INTERIORS
“Southerners have never been subtle and quiet (at least the ones I know). So it’s
only fitting that this ‘sister’ who loves a room full of camellias and Queen Anne
furniture can be modern and outspoken!” n
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Named one of Architectural Digest’s
“One To Watch 2013” and one of the
“New Faces of Southern Style” in 2010
by Garden & Gun Magazine, Melissa Rufty
has garnered a loyal national following
for her modern take on classic Southern design. Her work is never formulaic.
Instead, she is always careful to listen
to her clients’ ideas yet deliver an unexpected interpretation all her own.
“If you begin with your client as inspiration, your design will always be openminded and varied,” Melissa says. Her
work is relaxed and chic but never trendy.
She takes great care in layering rooms
with interesting color combinations, comfortable furniture and hand-picked accessories. Most important, she maintains, “My job is not done unless the client’s personality
greets you at the door.”
MMR Interiors is located on New Orleans’ famed Magazine Street. It is from there
that much of Melissa’s inspiration originates…the fabulous antique stores, modern art
galleries, local artisans, vintage lighting and hand-embroidered linens, to name a few.
With all of those indulgences, she jokes, “Who could miss?” New Orleans is a city
known as much for its grandeur as for its joie de vivre. “It’s not about perfection.
Fine antiques are wonderful, but lesser things can tell a unique story and convey a
sense of place.” This same wonderful dichotomy of elegance and approachability
continue to define Melissa’s sophisticated yet relaxed style. Melissa is currently working
on projects throughout the United States.
JULY AUGUST 2015
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