Designer Crush: Tammy Price of Fragments Identity
Author:Michelle Konstantinovsky1. What inspired your love of design and how did you get your start in the business?
My love of design has honestly always been within and happened to present itself after high school when I went to design school to further my inspiration for interiors. Upon graduating design school in my hometown of Denver, Colorado, I moved to Las Vegas during the late ’80s to follow the booming hotel hospitality industry. At that time, there was not a huge market for products and when I began to design interiors, I would always design special products to fit the space because I could never find exactly what I was looking for. I would take my designs and have them made to fit the space perfectly. I always felt that the details were what pulled the space together and when you could provide details for clients that weren’t available, it gave them a very unique interior and opportunity — and that’s what Fragments Identity became known for.
After two years in the hospitality industry designing for top hotels in Las Vegas, I returned to my roots in Denver with my husband to start a family. We opened our showroom at the Denver Design Center with our first ever launch of Fragments Identity products, where we then also continued to offer interior design services for commercial, residential and retail, including, restaurants, models homes and country clubs. We then started to become a “designer to designers” from our showroom where other interior designers in the industry would come to us to design product for their projects. Over the years, we continued to design products for ourselves and other brands, and ultimately made the transition to relocate to California 10 years ago. It was then that we continued our aesthetic while building our West Coast brand. Now, we continue to do interior design projects, celebrity makeovers with One Kings Lane, and design and develop our own collections in-house, and produce them all in California, USA. Next up is our Edit Collection full of neutrals, tonal pieces, and texture, and our Fragments Identity collection for S. Harris to-the-trade.
2. Why the decision to combine home decor and product development under one brand?
It’s truly a natural fit. Every design project we do, 90% of it is our own product and then we go in and add other brands that fit the Fragments Identity aesthetic. When our clients hire us to do their design projects, they are also looking for the Fragments Identity brand look and feel.
3. Why the name, “Fragments Identity”?
During our first decade as a brand, our name was simply, “Fragments” which was an expression of the combination of different styes — a little bit of this, a little bit of that. When designing for other brands, we offered a lot of diverseness. Once we moved to California, “Identity” was added to our name because we did so much product under private label for other designers, and it’s when we moved to the West Coast that we wanted to focus on our brand and its true identity. Fragments Identity has really become known for its own aesthetic that resonates with who we have always been since the very beginning.
4. Why is it important to you to feature one-of-a-kind pieces in-house?
Those one-of-a-kind pieces that you offer in one place can really make all the difference to your brand and its clientele. Offering pieces that no one else has, is the best way to keep original. Quality and product fabrication of the highest level is just as important to our brand as the design is. In order to stand out in a saturated market, we are committed to providing impeccable goods of the highest quality. Not only do we design in-house, but we also control and oversee all manufacturing from the beginning selection process of the textiles and furniture frames to the last tissue paper fold in the customer’s packed order.
5. How do you define “California Cool”?
Light, airy, clean, crisp, and effortless.
6. You’ve designed the homes of some well known stars over the years — can you tell us about any special celebrity projects?
I had a great time working with fashion designer, Erin Fetherston when she relocated from the East Coast to the West Coast. I initially met her through a makeover for One Kings Lane and then I started designing other areas of her home and that’s what sparked our design collection for Erin Fetherston. Erin’s fashion sense and our design aesthetic created the perfect marriage of natural and light interiors and it was a wonderful experience creating and designing for her home.
7. What are your favorite design trends and which ones do you hope to never see again?
Trends aren’t really my thing, as I like to stick with our core aesthetic and stay true to our brand, but I do love seeing how diverse the design community is. There isn’t a trend that I hope to never see again, because I think everyone has their own style and their own way, and it’s truly amazing to see that there are so many talented and unique designers out there – there is always something for somebody!
8. Describe your dream vacation.
I’ve always wanted to visit Greece with my family! The palette, the lifestyle, the simplicity – oh my goodness, I could go on and on! Hopefully someday soon 🙂
Lightning round!
9. Plain or peanut M&Ms?
Peanut, please!
10. Summer sun or sweater weather?
A mix of both — I LOVE the change in seasons!
11. Coffee: hot or iced?
Hot and multiple cups. 😉
12. Social butterfly or domestic diva?
Straight up, domestic — definitely no diva, though!
13. Real news or Real Housewives?
Neither, but give me a football or baseball game, and I’m in!
