Rising Stars: Meet Anton Maka of Shelby Twp

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anton Maka.

Hi Anton, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today. 
A passion for design and the arts drove me to pursue a graphic design degree, which helped me land an art director position at a national car magazine. A bi-weekly print schedule provided an excellent outlet for my creative energy allowing me to take chances and pursue a variety of design avenues since I had a new blank canvas to work with every two weeks. As satisfying as seeing my work come in from the printers, in doctor offices waiting rooms, or at a friend’s place who happened to be a subscriber, something was missing creatively. 

The void was filled with an obsession with metal fabrication and fine woodworking, first on weekends producing tables and benches that morphed into a full-time effort with the founding of Anton Maka Designs. Eventually, our work began catching the eyes of local, Michigan-based designers that reached out, paving the way to collaborations on bigger and more elaborate projects. As our portfolio of completed work grew, so did our client list thanks to word-of-mouth and the Internet. It wasn’t too long before we found ourselves working with independent designers, design firms, and customers not just throughout the United States but overseas as well. 

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?
Absolutely not. Leaving a full-time position and starting the company out of my garage was a leap of faith. In the early stages, there were days where I questioned myself. However, the drive to forge ahead to create pieces that me and my team are truly proud of is something that gets us out of bed in the morning and provides a satisfaction that’s difficult to put into words. It’s an incredible feeling getting a completed piece into its intended space and seeing a client’s reaction. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Today, Anton Maka Designs is best described as a bespoke furniture design and fabrication firm. We work closely with our clients to design and bring to life the exact pieces they need for a particular space. Everything from dimensions, wood species, stains, and metal finishes are all customized on every one of our projects. It doesn’t matter if a piece is destined for a home, office, restaurant or outdoor patio, we invest the time with our clients during the design process to ensure they get what they exactly want. When someone is looking for a piece of furniture they can’t find anywhere else, they come to us. 

In addition to our custom design services, we also pride ourselves on craftsmanship. Our fabricators at our studio workshop in Michigan draw on years of experience to bring each piece from rendering to reality. The resulting tailor-made product will not only look the part but will be built to last generations. 

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The custom furniture industry will likely continue down the same path as it is now. As more people spend more time at home with the increase of work-from-home positions or simply want their furniture to fit their style to a T, there will be more people searching high and low for the perfect pieces to make their house their home. Finding furniture that checks all the boxes of size, color, and design can be difficult if limited to mass-produced furniture options, which is where outfits like ours come in and fill specific needs. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://antonmakadesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antonmakadesigns/

Image Credits
Josh Scott