As a child, she would make color schemes for her room and save her crayons to admire them rather than use them. This love for colors followed Rugh over the course of her career, which eventually led to the establishment of her business, Rugh Design.
“I’ve always felt like I had a passion for color,” Rugh said. “I think because it’s in me, it was a very natural part of just starting the business with the paint colors and kind of coordinating color and things together.”
Rugh received a degree in interior design from Texas Tech University. Following that, she worked full time at Five Star Interiors, an interior design company that designs model homes. After taking some time off for the birth of her first child, Rugh realized how much she missed working and the interior design business, so she started Rugh Design in 2011.
Rugh Design is a small, family-owned online business that offers interior and exterior color consultations; living room, bedroom, kitchen, new build and a la carte e-designs; an e-book for DIYers; and paint color samples. Aside from being the only virtual paint color consultant in Leander serving local residents, Rugh Design has worked with clients in Florida, Oregon, Canada, Australia and more, Rugh said.
“I realized how hard it is for people to pick paint colors for their home,” Rugh said.
One thing that makes Rugh Design unique from other interior decorating businesses, Rugh said, is its color wheel. Rugh Design’s color wheel features unique coordinating colors to create an original color palette from the entire Sherwin-Williams paint deck, she said.
When Rugh Design first opened, it was one of the only niche paint color companies within the interior design business, Rugh said. Now, there are more paint color businesses on the market, which brings more competition.
“The market is starting to get a little crowded,” she said. “I feel like some of the voices behind the real elements of color are getting a little bit lost with people that are just hopping on the wagon.”
Rugh Design has still seen growth, especially because of its online business model during the pandemic. People were home more and wanted to paint, design and decorate, Rugh said. The business primarily being online has also helped it grow through the age of influencing, online shopping and social media.
Rugh Design recently joined the Leander Chamber of Commerce, through which Rugh hopes to get involved and give back to the community. Rugh actively supports small businesses in Leander over large chains. She wants residents to know that she cares about the community and wants to make connections with locals.
As the business grows, Rugh is open to the possibility of a brick-and-mortar location for Rugh Design, she said. But, she said there are no plans to leave the Leander community. Rugh looks forward to continuing to provide paint colors and consultations to clients virtually, blogging color reviews and home projects, and making local connections.
“I love the process of design, which is getting to know the people and incorporating in the elements to help people really make their home feel like it’s a reflection of who they are,” she said.
Rugh Design
512-529-9382
www.rughdesign.com
[email protected]
Note: This article is part of Community Impact Newspaper's annual Real Estate Edition.
