Martinek Bébé

European antiques inspire nursery furniture, bedding

by Gerri Hunt -- Kids Today, 11/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

Who: Pat Martinek, founder and owner, Martinek BéBé

Background: Martinek spent several years in Europe, as a buyer for a huge well-known U.S. antiques dealer. She traveled extensively throughout France, Monaco, Austria and Italy. Later, she took over the Miami Beach, Fla., business and sold it, but then realized she had a lot inventory left over from estate auctions. She bought an established Dallas retail store, Rugs, Rugs, and renamed it Rugs, Rugs, Antiques, Antiques. The store was 7,500 square feet, and she ran it for 17 years.

She began designing furniture when clients asked that antique armoires be converted into TV cabinets. One day, a man from Mexico stopped by and sold her some Southwestern-style trunks he made.

“He asked me if there was anything else he could make for me, and I told him armoires,” Martinek said. “I grabbed my camera and we went to the design district and took a lot of pictures.” She made drawings and modified them, and he started building the furniture. “And I started designing up a storm. Back then, I could get $5,000 to $7,500 for a custom armoire. Now, I’m lucky if I get $1,500.”

The process: “I have the ability of a designer’s eye,” Martinek said. She remembers things she saw in Europe, and scours through books and magazines. She picks elements she likes from different furniture she sees, and designs custom pieces. “They’re combinations — I never duplicate. I make changes, and can take off a flower or add more when I’m working with a client, especially designers.”

She started to exclusively design baby furniture and bedding, forming the company Martinek BéBé. Then she began designing store fixtures, producing and marketing them through a second company, 1StoreFixtures.com.

Her products, which she said “can really get high-end, especially with expensive fabrics,” are sold mostly in small independent retail stores, although her customer list does include e-tailer PoshTots.com, ABC Carpet in New York and the now-bankrupt Fortunoff. “Mostly the ones who carry it and do well are the independent boutiques with a small baby department.”

Martinek’s favorite design is one of her first — her Bow Bed. “I love it, with its ribbons and bows. I like designing things that are timeless. I’ve also got a crib that has a bow headboard and footboard, but the bow is petite.”

Martinek BéBé’s round cribs become the focal point in many baby boutiques.

Martinek said her round crib is unique, and gives stores the “wow factor” they need that will keep customers coming back. “Retailers have told me that sales have improved in their baby department because of the round crib,” she said. And the elegant store fixtures give stores an upscale look.

Her latest venture is Pat Martinek’s Baby and Children’s NY Pavilion, in Suite 820 at 7W in New York City. It showcases home, nursery and customized products with a French country and English design aesthetic, with several other companies invited to exhibit with her.

She travels one or two times per month to tradeshows, and said the High Point Market is one of her busiest. “I see a lot of high-end designers, and get a lot of international sales there, especially in my high-end looking bedding.”

Martinek’s bedding stops people in their tracks — although she admits that she doesn’t know much about the category. “Nobody knew who I was. I just decided to give my bedding all the bells and whistles. I have more full skirts, more fabric and bows,” she said. “I put a cummerbund around the sheet so you wouldn’t see just a cotton sheet, and it makes it look high-end. It’s kind of grand to pull it together.”

She also designs pillows, like the ones hand-painted with big bows. “I’m working on a design right now that’s hot pink with squigglies. I’m thinking about doing it ivory on ivory too.”

But it hasn’t always been so traditional for Martinek. “I’ve done the funky — the zebra and leopard prints. They’re fun to do, but mostly I do sophisticated and elegant. That’s what my customers want.”