The backstory…

Hi and welcome! My name is Rutu Patel and I took multiple detours in my career before finding my path to interior design, something I had always loved but only pursued on the side, as a hobby. My 16+ year career in info/tech/digital has been glorious - having worked at large global corporations, mid-size companies, start-ups, as well as boutique agencies - I bring with me a depth and breadth of life experiences. Every job, project and company has taught me important lessons in teamwork, leadership and project excellence.

In 2021, I decided to ‘go big AND go home’ and enrolled in the Interior Design and Interior Architecture program at UC Berkeley Extension. I fully embraced the full-time student and part-time dog mom life. Going back to school in a brand new profession at the peak of a well established corporate career has been very humbling and inspiring. Now I have the technical knowledge and training to focus my creativity and really take this on!

An exciting new chapter…

I am excited to launch The Yellow Slide, a boutique residential design studio that is a physical manifestation of my love for all things joyful and beautiful (and organized). In this post-pandemic life, our homes must go above and beyond in meeting the needs of everyone that lives in it, including the adults, human/dog/cat/plant babies, (short and long term) guests, and most importantly, grandma!

That is why The Yellow Slide focuses on multi-purpose spaces around the house that can be private and/or shared, depending on your needs and current season of life. With expertise in human centered design and behavioral sciences, I have a very personalized approach to the design process. I will sincerely research, plan and listen, so we can maximize the function and feel of every nook and corner of your home.

Living the dream!

My design style is a combination of contemporary and chic with pops of personality - I am very meticulous about my design process but usually punctuate it with moments of surprise. I mix timeless with trendy, neutrals with patterns, simple with unconventional, and sentimental collectibles with store-bought luxury. I am a sucker for unique finds and spontaneous creativity to design something extremely personal and memorable for you.

When you work with The Yellow Slide, you become part of the family – we will have fun, bring amazing ideas to life and build something beautiful together. Let’s go design your own kind of beautiful!

My approach to work

We create compelling designs

We will seek inspiration within us, dig a little deeper. We will constantly push the envelope on creativity, question how we can be better and deliver something that totally impresses you, so you keep coming back for more
We are one team

…that includes you and everyone we bring along this journey. We will root for each other, be honest with each other and have each other’s back. We will always do the right thing, especially when things are not going as planned
We obsess over the little things

We believe that the truth lies in the details, and we will check and double check every little thing to make sure we do not intentionally miss anything. But inevitably, when things go wrong, we will have a positive perspective about it
We will be kind and mindful

…to the people we work with, to the resources we consume, to what we leave behind. We will pause, reflect, listen and be conscious of our actions and impact. We will find creative ways to make the most of what we already have.