Meet Rhett Baruch: Vintage & Contemporary Design Dealer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rhett Baruch and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rhett, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
I like this question as it is something I don’t often ask myself, it’s very difficult to see past what’s in front of me at times. I believe the current framework of my business model and the way it ties into my personal life, serves as a really good case study for where the long term goals lie. My goals for today are core values, wake up and enjoy each day to the fullest. Often easier said than done, I find the most fulfilment out of connectivity with other humans, nature and the objects and ideas that can be created by combining the two. To me this is how I seek the law of human nature, in self interest of wanting to be wanted. The desire of being valued by others in some capacity for something you have to offer and your contribution to our existence as a whole. How authentically interesting and helpful can I be to my friends, peers and audience, but doing so selflessly, still with a me first approach? What uniqueness can I offer in a seemingly saturated world and also escape “imposter syndrome”? I’d like to think of that as a driving force for reaching this goal, as an inventor finds a solution to a problem.Those goals were initially met by putting myself out there, via the internet and in person, I found “success” by simply attempting to convey my message. Starting a conversation with someone I thought to be like minded who exists in the same room or network. By taking a curation of found objects and making a scene or vignette and posting it on Instagram. By showing up to an art gallery opening and more recently Design Miami and Frieze. Using these skills to find a place for myself in the realm of creativity, art and design. It helped me to find my relevance within it all and led to the discovery of what the ideal end goal could look like. That doesn’t differ too much from what it is now, those same baseline ideas of connecting with artists I enjoy spending my time with and ultimately finding a client that wants to live with someone else’s vision or creation. True end goal, having furthered an established reputation as a contemporary design dealer who shows at major fairs and someone who is tapped to consult on bigger creative projects. Residential interior decorating, commercial and retail endeavours, editorial styling and curation. Additionally, doing this and having the opportunity to see the world simultaneously. I would die a happy man.

What should our readers know about your business?
As previously mentioned, this all started 5 years ago when I moved to Los Angeles from Phoenix, Arizona. In some capacity I knew I wanted to exist in the design realm, it just wasn’t exactly the path I imagined, which is often the case, expectations versus reality. Interior design was the original pursuit, but without a degree or any formal experience, my countless cold emails to local firms fell on deaf ears. I’ve said it before and it’s the only way I can think of putting it still, becoming a dealer was based out of survival. No matter what, I couldn’t return to my previous life of technical support and web hosting. Call it pride, call it ego, I had to carve a path into the creative world, at all costs. I spent every dime I had come to LA with before it really clicked and took off. I don’t know how to explain it, I feel very blessed that it worked out. Nothing about it was easy, especially psychologically. Within the rapidly evolving digital sphere, my exposure to international design and blue chip art fairs, it could all be really defeating at times. Additionally, I knew obtaining a showroom was out of reach, I also knew my apartment served as an attractive and suitable platform to invite clients to. So, what started as a rotating experiment once only suited for Instagram, is now a destination for collectors, dealers and designers. It’s a living showroom gallery, even the remodeled kitchen has objects, art and photographs strewn about. The apartment, my experiences and exploration of this neighborhood have served as the pillar of my education into what you’re seeing now. I expect there will be a perpetual evolution of what this brand is and represents.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
What I found most satisfying about being in the district of Little Bangladesh, is the walkability. There are endless iconic destinations in LA, but the best warm up I offer is a stroll in nearly any direction of the neighborhood. There isn’t a type of cuisine I can think of that’s not available somewhere within 20 minutes on foot. Every color, texture, medium and architectural idea is conveyed within that time and I feel it’s really good for the soul and appetite. As for coffee and tea, I love Alchemist Coffee Project and Go Get Em Tiger. I’ve got to shout out my boy Kareem at Biryani Kabob House on 3rd street and New Hampshire, California donuts is across the street. Cassell’s at the Normandie Hotel and Michin Dak have incredible fried chicken sandwiches. If you get tacos, make sure they’re being made off the sidewalk and offer colorful plastic stools, bring cash.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This may be generic to say, but most of my success comes from the people that believed in the wavering vision I’ve laid out for nearly 5 years. There was a time, not so long ago, that I would create a vignette everyday and post it. The consistency of that was recognized and helped to build a following that eventually provided enough reach to realize I could do something more with this practice. Today, I am surrounded by talented artists and makers who see our ability to work together as an opportunity to make something bigger happen for all parties. Endless thanks and much love to all those that have been there since the beginning, those that discover me today and everyone in between. If you run through my Instagram posts, I usually make it very clear who the artists are that I work with, too many to name here, but they know who they are.

Website: www.rhettbaruch.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/rhett.baruch.design

Image Credits
Emmanuelle Pickett @emmylaine