52 weeks of design (Kitty & Company) week 25

​By Kitty Golding
Kitty & Company will be conducting a series of short interviews with Chelsea Residents for 52 weeks, bringing to light differing personalities and design styles in our community.  Perhaps you will meet someone new through these weekly interviews or perhaps it will be YOU! Stay tuned and follow us each week – we now introduce you to  Lisa Rudgers.
What is your current profession?  Partner and Co-Founder, Peterson-Rudgers Group Consulting Firm for 4 years, previously Vice President, Global Communications and Strategic Initiatives, University of Michigan.
Your family members: Len Niehoff, husband, Jordan Niehoff, son and Rocky J. Niehoff the Boston Terrier.
People think of me as: Ultra High- Energy, but really I am pretty chill about things.
When did you move to Chelsea and where did you live prior to coming to Chelsea? We moved to Chelsea in 2013, living in Ann Arbor, East Lansing and Albany NY before that.
What do you love about where you currently live? I love living on Long Lake, a small inland lake north of Chelsea, because I love the natural world. I like to say that the Great Blue Herons are our closest neighbors, and they are joined by an abundance of fish, turtles, and creatures of all sorts.
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would it be? We are lucky enough to have a second home, an old farmhouse, on the Leelanau Peninsula where I delight in the sand dunes, orchard, vineyards and the nearby Lake Michigan shoreline.
What three words describe your style? Unfussy. Comfortable. Contemporary.
What are you most inspired by in your design/decor? Nature.
When entering your home, how do you want it to feel? Welcoming and calming.
What is one element or trend in design you do not like? Too much color.
Have you ever built a new home or remodeled an existing one? Yes, we remodeled the farmhouse on the Leelanau Peninsula.
Have you ever sought professional help with the interior design of your home - if so, what did you find most helpful? I did the interior design myself, though I'll say I often wished I had consulted an expert on it because it is SO challenging to make that many decisions on your own!
What is the biggest design issue you struggle with? The right balance in where/how the furniture is arranged.
As you think about the home in which you grew up, what elements did you like and do you think you have incorporated some of them in your own home? I grew up in two homes, a historic house built in 1812 and later, a split level dating probably from the late 60s. Talk about whiplash! But I learned I don't really have a preference, that I enjoy a lot of different styles and designs. I can't say I was a huge fan of the split-level, though. None of that came with me into my adult life!
Have you stayed true to a style through the years, or have you fluctuated in your tastes?  No, my taste has changed quite a bit over the years. I find I'm more interested in LESS -- less clutter, clean, sleek lines, neutral palettes.
If you were moving and could only select one item from your home to keep, what would it be and why? In Chelsea, my barn wood dining table and in Lake Leelanau it would also be the dining table -- a live-edge beauty I splurged on from Room & Board. I think a good dining room table becomes the center of family life.
 Which room in your home gets the most use? The great room, combination of dining space, kitchen and living room. I'm crazy about the open space living in those three areas, and we live this way in both our homes.
Name an item you purchased for your home that you regret buying? A cheap bed frame for the guest room bed. I should have invested in a nicer one, even though it's not used every night. Bugs me every time I walk by.
No room is complete without: lap/throw blanket.
By nature I am :  Minimalist
What had you been doing to pass the time during the COVID-19 State shutdown? My business was crazy busy, luckily, but in my off time I knit, walked miles and miles, “Zoomed” cocktail parties with friends, and cooked like a fiend. Now that I am still cautious about going out much, I've taken up gardening in a raised bed my husband built for me this spring. I love it!
Has any local venue particularly caught your eye - if so why? I love the style and design of the new store, Agricole. I love the warm mix of industrial/natural elements.
A few of your favorite things!
Movie – Just one is impossible. I'll give you three: Moonstruck, The Great Beauty, Babette's Feast.
Favorite Historical Place You have visited - Ancient Rome.
Scent- Hmmm...lilac...or maybe peony.
Music–   Also impossible to pick only one, but let's say Diana Krall.
Meal-  Pasta, of any variety.
TV show-  Until Netflix showed up on the scene I never watched TV. Recent favorite series include Chef's Table, Ugly Delicious, Schitt's Creek, The Good Life, Call the Midwife, the Crown.
Travel Destination (on your bucket list)– Spain. And Portugal.
.Season-  Autumn.
Color- What I call "Leelanau Blue," the turquoise color of Lake Michigan up north.
Collection– Yarn.
Museum -  MOMA (The Museum of Modern Art, in NYC).
Hobbies- Knitting, working out, cooking, lately gardening.
Favorite Design Style-Modern Farmhouse.
Tree – Lilac Bush.
Item on a bookshelf  - A hard cover of Mary Oliver's collected works called Devotions.
​Kitty's Note: 
Lisa and I go back to when our boys met in  school and became friends. Lisa has  a great eye for design and detail and I loved their inviting and interesting lake home when first seeing it....plus the views - wow!!  Lisa is a talented business woman and owner and I know keeps busy with many various talents and hobbies as well. 
 

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