Each person’s taste in interior design is one of a kind. Maybe it’s light and airy, with sheer curtains and neutral accents. Maybe it is bright, bold colors with eccentric details and quirky furniture. Or, maybe it is somewhere in the middle. Whatever it is, interior designer Samantha Rush aims to create the space of her client’s dreams.
“I feel like even though I am a newer company, I have a lot of knowledge to bring to the table with the process of new construction or remodels, and also a lot of connections in Jefferson City to find the best resources for a client,” Rush said.
The owner of Rush Interior Design began her design journey in Springfield, Missouri, as a graphic design student at Missouri State University. After realizing she didn’t want to sit at a desk all day and being inspired by popular shows on HGTV, Rush switched her major to interior design. She graduated in 2017 and moved back to Jefferson City where she knew she wanted to start a family with her husband, Garrett. Following jobs at Scruggs Lumber and Howell's Carpet, Rush took a year and a half off from design work to pursue a more professional career with more secure benefits. During that time, she and her husband also grew their family and had a son, Wade.
Being away from her dream career made Rush realize how much she longed for a job that gave her permission to express herself. “I just missed it. I missed being creative, I missed having that creative outlet, and I know that I’m good at it,” she said. With that, she finally launched Rush Interior Design in November 2022.
Growing business
In the months since taking the leap and becoming her own boss, Rush has been doing remodels, working on getting her name back out there and building relationships with contractors and suppliers in the area. “That’s what I am really focused on,” she said. “I’m hoping to get more into new construction.”
When Rush gets a new client, the first step is figuring out what they need — sometimes, people just need to bounce ideas off someone with industry knowledge. “Designer for a day is something I offer, so if they know they need to pick out flooring, countertops and cabinets, and they don’t need a whole service, that is something I offer,” Rush said. That might look like taking a few hours on a Saturday to go to showrooms and narrow down options. “So, it kind of depends on what the clients need out of the process from beginning to end.”
Dori Newhouse, a client of Rush’s, voices that her home is where she and her family go to recharge, be together and make memories. “Samantha with Rush Interior Design drips with creativity, integrity and passion,” Newhouse said. “The most exciting thing about working with Samantha Rush is that she makes you realize you don’t have to be wealthy to have an interior designer, her services are suited for everyone.”
What’s trending?
While white cabinets and neutral-toned furniture may never go out of style, Rush is currently loving stone and darker, more natural materials in interior design. “I really like more of the lived-in type of feel of a home,” she said. “I want my clients to feel comfortable when they are in a space.” Rush is expecting to see more dark countertops and warm paint and flooring colors in future interior design projects.
Rush has also noticed more homeowners experimenting with bold colors, specifically steering away from gray tones and accents. “Also, people were just in their homes for two years with COVID and they were like, ‘wow, this just doesn’t make me feel happy,’” Rush said. “So, I feel like a lot of people are abruptly getting away from the grays.”
Bringing in a client's personal style to a home is a priority for Rush when designing a space. She wants the design of the home to flow and be cohesive, but also fun and comfortable. “Your home is a direct reflection of yourself and it is the place we spend the majority of our time, so making sure you enjoy the space that you’re in I think is more important than making sure that it is Instagram-worthy,” she said.
While there are many benefits — and hardships — with starting a business, Rush is focused on what makes her happy at her job: the people. “Meaning my clients and helping curate the space they want to be in, because I feel like your home is probably our most sacred place,” she said. “My clients get to share that with me — their homes and their dreams for the space they’re in.”
Samantha Rush is back, and she is more ready than ever to help create the home of her client’s dreams.