Cheryle Rhuda is the co-founder of My Overlays, which she established with Danika Herrick to create fretwork panels, from Boston, MA. Danika has currently left the business but Cheryle continues to create vintage fretwork panels to customise furniture with an expensive look and feel. Her products are made from a lightweight composite material that allow greater flexibility and is less prone to splintering. Cheryle also writes for the company blog. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Cheryle Rhuda.
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1) In your own words describe your unique style and creative aesthetic?
I like a room to feel fresh and spacious and at the same time cozy. Combining the old with new gives a room a welcoming cozy feel and adding a touch of modern keeps it current. Color is a huge factor in the freshness and spaciousness of the room. I'm a big fan of all shades of blue.
2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?
I wouldn’t call it a creative process as much as I would call it a creative journey. An ever changing journey that could start with a piece of furniture from a flea market or a color then evolves into a number of design schematics that will set the tone for the project.
3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?
I admire and respect the work of Danika Herrick, a business partner and cofounder of O’verlays. She has endless energy and ludicrous ideas that always turn out beautiful. The spark that ignited O’verlays was a project we worked on using an old piece of trellis she found at a flea market. The trellis was used to transform an old IKEA wardrobe with mirror panels and paint which ultimately inspired us to create the business O’verlays.
4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?
Color inspires me! When I start a project I choose about 10 swatches of hues and shades of color and banter back and forth with my daughter (my color guru). This helps me create the right feeling for the space and gain momentum for the design process.
5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
Hard, hard work, and much sacrifice, having a bit of stubbornness to believe I can do this, keeping a positive attitude and surrounding myself with talented people with that same attitude. Having a mentor has been pivotal to my career growth, I highly recommend having one!
