Martina is a licensed interior designer and an events stylist.
On what she does: I knew as far back as grade 7. I was super decisive in terms of what I wanted, in terms of life careers. People would ask, “What do you want to be?” For the longest time, my answer was “fashion designer!” Then I got asked to draw a person and I was like, “Ay. (laughs) Houses na lang.”
You know you've made a good decision when everything aligns. All of a sudden, I found myself going to Manila FAME, looking through furniture stores and I knew then that this was what I really wanted to be.
Starting last year, I decided to visit Design Week around the world. I went to Hong Kong in 2014, Singapore this year, and Japan in the future. I love trend talks. I love the pop-up art shops. During these events, styling is taken as a profession. Booths are put up not to sell, not to make money—they’re there just for the art. I look forward to things like that that you normally don’t see here.
I’m personally invested in all my projects. If money weren’t an issue, I would do everything for free just because I love what I do. I want to make things happen for my clients! I get very excited in meetings.
I believe you work to have free time. You work to have adventure.
I always end the week with my family. Sundays are jampacked from 9 AM to 6 PM—all family, all the way. When I have work on Sundays, I feel guilty for the rest of the week. I feel off-centered.
On her home office: Before I fixed this room up, it was full of stuff from both my sisters. I asked my mom if I could use the room—it has a bathroom and all this light. It just needed a good cleaning because the walls were dusty, and the floor wasn’t waxed. My yaya and I did everything. When I moved in, I had a table, I had WiFi, and I thought, “Maybe I could work here.”
My planner has everything—down to the minutes of what I have to do that day. I also can’t live without my cell phone, but it’s just there to remind me to check my planner. I’m too OC! I get a planner every year and every page is full to the brim. I have a checklist for every single day.
On RF: Breathe is my favorite. I was so insistent on getting the snakeskin but my sister told me to get the silver one instead because I could wear it everyday and not be sick of it. I have not regretted my purchase!
People ask me where my shoes are from especially when they find it too hot to wear sneakers. I practically live in these shoes—they go with everything. I don’t like the rainy season because it means I can’t wear my sandals!