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Introducing Domino’s new podcast, Design Time, where we explore spaces with meaning. Each week, join editor-in-chief Jessica Romm Perez along with talented creatives and designers from our community to explore how to create a home that tells your story. Listen now and subscribe for new episodes every Thursday.

Everything Justina Blakeney touches turns to boho. Whether you know the multi-hyphenate from her beloved blog-turned-brand, Jungalow; her best-selling interiors book The New Bohemians; her original art; or her dozens of collaborations with big-name companies (everything from Band-Aids to kids’ lines), her saturated, plant-loving free spirit reaches far and wide. 

These days, life is busier than ever for Blakeney, with a new book in the works (set to be published in the spring of 2021), designing exclusive products (indoor planters, anyone?), and finding the time for tiny jolts of creativity. “In these times, I’m allowing myself to indulge in moments of inspiration,” Blakeney tells Domino editor-in-chief Jessica Romm Perez in this week’s episode of Design Time. “I think that that’s just a very important part of me being able to stay creative, because I don’t always feel creative. But if I’m doing something else and all of a sudden I have an idea for a painting, I allow myself to stop what I’m doing and dig into that and allow myself to follow that inspiration.”

Tune in to today’s episode on Spotify and Apple Podcast to allow yourself to feel similarly inspired by Blakeney, from her dreamy outdoor shower setup to her nature-driven creative exercise #FaceTheFoliage to the 10 things she’s loving right now (Solange, Donald Glover, and a terracotta-and-teal color combo, to name a few). Throughout the episode, Blakeney gushes about her love of tile and shares advice on how to best utilize the material in your space. Here’s a sneak peek at her tips. 

Let It Transport You 

“My kitchen here at home has a teal zellige tile. The first time I ever saw zellige was in Morocco, and I was like, I don’t know why I’ve never seen tile like this in the States. This is the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. It reminds me of watching the sun dance on the top of the sea. It glistens. It’s got so much movement. It’s so dynamic. It makes colors come alive.” 

Courtesy of Justina Blakeney

Lean In to Imperfections 

“My kitchen tile has a bit of an irregular texture. The human hand is something that makes design feel special. People get so worried about tile not being perfect, but it doesn’t have to be uniform and I live for that kind of imperfection.”

Groove With Grout 

“Grout is so important when you’re doing a tile installation. Knowing the different colors that you’re working with and the width of the different lines is really important, because the grout is what creates your pattern contrast. The magic is in the contrast between something that feels so earthy (terracotta grout) and something that feels so heavenly (glossy blue tile).”

Courtesy of Justina Blakeney

Play With Pattern 

“I’m a lover of color, pattern, and texture, and you just get all that with tile. It’s so fun to make a big tile statement because you’re inherently creating a pattern, a tessellating pattern with the different tiles themselves.”

Get Creative 

“I drew an egret on the corner of the tile so that the birds look like they’re soaring across the bar. I love the idea of using tile as a canvas and having a highly decorative moment, but also the irregularity of it, so that we have these egret tiles just sprinkled in there. I love those kinds of experiments with tile where you’re doing something that feels very different and special.”
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Find Your Favorite 

“I love hexagon tile. I love how it tessellates. It’s such a perfect shape, but it also creates a lot of visual interest.”