Leah Ring
When it comes to designing a life drenched in color, California based Leah Ring has her work down to an art. Between the technicolor spaces she envisions and the vivid objects she creates under the moniker Another Human, Leah is a burst of energy and vibrancy, a breath of color-punctuated air in a world of neutrals. We met Leah to learn her story. Check it out!
Leah with her furniture collection.
DS: Hello, Leah! Welcome to Design Storytellers. We are so excited to learn about your career journey and how you found your calling in color. Tell us about how you got started.
LR: Hi, sure! I earned my BA in Communications from Northwestern University and then my AA in Visual Communication from FIDM. When I attended FIDM, I thought that I wanted to work in fashion styling, but after a few internships I pivoted to interior design and never looked back! I started Another Human in 2017 as a furniture design studio while I was still working full time at an interior design firm in LA. I’ve worked in the industry for 15 years, working for firms in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York prior to starting my own design firm.
DS: Wow, I love that you really wanted to give yourself a well-rounded dive into the industry before going out on your own. How do you think that experience shaped you?
LR: It was so helpful in helping me define what I did, and did not, want to do. I spent my 20s jumping around to different cities and jobs (smaller firms, bigger, more corporate firms, etc.) which I think really helped me figure out what I wanted. I loved working in a small firm, mostly focusing on high-end residential design. And it solidified that I belong in Los Angeles! I love the creative energy of the city and how there is every sort of artisan here to build whatever you can dream up.
DS: Love that. What project of yours makes you the most proud so far?
LR: We’re about to photograph a big residential project in Des Moines, Iowa, and it’s our largest interiors project to date. The client were an absolute dream to work with and really trusted the design direction and process. I’m really proud of the way the project turned out.
DS: Sounds incredible, and like you really enjoyed the process. What do you love most about your job?
LR: I love that every project and client is different. We work really hard to give our clients the best version of what they want, rather than imprinting our own design style rigidly onto a space. It means that with every new project and client I’m learning and growing. I am thrilled to think that I’ll get to keep learning for the rest of my life!
DS: Yes! Learning is something we love, too. Having a learning mindset is so key for personal and professional growth. On that note, what advice do you have for up and coming creatives?
LR: Try to learn and absorb as much as you can when you’re young to figure out what you like and don’t like about the job/industry. I find both in interior design and furniture design, it has to be your absolute passion because it’s a grind, especially if you want to run your own business. As principal of a small design firm, I have to think about creative direction, project flow, accounting, marketing, new business, client relations - all of it in the span of a day! I love it because it’s really stimulating, but it requires a high degree of focus, self motivation, and organization.
Leah, photographed by Lance Berger.
DS: Very true. Behind the color and the fun there is some less than exciting work that has to get done. Thanks for that perspective. Back to design, your work is bursting with color and a bold mix of materials. What is your favorite material to work with?
LR: It changes all the time! In my furniture design practice, I jump between materials all the time depending upon the world I’m trying to create with the work. In interiors, the great joy is that we get to work with glass, wood, metal, upholstery and more all in the same room.
DS: Nice. And what about design styles, what do you feel you gravitate to?
LR: It’s too hard to pick! I’m very inspired by postmodernism in that it’s irreverent, theatrical, and generally is associated with the use of bold colors. I really aim to spread joy through design. I want our clients to smile when they walk into each room of their house. As mentioned previously, I really listen to my client’s inspiration and also consider the existing architecture of each house we work in, so each project has a different flavor to it. But we always try to add some surprising moments!
DS: I would say you’re doing a fantastic job at making those rich, surprising moments. I love that you help people out of their safety zone and trust to take risks with you. Where do you find the inspiration for your work?
LR: I voraciously consume design media through magazines, books, and blogs. I’m constantly inspired by how many creative humans there are on the planet! I also find nature incredibly inspiring, particularly flowers in all of their imperfect beauty. When possible, I love to travel and find old cities so inspiring with all of the rich architectural and interior details what have been lost in modern construction and design.
DS: Speaking of travel, what cities do you find the most inspiring?
LR: Los Angeles, because it’s where I built the life of my dreams and where my husband and I are both building thriving practices as a designer and artist (my husband is a fine artist.) I also have such an amazing community of friends here, so many of whom are artists and designers, and we all support one another which is invaluable as a creative entrepreneur. Also Madrid, I studied abroad there when I was 20 years old and the grandness of the city really rocked my world! I recently returned with my husband and was just as enamored with the beauty of the city as I was many years ago. The art, architecture, food, dance, culture and people - I love everything about it! I fantasize about owning a pied-a-terre there someday. And London, I’m also endlessly inspired in London. There are loads of London-based interior designers whose work I admire, and I love visiting the art museums and design museums. There’s a great history of really valuing the decorative arts in London and it really shows!
DS: Excellent choices! Ok, last question. Who are some creative people from throughout history that you find inspiring?
LR: Gaetano Pesce, his work is so inspiring and he’s one of my design heroes. India Mahdavi, an absolute color queen and creates the most beautiful interiors and products. And Gae Aulenti, I love her work and just so admire how she carved out a place for herself in the architecture and design world when it was so male dominated at the time.
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