ONE OF AMERICA ’ S MOST INFLUENTIAL INTERIOR DESIGNERS
A Design Pioneer : Ruby Ross Wood
OPENING THE INTERIORS SPACE FOR WOMEN TO THRIVE
The Road to Good Taste : The Design Life of Ruby Ross Wood
W ith a career spanning more than 30 years , Ruby Ross Wood became the nation ’ s foremost interior design influencer , long before that word was known , and made herself into the preeminent decorator in the United States - practically inventing the profession of interior design along the way . As a native of the South , Wood was known to many in Atlanta and Georgia . She was a colleague of celebrated Atlanta architect Neel Reid , met with Philip Shutze on his return from his Prix de Rome studies in Italy , and was a personal friend of Mr . and Mrs . Edward H . Inman . As such , Wood decorated the two Atlanta homes of the Inmans , their 1909 Ansley Park residence and , notably , their Buckhead home , Swan House . It is significant that as taste alters and home ownership changes through time , Swan House remains the only Wood-decorated residence available today . With Emily Inman ’ s dedication to their original vision , Swan House is exactly as Emily Inman , Philip Shutze and Ruby Ross Wood opened it in 1928 . Her work was always characterized by eclectic combinations of furniture , bold color choices and impeccable taste .
Ansley is proud to be a Co-Presenting Sponsor of Atlanta History Center ’ s event on November 7 , 2023 , An Evening in the Red Room : A Celebration of the Design Legacy of Ruby Ross Wood . Funds raised from the event will help support Atlanta History Center ’ s operating expenses , including the vital work needed for the ongoing care and maintenance of Swan House .
Ruby Ross Wood Atlanta History Center