Download - TMD Inspired Home
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Twigs, bark, moss, treeroots and trunks. In the hands of John G. Martin,
artist and interior designer, humble elements like
these are transformed into stunning furnishings,
structural pieces and accessories that provide
depth, texture and a calming ambience.
Martins journey to interior design was
serendipitous. In the mid-1970s when he was in
his 20s, he worked as a buyer for womens couture
and designer fashions at Brandeis department
store in Omaha. Martin later moved to northern
California because he needed a mental, physical
and spiritual change. Unable to land his hoped-
for job as a visual merchandiser, he fell back
on his high school job as a oral designer. That
brought him into contact with David P. Turner.
Together, they established themselves asTurner
Martin Design.
We found that we had a mutual drive, creativity
and design aesthetic an abundance of talent to
reinvent the oral business, Martin says.
The duo began designing oral atmospheres out
of a warehouse long before it was chic to work in
a warehouse. From the oral business grew the
Turner Martin retail store which opened in Palo
Alto in 1988.
The store was comprised of one-of-a-kind
furniture pieces by artists from around the world,
found objects, photography by Turner and
decorative objects created by Martin. The interior
of the store was designed as if you were in a
residence, Martin says.
The colors were always earth tone
monochromatic and the mood was serene. Our
clients never knew what to expect upon their visit
to the store. One of the best comments I received
from a client was, 'I would love to see through
your eyes for one day, you have a vision unlike no
other.
Omaha native John G. Martin of Turner Martin Design
in California and Arizona shares his vision about natural
forms, odd harmonies and the beauty of the desert.
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Q: Your style is "natural yet elegant, organic yet
urbane." Did your design approach evolve over
the years?
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Q: How do you seamlessly incorporate organic
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fow to the outdoors 12 months out o the year?
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John Martin, a native
Omahan, and David P.
Turner founded Turner
Martin Design (TMD)
33 years ago in the San
Francisco Bay area. They
recently opened a studio
in Scottsdale, Ariz. Martin(above) talks with us about
his Omaha connections,
his business and one of the
hottest trends the use of
organic elements in design.
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SEE MORE MODE RN ORGANIC INSPIRATION AT WWW.TURNERMARTINDESIGN.COMONLINE
"Our clients tend to be collectors and travelers veryvisually inspired individuals. They dont want theirplace to look like everybody elses." - John G. Martin
"Natural materials bring youcloser to nature and injectan element of surprise."- John G. Martin