'Not every piece of furniture needs to be as important,' says designer Tineke Triggs, who knows exactly what a comfortable room needs, and what you don't have to stress over

San Francisco–based interior designer Tineke Triggs has built a reputation for creating spaces that are as fearless as they are finely tuned. She is celebrated for her ability to balance bold imagination with inviting livability, whether it’s a jewel-toned living room, a ceiling mural that transforms a space, or a home layered with art and storytelling details.

Her work is deeply personal, often informed by her own experience as a visual thinker who translates a client’s personality into a space that truly reflects them, even when they can’t articulate it themselves. Known for her collaborations with artisans and her playful use of pattern, texture, and custom details, she brings a sense of rhythm and narrative to every project. In this conversation, she shares her approach to creating comfortable yet characterful homes, the importance of ceilings, and why storytelling is at the heart of her design ethos.

Your rooms feel both fearless and finely tuned—how would you describe your approach to decorating?

Each project has its own identity. I have to create a persona in my head of what the character will look like, the person who will live in the space. I am dyslexic, and sketching was something I did growing up, I found it very peaceful. I’m still someone who needs visual cues and I try to imagine who my clients are because often they don’t know who they are. There is often a person deep down, trying to get out, who can be so much more peaceful and zen than the person you meet on the surface, or so much louder and more bold. Then, once I’ve figured out my client, I’ll create something that is comfortable for them specifically, that suits their voice and how they want to live.

What does comfortable look like for you?

It needs to be not overshowy - it needs to look like not every detail has been worried about. Don’t over think design. It’s like when brides over think they’re weddings. I remember walking down the aisle and not even looking at the stupid flowers I’d spent hours planning. Don’t over-focus on the things that don’t matter.

What does matter, then?

I feel like a home’s decor is about storytelling, so what matters is what story it represents. I am not a minimalist, I like to over saturate all my planes and there is story to each piece of art on the walls. Each moment that is in my house, from the accessories to the carpets to the antiques are there because they draw you in, because they tell a story about who I am. But then not every piece of furniture needs to be as important - it can just be comfortable and look nice and doesn’t need to be a statement you’ve spent hours choosing. So, to sum up, walls are really important, accent pieces are important, pretty much everything else can just be functional.

When you say walls, I know you also mean ceilings - so many of your projects highlight them with murals. Why?

In life, we look at our phones so much - we're constantly looking down, but we should be looking up, out, wider. A ceiling is an opportunity to widen your space - I always feel that if your ceiling isn’t done then it feels like it got left out. The decorative artist Caroline Lizarraga and I did a cool ceiling wallpaper in gilded gold, and she did dripping paint down the sides of the walls. It’s that level of imagination, I love the custom element, it is so exciting.

How do you pick the pattern for the ceiling?

It depends on what comes to me. For that one, the wallpaper was really interesting. I did a ‘man cave’ recently with a bar and a table where the ceilings were low. I did a saturated gray tone in the room, and the ceiling became too much of a focus, so I did an agate that looked like is dripping down from that. My general rule is that when I do dark walls I want the ceiling to be the focus.

Do clients tend to let your imagination run wild?

Sometimes a client is very conservative, very trad, but even then I’ll push it as much as I can. I did one project where everything was blue, and I decided to up it with a feathered wallpaper on the ceiling. It was a bold statement but not over-stated. And that’s the rule for everything I do - I can’t be over-stimulated, something that comes from having ADD.

Yes, there are always moments of calm in all of your projects. How do you keep it feeling inviting rather than dramatic?

It comes back to things being liveable - I am drawn to things I feel comfortable with, so if something is comforting, it can still be bold. Think about jewel tones - they’re really rich but still really inviting because they’re colors of nature. I like metallics because I’m Leo and we like shiny things - a little sparkle is great, though too much is too much. Too opulent is hard for me.

Your spaces often unfold in layers, with custom lighting, sculptural seating, and rich textures. What’s your approach to creating a sense of rhythm and depth within a room?

II will find lots of pieces I find interesting, throw them all into the basket, and then start taking things out as I build a presentation board. If you watch me scheme then you’ll think it’s chaotic. I do 20 schemes at once, putting fabrics and wallpapers together in groups, they just grow and grow. It’s because I need everything to be visual.

How do you know when you’re done?

The key to finishing a home is not the furniture, but everything else. An unfinished home is lacking art, accessories, plants, flowers, books and blankets and pillows - all that stuff that makes a space cozy. Once that’s together, it feels finished.

See more of Tineke's work at Tineke Triggs