Martina Thomas
Interior and Furniture Designer
Arty – crafty since I was a little child, making anything out of anything and really enjoyed my time at the art club with fantastic teacher taking us through many fascinating techniques with various materials until I went to University. I also very early on discovered my grandpa’s workshop, who was a well-known local carpenter in his village, making anything from small items to massive gates and I absolutely loved hanging around his workshop and making random objects and jewellery from the off cuts until I was promoted to help out with a coat of paint or sanding down. Grandpa also taught me about wood and joints he used and other wood based materials, which I really appreciated later on when I went on to University to study Industrial Design of Furniture.
I studied at the Faculty of Wooden Technology in Slovakia, which focused on wood, technology, its use and combination with other materials in interior and furniture making. We also had an opportunity to work in the University workshop working directly with materials and using the techniques we learnt about. And graduated with our very own real piece of furniture. In my case an upholstered furniture, a chair manufactured in well- known furniture factory DSM.
After University I spent some time assisting family architects getting some first-hand experience. I then worked for a short time as a kitchen designer for DOMOSS kitchens before moving to Australia, Sydney, where I did a post graduate course in Design at the UTS. During the breaks I worked in furniture shops including Rolf Benz and Milano Furniture and a bed and mattress specialist store Sleep City, where I gained great training and experience in the field.
After almost two years down under my path led me to the UK, where after having my daughter I worked as an interior adviser in a furniture shop Maskreys in Wales. We then moved to London where I worked as a designer in a fully bespoke furniture company specialising in kitchens and cabinetry Bespoke Harrow. I had freedom to design and anything was possible. I had a chance to work on some high end projects. My final move was to Moben kitchens, where I gained valuable experience. Following a career break to have a family I established MJ Design.