Inspiration

SECOND NATURE

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NOTES FROM ZIA

Second Nature is a material expression of the natural world, translated through our eyes into surface and structure.

Our home state of California became both muse and blueprint. We traveled across its varied landscapes to photograph the wonder ourselves, affirming what we already know: Mother Nature is the most intuitive designer—balancing contrast, variation, repetition, and restraint. We took cues from that innate intelligence in a release that embraces interconnectedness and moves across materials, in our largest launch to date.

Colors feel rooted and elemental. Patterns emerge with purpose. Tiles reflect nuance rather than uniformity.

This collection brings the logic of the outdoors inside, shaping design with both instinct and intention. When they move as one, it becomes Second Nature.

Big Sur, CA
35.9232° N, 121.4687° W

A bird flies in the cloudy sky between the tops of two large, green pine trees, one on the left and one on the right side of the image.

PATTERNS THAT FLOW

It all starts with water. Second Nature’s cement tiles draw from three liquid landscapes: Shoreline, Currents, and River. We explored the contrast of casting movement into a material that doesn’t move at all. By setting these fluid lines in cement, we're channeling calm, directional energy.

With its elongated, wavy lines that stretch and drift apart, Shoreline echoes the graceful curves of California's iconic 800-mile coastline.

River follows the steady logic of water in motion, flowing in one direction, winding as needed, always on a clear path. This design guides the eye—a steady momentum carrying us where we need to go.

Currents mimics light as it bends and reflects across the surface of water. It’s the most dimensional design of the trio, delivering depth and movement in equal measure.

Big Sur River, CA
36°16'19.2"N 121°48'39.8"W

Green marble stone on a textured brown surface

A dark wooden door stands ajar, revealing a hallway with patterned tile flooring, frosted glass windows with black frames, and a woven basket bench against the wall. Warm, soft lighting fills the space.

The Joshua tree punctuates the California desert landscape with its unmistakable silhouette. Its branches twist and turn with the sun and wind, making each tree uniquely shaped. Our handmade tiles follow the same logic—every subtle chip and ripple is celebrated. Variation isn’t a flaw; it’s the mark of craft.

Kiavah Wilderness, CA
35°39′47″N 118°01′37″W

INTELLIGENT DESIGN

Each winter, millions of monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles to land in the oyamel fir forests of central Mexico. They cluster along branches in dense constellations of orange and black. The thick oyamel canopy shelters them; in return, the monarchs animate the forest, turning trees into living pattern.

Look closely at a monarch wing and you’ll find structure beneath the softness: block-like segments, rhythmic repetition. The Souk Zellige pattern in Burnt Sugar and Amber draws from that geometry, and the colorway echoes the monarch’s iconic palette.

Cotto Allende in Oyamel closes the loop. Produced in historic San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, it anchors the story in place. Ever-so-subtle flecks of yellow peek through the olive green; like the forest canopy speckled with sunlight.

TERRAZZO: THE BEAUTY OF CHANCE

The best designs aren’t forced, they emerge naturally. What begins as random eventually finds its rhythm. When terrazzo is made, chips of stone and marble are scattered, suspended, and set. The maker controls the palette—then gravity, pour, and movement take over. No two tiles are ever identical.

Second Nature introduces terrazzo in four new variations: Nocino, Petrichor, Flagstaff, and Gaia. Petrichor (above) evokes the familiar scent left behind after rain. The tile’s subdued browns and oversized aggregates reimagine wet soil as stone.

A dark, patterned stone tile with scattered water droplets rests on soil. The tile features various shades of brown and pink in a mosaic design, and dramatic shadows partially cover its surface.

Four stacked terrazzo surfaces in earthy tones, featuring brown and green hues with contrasting stone and marble chips set in each slab, creating a textured and patterned appearance.

A pale blue eggshell, cracked in half, rests on a stack of five square blue ceramic tiles. One half of the eggshell sits on top of the stack, while the other lies in front on a light background.

POETRY / PRECISION

Strength and delicacy exist side by side, and Japanese ceramics honor that duality. They are shaped by artisans using the same principles that govern nature itself—balance, patience, and intention. Beauty is found in restraint, not excess.

THE SPICE OF LIFE

In creating the color palette for Second Nature, we looked to the sensory richness of the natural world. Colors that carry warmth, aroma, and atmosphere. Deep reds like Ancho and Sumac bring heat and intensity, while grounding greens and calming neutrals like Za’atar and Earl Grey soften the mix.

NATURE IS THE ARCHITECT

To look at Cantera is to see nature from the inside out—forged by volcanic heat and pressure, over millions of years. As rock, dust, and ash coalesce, a naturally speckled stone forms. Cantera is a surface, but also a look beneath.

In Moab Cantera, we took notes from the American Southwest, its towering sandstone walls and stacked mesas. We distilled this monumental character into every square foot.

Red Rock Canyon, CA
35°22'22.8"N 117°59'26.5"W