At the age of five, the Martinez family relocated from Washington D.C. to his mother’s native Iran. Martinez considers the 12 years he spent in Iran as a unique indoctrination into the world of handcrafted art forms. As a boy he studied the market artisans: the glassblower and metal workers, and became fascinated by how they created their wares.

Iran’s colorful cultural backdrops, gardens and architecture also inspired him.

“[Iran] was very modern. It was like living in a very cosmopolitan American city – it was very fast-growing and beautiful,” says Martinez. It was within this vibrant Persian world that Martinez’ penchant for the artistic began to grow and thrive.

At the age of 17, the Iranian Revolution forced Martinez’ family to seek refuge back in the U.S. traveling to New Mexico where his father’s family lived. He attended college there, and earned a degree in architecture. Eager for new experiences he moved to Miami, Florida for a short time after graduation. There, he earned a living creating unique furniture pieces.

He soon took his passion for handcrafting to New York City where he learned metal welding and jewelry making. The combination of all these experiences and skills led Martinez to his ultimate profession, decorative hardware design.

From metals, crystals and wood, Martinez’ now creates one-of-a-kind hardware pieces, drapery hardware, drawer pulls and finials. His work has been recognized and sought after by various industry professionals, architects and interior designers. His decorative, yet functional creations have appeared on the pages of several home-related publications and in the homes of some famous clients.

Martinez hand-makes and finishes each piece in his hardware boutique/workshop located at 83 Canal Street in Lower Manhattan. Call for store hours and to set up your personal appointment, 212.941.8142.

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