With her latest venture, designer Tiffany Cassidy invites you to bring the signature look of her award-winning interiors into your own home. Starboard Lane is an exclusive collection of fabrics and wallcoverings that reflect the ease of island living with a sophisticated edge.
Tiffany joins us this week to discuss the design process in creating Starboard Lane.
Raymond Paul Schneider: When did you first start developing this new collection?
Tiffany Cassidy: The idea has been floating around in my mind for decades, but I didn’t seriously begin working on it until the fall of 2022. My daughter had just gone off to college, and it felt like the right moment to take on a new project. Of course, this all happened while also running a busy design firm (I’ve had my interior design firm, Lagnappe Interiors, since 2002) — because who doesn’t love raising the bar on multitasking?
RPS: What was the overall timeline from conception to final design?
TC: It took about eight months to move from concept to having designs on paper. From there, I needed to find a printer, select ground cloths, and work through strike-offs to adjust colorways. All told, it took about a year and a half to reach the point of printing actual bolts of fabric. (Patience, I quickly learned, is not just a virtue — it’s a requirement.)
RPS: What was your initial inspiration, and where did the idea come from?
TC: I’ve always been obsessed with fabric and have long dreamed of creating a line that reflects the Caribbean lifestyle. A huge source of inspiration is the nature that surrounds us — the lush greenery, vivid flowers, the sea itself — and I wanted to bring as many of the Islands’ elements together as possible. At its heart, the collection is about capturing a little slice of Caribbean escapism. We work with many homeowners who spend time in the islands because they’re looking forward to the day they can leave their 9-to-5 and live island life full-time. Through our homes — and now through this collection — we can bring a touch of that feeling into everyday life, anywhere.
RPS: Describe your overall creative and design process.
TC: For years, I’ve collected inspiration — images from travels, museum visits, beautiful flowers, interesting architecture, even scraps of vintage textiles. I also paint (though not very well!), and I’ve saved my watercolor sketches, too. Each piece resonates with me in some way.
When I finally decided it was time to turn these inspirations into a collection, I began pulling together the motifs, textures, and colors that felt most connected to a Caribbean story. To help translate those ideas into repeatable patterns, I worked closely with a designer who has a deep background in textiles. Together, we shaped my sketches, paintings, and collected images into designs, layering in color stories and experimenting until the collection felt cohesive. It was a wonderfully collaborative process — very different for me, being on the “client” side of creativity — but deeply rewarding to see my vision take shape. Once the patterns came together, I moved into developing the colorways.
RPS: Did you have a specific audience or theme in mind?
TC: Our line is unique in that it was designed in the Caribbean, with this lifestyle at its core. We’re not Hawaii, and we’re not the Bahamas — but the collection translates beautifully to any coastal location, or really anywhere someone wants an eclectic, colorful, layered home. Whether it’s on an island or not, the patterns bring that energy to life.
RPS: What methods, tools, and materials did you use to develop and prototype this design?
TC: A big part of the process was experimenting with different ground cloths — seeing how each texture, weight, and weave affected the pattern and color saturation. We created strike-offs to test colorways, scale, and print quality, making adjustments until the balance felt just right. Technology played a role as well: digital tools allowed me to refine scale and color quickly, then compare those adjustments side by side with physical samples. It was a very hands-on development, with countless test prints pinned up, studied, and reworked before we committed to final bolts.
RPS: Did you use any new techniques or technologies to conceptualize or create this product?
TC: Not especially — we stayed grounded in approaches that felt true to the collection. One influence was classic batik block printing, a method with such a rich cultural history. I was drawn to the organic, imperfect qualities of those prints, and wanted to capture that feeling while adapting it with the help of modern tools. The result is a blend of old and new — patterns that carry the spirit of tradition but are refreshed in a way that feels relevant for today’s homes.
RPS: Were there any challenges that influenced or changed the final design?
TC: One of the biggest learning curves was understanding just how many variables go into getting the printing process right. Every adjustment — whether in fabric, ink, or scale — shifted the outcome in surprising ways. While it was more intricate than I first expected, working through those details with my mill ultimately made the designs stronger and more refined. I’m especially proud that both our mill and fulfillment are located in the U.S., which allows for a closer level of collaboration and quality control. What felt like a hurdle at first became an important part of shaping the collection into what it is today.
RPS: Describe your brand’s overall DNA and ethos.
TC: At Starboard Lane, we talk about Barefoot Elegance — luxury that’s meant to be lived in. The brand grew out of the U.S. Virgin Islands, so the colors, textures, and rhythm of island life naturally shape everything we do. Our fabrics are easygoing and welcoming, designed for sandy feet, sun-kissed skin, and the relaxed pace of everyday life.
For me, it’s about blending the soul of the islands with thoughtful design, honoring craft, and telling visual stories that feel both timeless and full of energy. At the end of the day, I want our work to elevate the everyday, invite people to relax, and make home feel like their favorite place in the world.
Photography by Jeffrey Johnson.
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