Baja Beauty

Author:Lindsey Shook

Tineke Triggs dreams up a relaxing retreat for two families

For interior designer Tineke Triggs, a yearlong project in Maravilla—a private community in Mexico, situated between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas—proved an exercise in harmoniously bridging disparate elements. First, of course, there were the clients: two couples with five kids total, each family with its own aesthetic (contemporary and traditional). And then there were the cultural influences: Triggs—whose firm, Artistic Designs for Living, is based in San Francisco—aimed to bring together furnishings and finishes that reflected the clients’ home state of California as well as the locale of their vacation home, yet were free of any tired decor tropes. “We were really going for: How do we make this a modern home?” she says. “How do we make this feel like it’s on the Baja Peninsula, with a connection to the culture, without being over-the-top?”

Two of the 2,800-square-foot dwelling’s bedrooms were envisioned as master suites, and the other two were considered kids’ quarters, with multiple beds. In case both families are in residence at the same time, there’s plenty of areas to lounge, inside and out. Natural materials like concrete, leather, bronze and wood provide a visual through line.

Triggs strategically enlivened the spaces with eye- catching touches. In the kitchen, the island commands attention with graphic black-and-white tiles from Clé in Marin County; Mexican walnut cabinetry helps ensure the room exudes warmth. In the bunk room, the patterned wallcovering from St. Frank contrasts the crisp, clean-lined, white built-in beds.

Triggs punched up an otherwise muted living room scheme with pillows in prismatic prints from the likes of Schuyler Samperton, Pierre Frey and Manuel Canovas. “They wanted less color initially and I kept pushing for more vibrant splashes. They told me, ‘No, no, we want it calmer, calmer,’” recalls the designer. “But as we started getting closer [to finishing], they were like, ‘You’re right! We need to bring in the color!’ It’s all in the accessories, so if they get tired of it, it’s not as risky.”

Since the property overlooks the Pacific, azure factored heavily into Trigg’s palette. “You’re sitting on the oceanfront, you automatically get drawn to that color because it’s something that you’re seeing outside,” she explains. “Anytime I’m doing an indoor-outdoor house, where you’re connected to nature, I always want to bring that in.” The connection is further enhanced by glass doors that retract to nullify the boundaries with the interiors. Conscious of the fact that “people are coming in and out, sitting around in wet bathing suits,” Triggs relied on durable outdoor fabrics; for instance, for the kitchen and living room seating.

While Triggs imported a number of items—one of the most challenging aspects of the project—she also tapped talented makers in Mexico and sought to highlight craftsmanship indigenous to the country. She collaborated with Guadalajara’s RUK Studio on custom pieces such as the master bedroom’s dresser, the living room’s media console and the bunk room’s poufs. In the latter, exuberant multihued tenangos, which feature an embroidery style originated by artisans of the Otomí community in central Mexico, serve as bedspreads.

“The outcome feels like an amazing getaway,” says Triggs. “It’s really about comfort—making sure the clients have gathering spaces and also pockets so they can escape; there’s a quiet nook outside each bedroom.” And thanks to her carefully curated design, every inch conveys a sense of place. “They wanted to feel like they were coming to Mexico,” she adds, “not just another second home.”