Today we’d like to introduce you to Martina Lipperini.
Hi Martina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in the beautiful town of Muenster in Germany. I studied languages first, but working in fashion stores at the side brought me to my first passion – I went to the College of Textile Economics in Nagold and became a fashion buyer for high-end women’s wear. I never thought that I’d live in the United States… But in 2010 I traveled down the East Coast and met this nice guy at a gallery opening of a friend here in Baltimore… While I drove from town to town on Route 1, he started emailing travel tips and we talked in the evenings, when I was hunkering down in some motel . When I arrived in Portland/Maine, he just flew in from D.C. and took me out for dinner….long story short, we fell madly in love and lived a long-distance relationship for four years, until we married in 2014. So I moved from Hamburg, Germany to our adopted new home town Baltimore, A very happy ending!
Also big step, a challenge for me – but a chance to start fresh too. I earned my degree and transitioned smoothly into my second big passion – Interior Design.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Coming from Germany, I ran into some bumps along the road – we measure in metric, here it’s inches and feet, and – even worse 2/8 of an inch….. And when I studied Interior Design, not only did I have to learn the skills, but also the terminology. So I worked in a high-end furniture store for a while. It really helped me. Not only with all the different vocabulary and my word pool, but also with the very different conversational manners here in the U.S. We’re a little more direct in my home country, fast getting to the point. I quickly gave up hope to lose my accent… people still guess it right away. Thankfully it’s not an issue, rather a thing that one remembers me for, so I take it as an advantage.
Building up a one-woman business comes with challenges in all areas – marketing, logistics, back office documentation, and simply reaching the clients. I ran into all of them, and I’m still learning to get better all the time. It’s true that you learn the most out of failure. After 5 years of full-time design business, I’m thankful for every experience, good and bad. It just makes you grow.
As you know, we’re big fans of Martina Lipperini Design. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
My European roots and the foundation in fashion are undeniably showing in my Interior Design projects. I believe the individuality that we express through fashion deserves to be displayed in our homes too.
That’s why my mission in my design is to give clients a place of comfort, style and function. I want them to wake up and be happy in their home.
I aim to create eclectic spaces with character that show my client’s personality – no matter if they’re going modern, traditional or transitional.
By collaborating with local artisans and skilled craftsmen (of which we have an amazing abundance here in Baltimore) I’ll bring my client’s vision to life with custom manufactured furniture pieces. I love to include one-of-a-kind pieces, antiques, art and vintage items in my design.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking is the best way to learn. I go to a lot of workshops and panels, and I enjoy conversations with peers in my field – other designers, architects, builders, landscapers. By attending events, I built up my network of contractors and artisans that I work with. I listen to other’s experiences and tips, and then figure out what works for me; I think it’s important to be yourself in everything you do. I find that different people have been mentors in different ways for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.martinalipperini.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martinalipperinidesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/martinalipperinidesign/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martina-lipperini-82aa2732/
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/biz_info/cXsFqhrBpObNotxnhtg3Tg
