In an age of ‘fast fashion’, TIINA the Store celebrates the makers and their products. The curation searches for creators and their wares that have stories in themselves. It is this combination of contemporary design, coupled with crafted objects, selected for their ability to age beautifully over time and with use – not as precious ‘objets’ that the renovation and expansion sought to express.

The original TIINA the Store was located in an historic structure dating from the mid 1800’s as well as a series of ad hoc small additions to the rear of the building and a detached garage. The spaces were disjointed and inefficient to manage.

The design solution began by removing everything from both the main structure as well as the site that was not part of the original building. Inspired by Thomas Hubka’s Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn book, a two-story barn was built as an extension of the retail space. The interior volume would not only house retail, but would better serve the store’s program of ‘Maker Visits’ where designers and Tiina collaborate on installations that allow visitors to experience the products in a more personal way. A modest, two-bedroom apartment was built on the second floor of the existing structure to house these visiting artisans.

The foundation below the ‘barn’ was excavated at a greater depth than that under the original structure to allow for a clean, comfortable storage and shipping component to function.

Display cases were designed by Faye Toogood and manufactured in Brooklyn complete the theme of quiet craft.