Meet Ruby Wendell | Professional Home Stager

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

Hi Ruby, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Before I became a full time stager, I assumed it would just be all fun and fun and more fun. I didn’t realize that it would be also a lot of very very hard work. Managing different types of personalities, lifting, problem solving when something doesn’t work the way you had hoped, keeping within a budget while keeping clients happy, DIFFICULT CLIENTS! It is a lot of fun but sometimes it isn’t.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think one of my strengths is making shit shine. Taking spaces that are troublesome and making it look warm, inviting, and more complete. I enjoy making spaces better and I love to do it without breaking the bank. I yearn to help people make their home a place they love to be. I love art and I very much enjoy placing it. Art is so important and the right placement is very important.

I moved to Los Angeles from Iowa with the dream of being a performer. I was and actress and stand-up comedian. When I wanted to start a family I didn’t have as much grit as I once did and yearned for something that provided more gratification and I decided to pivot to design. It was a ton of hard work, but was also very rewarding.

Learning how to manage clients and fulfill expectations while also holding onto important boundaries was a long process. Getting better at that challenge will always be a part of my job but I am grateful to have gotten better at it. I think it’s important to be honest, hard working, reliable, and kind while not taking on more then you can chew and being okay to say no when a project isn’t the right fit.

I’m proud of what I do. I like to think I stage homes that look like the sweetest, coolest family USED to live there. I deliver lovely, warm vibes to a space and at fair rates.

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?
I would take them to my little desert house in Sky Valley 30 minutes outside Palm Springs. We would go thrifting in Yucca Valley and see some live music at Pappy and Harriets. We would spend a day lounging at the pool at The Parker Hotel, We would also hit Market Market as well as The Mojave Flea Trading Post in Palm Springs Proper. We would end the evening playing pool at The Roadhouse. It’s a bit of driving but the desert view is outstanding and you can’t beat the sunsets.

If this is an LA based question, that’s hard! I love my home in Altadena. The shops and restaurants on Lake are charming and peaceful to bop around. I love a bike ride in my hood. I am always down to see a comedy show and have been looking forward to checking out PDA on Fair Oaks in Altadena. They even have morning comedy shows! I love Side Pie Pizza and Thai Food from Miya.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I learned so much of what I know and have been very inspired by Isabelle Dahlin, the owner of deKor Living in Atwater, Los Angeles. I first started my staging career working with her and am always grateful for being able to work with her and build a successful and fulfilling business in this field. Her eye is incredible!
I also owe a huge shout out to my best friend of over 20 years, Hope Banks. She has worked with me for many years. We work very well together and also laugh and love each other like sisters. I honestly don’t think I would still be loving what I do if she wasn’t by my side. She styles out a shelf like nobodies business!

Website: https://www.rubyjwendell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rubyjwendell.interiors

Image Credits
Michael Pieters
Post Modern Studio