Today we’d like to introduce you to Rita Amonett.
Rita, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Rita Amonett’s career spans many years and roles in the design industry. Before founding Amonett Design Studio, she worked in well-established design firms, contributing to retail, corporate, mixed-use, historic, and institutional design.
Rita Amonett
Over that time, she honed not only her design skill, but project leadership, coordination with architects & contractors, and deep understanding of how space affects people’s behavior, needs, and well-being.
In founding Amonett Design Studio, Rita took that experience and built a practice grounded in intentional design — choosing clients and projects that allow her to bring both creativity and thoughtfulness to the built environment.
From the studio’s home in Cleveland (at Tower Press on Superior Avenue), the business operates as a small, female-owned, locally rooted design enterprise.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like many independent studios, Amonett Design Studio didn’t grow in a straight line. Its story includes moments of uncertainty — times when resilience mattered more than design itself.
Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, a period that reshaped the design world overnight. Projects paused. Clients hesitated. But it also created space to reflect — to rethink how people use their spaces, and how interior design could support health, comfort, and adaptability at home and at work. Out of that disruption came new clarity: a commitment to creating spaces that truly serve people’s lives, even in uncertain times.
Beyond the pandemic, the studio has weathered economic shifts and market fluctuations that tested its endurance. Yet each challenge reinforced what makes Amonett Design Studio distinct — agility, integrity, and a grounded approach to design rooted in long-term relationships rather than short-term trends.
Through every season, the studio has continued to grow — not just in scale, but in depth. These experiences shaped its identity: a Cleveland design studio that understands what it takes to build, sustain, and evolve through change.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Amonett Design Studio sets itself apart through a deeply personal, purpose-driven approach to design — one that begins with listening and ends with spaces that truly reflect each client’s life, work, and aspirations. Combining the professionalism of a seasoned, credentialed designer with the attentiveness of a boutique studio, we create environments that are both beautiful and functional, rooted in authenticity, and built to endure. Every project is a collaboration grounded in trust, creativity, and integrity — transforming vision into spaces that feel timeless, intentional, and unmistakably yours.
How do you think about happiness?
Beyond Amonett Design Studio, I find joy in the people, places, and activities that keep me connected, grounded, and inspired. My weekends often begin with the Akron Bike Club’s Saturday morning social rides, and each summer I’m proud to join the Pan Ohio Hope Ride to raise funds for cancer research. I stay engaged with the design community through AIA’s Small Firm Exchange, AIA Women in Architecture, and advocacy work with ASID and IIDA — efforts that strengthen and support the profession I love. Away from work, my happiest moments are spent with family — my mom, brothers, sister-in-law, nieces, and nephews — sharing laughter, good food, and time together. I also love the simple pleasures: a great charcuterie board, a cozy coffee shop, discovering treasures while thrifting, and adventures that take me cycling, skiing, hiking, or exploring historic buildings and art museums.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amonettdesignstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amonett_design_studio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071512911083
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amonett-design-studio/?viewAsMember=true
- Other: https://www.alignable.com/cleveland-oh/amonett-design-studio?user=11601905
