Life & Work with Justin Orton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Orton.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I moved to Nashville to play music, kind of a familiar story. I worked as a touring drummer for about 10 years but eventually became disillusioned with traveling all the time and wasn’t really enjoying music as a profession—it had become more of a performance and less of my own creative expression.

Between tours, I worked a few side jobs to help make ends meet, usually some sort of construction or carpentry work. This eventually led to an interest in architecture and design, so I decided to switch gears and pursue a new career at age 31. I enrolled at Watkins College of Art and Design where I found a great design education and was able to delve into fine art classes too, which I loved. I have always learned best by experience, so I approached my new career path as an opportunity to dive deep and soak up as much as I could. What I learned in my classes was just the starting point. I would spend my evenings researching ideas and methods and honing my skills— studying Japanese design concepts, creating sculptures, experimenting with furniture design.

This was such an inspiring time and looking back I can see that all my exploration really set the tone for how I would approach my design career. When I finished school, I spent the next several years at commercial design firms to gain experience, eventually transitioning from a drafting designer to a design project manager. I was learning a lot about working as a designer but still felt that restless draw to put my own creative stamp on something. At the time, Nashville was starting to burst with new development and opportunity, and I wanted to be part of the creative culture here.

I remembered my early days in design that were fueled by curiosity and risk. Several close friends encouraged me to just go for it and pursue my vision for a different kind of design firm. In early 2016, I started Of Origin Design Studios. Of Origin centers around the very things, many of us have come to value: authenticity and good craftsmanship, comfortable, well-thought-out spaces where we want to spend our time, quality materials that are beautiful and functional with unexpected details that spark conversation.

Our firm is about honoring the architecture and history of a building, where timeworn character meets modern functionality. We focus on raw materials like leather, wood, steel, and concrete overlapped in memorable ways to transform a space and inject personality.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The first year of owning the firm was really challenging. There was such a huge learning curve. I knew how to design, but running a small business- the bookkeeping, the marketing, all the day-to-day aspects you don’t think about when you’re working as an employee were a lot to juggle by myself. I definitely gained whole new respect for the people I was fortunate to learn under.

After about a year of working tirelessly, I finally had some footing and was able to hire a small team. Since day one, I’ve envisioned a firm with a strong internal culture of growth and creativity, in addition to providing exceptional designs for our clients. I’ve tried to foster an environment where our team feels inspired and supported, where we have opportunities to discover new perspectives, and to examine our creative lives both in and out of the office. We’re all still students in many ways.

Of course, there has been tension at times, as we’ve been building the business together while also all shedding certain ideas and habits that have held us back. But I’ve found that without tension there is rarely growth. I strongly believe in a collaborative design environment, so while I typically set the initial vision for the projects, our team has worked together for so long that at this point, we have a healthy push and pull. My hope is that everyone, including our interns, feels that they have a voice and can freely share ideas. I believe a good idea is a good idea regardless of who is putting it out there, and when we work collaboratively, the end result is always better.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Along with growing Of Origin, I have also delved back into my personal artwork. Creating art, that need for self-expression has been a drive since I was a kid. Growing up, I was inspired by fringe or subculture movements: punk rock, skateboarding, motorcycles, tattoo art, etc. There is an element of ingenuity and DIY resourcefulness to those movements and in some ways, a healthy disrespect for the societal norm, that has always appealed to me.

In juxtaposition to the raw edginess of those influences, I also appreciate the intentionality within Japanese culture with its emphasis on not only expression but also a dedication to the details and artistry within a craft. The combination of these interests has definitely influenced my design perspective and our brand. I don’t want us to approach things like every other firm in town- otherwise, how would we produce anything different? We have more of an edgy-luxe design aesthetic, and thankfully most of our clients are open to being pushed outside of their comfort zones somewhat.

Over the years, we have developed a layered design process that we use on every project. Each step of the process builds upon the previous step, with client feedback along the way. Again, it’s the spirit of collaboration that leads to a design that is personal and effective. Obviously, we bring our expertise and vision as designers to the table, but we feel it’s important to learn about our clients- their lifestyles and preferences, what inspires them, how they want their spaces to feel when they walk through the door.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Of Origin Design Studios provides interior design services, both residential and commercial, as well as a showroom for curated, and handcrafted furnishings, artwork, and home accents. Our studio and showroom is located in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, at 438 Houston Street, Suite 255.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.oforigin.net
• Instagram: @oforigindesign
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oforigin/

Image Credits
Of Origin Design Studios taken by Garett Buell. Artwork by Justin Orton. Personal photo by Allen Clark