Today we’d like to introduce you to Ruby Wendell.
Ruby, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Iowa City, Iowa with dreams of being an actress. In my small town, I was a big fish and was even written up several times in the local papers celebrating the fact that I didn’t have any type of back up plan. But after moving to LA and dealing with years of rejection after rejection, being pretty broke and wanting to have a family I decided I was done waiting tables. I wanted to make money doing something else. A dear friend named Isabelle Dahlin hired me to work at her beautiful home decor store, deKor. We started to stage houses together and I loved it. The amount of boyfriends houses I had rearranged in the past, as well as the obsession with flea markets and good deals on cool stuff, finally started to make sense. I’ve continued on working with deKor as well as do some design projects on my own. It’s become a super gratifying plan B.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think any new transition in life can be tricky. Letting go of parts of yourself that you thought were so definitive is hard… but then you realize you don’t necessarily need to let go of anything, you can just choose to try something else for a while that actually feels good and not get stuck worrying about what you thought life was going to look like.
Also, in the beginning, I was so excited and hungry to work and to be doing something new, I took on clients that weren’t the right fit. This tended to be pretty stressful. Now, not only am I better at the work, I’m more confident, efficient and I am clear with what I do and who deKor Staging is so that clients know exactly what we provide and everyone has an enjoyable experience.
Ruby J. Wendell Interiors – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Ruby J. Wendell Interiors makes shit shine. Whether it be rearranging and editing your space, sourcing a few key items to put your home up for sale or just because you don’t know what to do. I love to make what you have better. I have just started working with a few select clients on office spaces as well as a few rooms in homes.
I am the main staging point person over at deKor Interiors Staging division. deKor has three store locations and is a full-service interior and landscape design firm. Isabelle Dahlin is the founder.
It’s very important to me that our staging doesn’t look too staged. That it looks like a home in all the best ways, emotional, clean, and with just the right amount of personality. I pride myself on not being so hip that a potential buyer can’t imagine themselves in the space. It’s important to be hip and young, but also warm and attainable.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I think this is such a great question and I think about it all the time. If I were to answer with the wrong answer but the one that first comes to mind and something I struggle with… (it’s also why I don’t enjoy social media) is success is the approval of many people. This is my truthful answer but it’s a flaw I’m continually working on. I don’t want to care what other people think but it creeps in all the time. Especially in this day and age.
The real success in life for me is three things:
– Feeling good about myself,
– Being able to provide for my family and
– Enjoying what I do.
I love making people happy in their living space. It’s such a very important place to be. I also love doing that in a way that doesn’t break the bank. But of course, I want to make money so I just want to stay busy with just the right amount of time to take my boys on a summer RV trip and have some nice little things in my little home.
Contact Info:
- Address: deKor Warehouse
3005 Gilroy Street
Los Angeles, CA 90039 - Website: dekorla.com
- Phone: 310.801.0835
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: rubyjwendell.interiors
- Other: dekorla
Image Credit:
Christine Bullard (interior design photos), Kate Ryan (personal photo)
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