The Insider: Alice Tacheny
Owner/Designer, Alice Tacheny Design
If Alice Tacheny is inspired by things falling apart, the sculptural and functional furniture she creates in her Northern California studio evokes just the opposite. The designer, whose career has been cemented in woodworking, recently expanded her portfolio to include such materials as concrete, leather, copper and brass, seen in multiple new hardware collections released last year with more in the works. “The dominant theme has been a focus on simple forms articulated through different materials in unexpected ways,” she says. The Midwesterner-turned-Bay-Area resident shares her perspective on all things design in the region.
What’s exciting you in the area right now? The way Oakland is changing is encouraging in terms of the food, music and art scenes. It’s diverse, both culturally and economically, and feels genuine. Being a Midwesterner, I find it more relatable.
Go-to shops? Temescal Alley is one of my favorite places to visit in Oakland. Esqueleto is probably one of the best curated shops in the Bay Area. Marin has a little catching up to do with San Francisco and Oakland (sorry Marin!) but there are still some great places popping up. I like the Marin Country Mart in Larkspur. There, you can check out Erica Tanov, Farmshop and Diesel bookstore, among others.
Favorite places to explore? I have a soft spot for crumbling buildings–I tend to be most inspired by things that are falling apart. I love Jack London State Historic Park and roaming through the ruins of the Wolf House–London’s dream mansion, which was under construction but abandoned after a fire started. Another interesting building is the Marin County Civic Center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It mixes institutional functionality and high-minded modernism.
