For years, I dreamt of hiring a person that might show up on time, do exactly what he promised to do, under commit, over deliver, and consistently blow my mind with results. Pinch me...I found my guy. Pete Ross of /ros/ design is a craftsman and human in equally stellar parts; in my list of SLC allies, he's a serious creative at the very tip-top. Having had his incredible input and skill on a few of my projects [both residential and commercial] now, and given that I plan to use the sh*t out of said skill in the future, I decided it might be time to underscore his doings. Read on [or, skip to the photos -- he's as easy on the eyes as his work is]...
You've worked on a few of my homes for a few years now, but it seems you preferred to be out of the spotlight on those jobs. Why? I don’t know. I guess it was just easier that way in the beginning. It actually took a little nudge from outside influences to get me out on my own. It took me a minute in life to grow into my skin.
Talk to me about being an opinionated creative [I like your honesty] and small business owner, and how you work with clients who may want to hear something other than the truth. Thank you. The design/building business can be extremely stressful and deadline-oriented, and things are bound to go awry. If you’re honest and keep the communication open, then the surprises seem to be much less catastrophic. Honesty always gets you further in life, even if it’s hard to hear.
What do people get from you that they don't get from other builder/designer/carpenter/wood worker/welders? Did I just answer my own question?I love that title, and I’m going to have to take it. I like to think that I’m good at interpreting people’s ideas and incorporating my own renditions into an amazing final product. It’s really important to be mindful of the client’s original inspiration and vision.
My vision for the Pallet design was lofty, and your creativity added a lot to the space. Case in point, the Utah-shaped shelving unit that marks SLC with a perfectly-placed Edison bulb; brilliant. Talk about that. Still one of my favorite projects to date! I loved the concept and design ideas that you guys were working with. The idea of building such a beautiful restaurant out of a loading dock, the repurposed materials, the clever name, and all of the people involved made it easy to be creative. I had to keep up.
Dream job and dream client: Underwater welding for Kevin Costner.
Rumor has it you're looking for an apprentice [one lucky f*cker]. What are you looking for? We've been talking about it. It would be nice to find someone who is passionate about what they’re doing, whether it be sanding for hours on end or designing the most brilliant office space in SLC.
Rumor also has it that you will be building some of the desks/tables/magic for our new COLLECTIVE office space. But it's not a rumor; I totally hired you. You stoked or what? Most definitely! It’s going to be a gorgeous space full of gorgeous people.
'Rules to live by' from Mr. Pete Ross?Be true to your work, your word, and your friend. – Henry David Thoreau
What are you looking forward to in the days/months/years to come? I’m really looking forward to the future of /r Ô s/design, as we’re only in our first year. Already, we’ve expanded into a larger shop and had some amazing opportunities as far as projects and clients go. I have a feeling the next few years are going to be golden.
Why Salt Lake? I love it here!
See some /ros/ design work in Eastwood | The Maryland | Pallet
