Jill Martini, combining her passions for interior design and the event industry, has just launched her newest business, The Cottage Conservatory—an intimate, boutique-style venue for private events and community gatherings.
Martini attended Ringling College of Art and Design, which brought her to the Sarasota area, and studied interior design and photography. After working with several interior design firms, she decided to branch out and put her skills toward opening her own business six years ago. She started her first company, The Wandering Whale, in a converted horse trailer—using her love for design to create a fleet of mobile bars.
As The Wandering Whale grew, so did Martini’s love for the event industry. “All while I was working with The Wandering Whale and growing that business, I was putting money aside to save for what I knew I wanted to be the next chapter,” says Martini. Finally, in August 2024, she was able to purchase a 1948 cottage in Downtown Sarasota, which would eventually become the new event space…