MY STYLE INSPIRATIONS Ruth Wasserman from Made.com
The design director at Made.com on storytelling, the evolution of the home and making great design accessible
EARLY AMBITIONS
As a schoolgirl, I knew I wanted to work in design, but growing up in an academic household, it felt like a rebellion! Nonetheless, my parents are both pretty handy – each making furniture – and my mum taught me to sew my own clothes. I studied furniture design and technology at university, but soon realised that I’m driven much more by storytelling and the human element of people’s homes, than by just designing.
CHASING
THE DREAM
I live in St Albans in Hertfordshire with my husband and son. It’s a beautiful old town with a lot of history and a vibrant community. When we moved here, however, I thought of our home as quite a transient place and therefore haven’t put much energy into it yet. I do have a clear vision of my dream house though – a rust-clad Modernist home in the middle of a Spanish desert, with dry cactus landscaping and an interior similar to one of the Experimental Hotels by designer Dorothée Meilichzon.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
For a long time, I’ve been an admirer of Mary Portas’ approach to retail, and what she terms ‘the kindness economy’ – making people and the planet as important as profit. I was also fortunate to work with Terence Conran and found his revolutionary approach to retail for the home inspirational.
DESIGN INFLUENCES
I love the work of Patricia Urquiola and Paola Navone – both architects and designers – who have a contemporary style that references tradition in new and clever ways. There are many emerging designers I admire too, such as Eny Lee Parker and Egg Collective. I also look for inspiration in the hotels, restaurants and galleries I visit, as well as the lifestyles of the local people. It’s fascinating to see the subtle differences across various cities around the globe, and it’s important for us to consider this when designing for multiple markets. Making high end design accessible to a wide audience is key at Made.
CHANGE AND EVOLUTION
2020 presented us with the opportunity to think about the way we live. This has manifested in a desire to make the most of our spaces, maximising every function for our daily needs. Where possible, people are also buying less, but better, investing in pieces that have a strong emotional value with a view to keeping them for generations to come. Carving out sanctuary spaces has become much more important and people are turning to natural colours and materials to achieve this. White palettes have been amazingly popular – and we’ve seen shoppers lean on textures, such as bouclé and sheepskin to add warmth.