness and self-awareness by removing sensory input entirely. For one week at a time, Frey immerses herself in complete darkness – no light, no screens, no noise – allowing her mind to settle and her creativity to flourish. She credits the practice with sharpening her focus and strengthening her “connection to both creativity and presence.”

Frey’s dedication to the practice even inspired an experimental art installation: The Meditation Orb, unveiled at Miami Art Week in December 2024. This life-sized, cavernous structure is a fully immersive space designed as a tool for self-reflection and introspection, inviting visitors to experience a moment of stillness and presence. Its smooth, calming surfaces encourage a meditative experience, while the minimalistic form reduces distractions. The orb also incorporates sound and vibration technology, featuring solfeggio frequency-infused meditation music that heightens sensory awareness and conjures feelings of love, peace, and joy.

TF Design's Meditation Pods, Miami Art Week 2024.

For most of us, a week in total darkness may feel extreme. But even small acts of mindfulness and self-care – whether it’s an hour of meditation, a dedicated journaling session, or soaking in a thermal bath (for those in NYC, we recommend AIRE Ancient Baths in Tribeca) – can foster a similar clarity and presence, creating space for new ideas to emerge.

Frey’s Meditation Orb is just one expression of her growing interest in working at a larger scale. In recent years, she has begun expanding beyond tabletop objects into more immersive, sculptural forms through a new creative initiative called “The Lab.”

Within this experimental collection, Frey explores large-scale designs, including furniture and installation-level pieces that push the boundaries of her studio’s signature aesthetic. One highlight is the Bronze Orbit collection, a small line of bronze side tables and chairs. Born directly from the stillness of her annual darkness retreats, the pieces sit somewhere between furniture and sculpture: two contemplative chairs and a low table with curving lines that trace remembered planetary orbits, now cast permanently in bronze. In contrast to Frey’s characteristically bright, luminous resin pieces, these works embrace a darker, moodier palette. The rich bronze surfaces evoke the quiet vastness of the cosmos, translating her organic design language into something more monumental and atmospheric.

TF Design's Small Bronze Table and Medium Bronze Chair, part of the Bronze Orbit Collection, unveiled at Design Miami 2025.

Unveiled at Design Miami’s 21st anniversary in 2025 and curated by Glenn Adamson, Frey’s collection appeared within the fair’s “Make. Believe.” curatorial theme – an exploration of avant-garde design honoring the imaginative visionaries pushing the boundaries of functional form.

While you might not be looking for a bronze chair at this exact moment, there are a few pieces worth having on hand for when you're hosting your next gathering. Luigi, fête's resident floral hobbyist, gravitates toward the Loopy Vase, a favorite for its versatility: it feels just as right holding a few casual stems during the week as it does anchoring a more dramatic arrangement when guests arrive.

The Handmade Cuadrado Serving Bowl Trio does the work of three dishes on a single tray to make your grazing spread look considered rather than improvised. The Pedestal Large Cake Stand is the kind of piece that makes whatever you place on it the centerpiece: for those in NYC, try a perfect wedge of Comte or Brillat-Savarin from Murray’s Cheese, or a bespoke cake for your next celebration by From Lucie. And for the finishing touch to your TF tabletop, add the Sculpt Medium Serving Utensils Set to signal you thought about every part of the table, not just what was on it.

Enjoy,

Team fête