Design Inspired by Nature: Where rustic meets modern By Jillian Chandler Ronniesha Rivera’s passion for interior design was first sparked while in high school after “randomly” taking an upper-level drafting class, where fell in love with interior design from a drafting / floor plan standpoint. “I loved ‘solving the puzzle’ if you will. That’s all design really is … identifying a problem and creating a solution. Being a type-A kind of gal, I loved that aspect of it all,” Ronniesha recalls. Her journey in interior design began at Washington State University, where she gained her bachelor’s degree in interior design in 2019. Following graduation, Ronniesha worked for a few local firms as a junior designer, where she found herself constantly wanting more — more responsibility, more autonomy and more opportunities to hone her skill. In 2021, she founded Alder and Stone Interiors (formerly Studio Eight Interiors). “April 3 marked three years in business, and it has been the best thing I have ever done,” she smiles. “It takes so much hard work and dedication to run a business, but the benefits and joy that come from it are exponential.” Alder and Stone is a full-service interior design firm for families “who want to get intentional about the spaces they live in,” focusing on new builds, large-scale remodels and furniture projects. Ronniesha has worked in the residential area of interior design but more recently has focused her attention to cottages, cabins and lodges in North Idaho. Specializing in elevated mountain living, Alder and Stone is where rustic meets modern living. “Commonly when people think of rustic interiors, they think of dark, wood-filled spaces with animal heads everywhere. But I really wanted to take the concept of ‘rustic’ and clean it up a bit. Add some flare. Maybe some pops of gold. Some glam and other modern elements,” she shares. “I really strive to design in a way where we take aspects of nature such as materials and color schemes and apply them in a way that elevates the room, completely rethinking and redefining rustic interiors. A lot of our interiors are located in Northern Idaho, and it’s just fitting that we pull so much inspiration from nature.” One recent project that Ronniesha found truly special was the North Garden Lodge for Lutherhaven Ministries, which was completed late last year. The overarching design concept of the 10,000-square-foot rentable lodge was to bridge the gap between the 75-year-old camp with the new space. As Ronniesha explains, “We wanted to keep the look and feel of the existing structures on site but also bring the new lodge up to date and have it stand out a bit. For example, we took some of the kelly green color from the existing buildings, brought the color shade down a bit and found a really beautiful moss green that was a bit more modern. We also focused on bringing the outdoors inside. To achieve that, we did huge glass sliding doors the lead directly out to the back decks — when the doors are open, you literally feel like you are sitting outside enjoying the views.” This project also was meaningful to Ronniesha because of the community she was welcomed into, emphasizing that for a project of this size, there was a large team consisting of consultants and tradesmen. “Every single person I worked with was absolutely dedicated to bringing it to life and understood that it would take deep collaboration to bring it all together. Simply amazing,” she remarks. “There is so much history infused into Camp Lutherhaven, and I was beyond overjoyed to be a part of making history for all the guests who will stay in the future.” While Ronniesha acknowledges there is no shortage of “exceptional” interior designers in the area who are devoted and focused on their craft, she believes it is Alder and Stone’s design approach which truly sets them apart. “Our sweet spot is destination spaces such as cabins, cottages and lodges. When you are designing someone’s luxury cabin, it takes a different approach, a different level of understanding the space and the client’s needs,” she explains. “It’s almost like balancing residential while also understanding that there may be some hospitality-type needs to the project as well.” At the end of the day, as Ronniesha reflects back on what she finds most rewarding, it is the people. “When you think about it, your home is your safe place. It is where you raise your children, create memories with your partner — it is everything. So, the fact that people invite me into their safe space and put their trust in me to bring their vision to life — THAT is the reward.” Alder and Stone Interiors 509.869.4825 Hello@alder-and-stone.com Alder-and-Stone.com
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