It has to be bold, it has to be green.These are two design rules for Liden, an eco-friendly tile brand founded in Mira Mesa by stepsisters Hilary Gibbs and George Smith.
The duo have blended their eye for fun, eclectic design with a passion for sustainability to produce cool, stylish decorative tiles made from upcycled materials that have been used in Jasmine Roth (HGTV), LL Design and Michelle Boudreau used two Livden patterns for the first time during Modernism Week 2020, shortly before the brand's launch.
Since then, Gibbs and Smith have identified several key niche differentiators.For an industry riddled with delays, Livden has a strong focus on simplicity, offering fast turnaround times (8-10 days, plus shipping).Customization is key: The company's color matching service aligns its tiles with paint swatches, which is critical for a combination of sustainable materials and mainstream colors.
These steps, big and small, are how the sisters carve out their own corners in the design world.You don't have to choose between innovative design and thoughtful eco-manufacturing - you can have both."We saw the importance of nurturing community with others who share our passion for design and sustainability," said Gibbs.
Gibbs and Smith discovered the need five years ago while working for the family business StoneImpressions.Smith, who is in charge of sales and marketing for the stone printing company, witnessed a limited selection of tiles with ecological credentials."There aren't a lot of decorative, highly focused sustainable options," she said."A lot of it is black and white, black and white, grey and a bit dated."
Gibbs, whose background in painting and design drives the creative side of the business, is fed up with the echo chambers of mainstream tile design.Plus: social marketplaces like Pinterest can quickly change industry trends."I started noticing that many projects were reusing the same patterns, and I started thinking about how I could make something completely unique," she said.Today, after more than 20 series, the creative process begins the same way – with a piece of paper and a pen.Gibbs and Smith have used desert resorts like Joshua Tree and Palm Springs as inspiration for their latest collection, Painted Sands.There are some nods to traditional Spanish tile, some modern geometric shapes, soft earth tones - it's fluid, fresh, Californian without feeling cliché.
"We see the importance of nurturing community with others who share our passion for design and sustainability"
Once the design was locked in, the next step was to find materials and partners to make it happen - something the duo admitted still had some difficulties with."There aren't many resources out there on sustainable materials," Smith said, "and it required a lot of research -- especially when we were just starting out." You really have to dig deep to find something that's really committed to sustainability and not just Is a green enterprise and manufacturer."
Livden's tiles are typically made from natural and environmentally friendly porcelain; and terrazzo, which is made from 65-66% recycled glass, granite or quartz bonded with cement or epoxy.All tiles are sourced from US-only suppliers (some may even qualify for LEED points for customers interested in the certification).The rest of the production - art making, printmaking and final tile assembly - takes place at their Mira Mesa headquarters.
Going forward, Gibbs and Smith are focusing more on expanding the selection of tile bodies, finding more upcycled materials to work with, and leading the way in fashionable sustainability.
"This shift is definitely happening," Gibbs said."It's amazing how seriously manufacturers have taken sustainability so seriously even in the last five years. It's a movement we're really excited to be a part of and hope to see it continue to catch on like wildfire."
Our favorite designer: Kelly Wearstler - She's very unique and doesn't stick to any design trends.Instead, she created her own.
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