Meet Maja and Toby, Founder of Artemis Deco, London

What’s your name?

Maja and Toby Gliszczynski-Findlay

Where are you from?

London

Where do you live?  

Balham, South London

One thing people might not know about you?

We are both born and bred Londoners but with no English heritage. 

How did you start your brand?

The inspiration for starting Artemis Deco came straight out of Maja’s parents’ kitchen which is full of beautiful ceramics that they have collected from their travels over the years. You just could not find high quality, traditional and handmade products quite like that in the UK, and so it instantly became our obsession to source and design these unique pieces and bring them home for everyone to enjoy!

How is it working as a duo?

As a married couple, thankfully it works really well! We both know our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to running the business and strangely actually, there isn’t much overlap which makes dividing roles really easy. Having said that, we ultimately make all business decisions together and are very aligned on our vision for the brand and product. 

Is there one iconic item you want to tell us more about from your collection?
The Sicily Azzurro Oil Dispenser. This piece has always been one of our best sellers but is also from our first ever collection which we designed in Sicily with two of our ceramicists - husband and wife duo, Tiziana and Francesco. We will never forget the moment that we first met them in the beautiful hilltop town of Caltagirone, and it was at that moment when Artemis Deco truly began. We had driven across the island in search of the perfect first collection, armed only with distant memory of Italy lessons at school over 10 years ago. It was this sense of discovery and adventure that has fuelled our passion across all of our collections, but you never forget your first. The Sicily collection will always hold such a place in our hearts. 

Is there an object you haven't been able to bring back from your holiday that you still regret?
All the beautiful antique wooden furniture in Bali. In particular, there were two very old wooden doors  but sadly there was no real possibility of incorporating them into a little London home. Maybe one day...

What is your best tip for decorating your table?

Lots of people give all their attention to the main table setting and actually forget a bit about when this is all cleared away for dessert. For us, sweet treats and coffees offer a great opportunity to bring out some of your more playful tableware. We love bringing out our extra cute and colourful Vacanza espresso mugs to lift our guests from their post-meal slumber and to keep the energy going.