Merrick Interior Designer Creates Luxury Uncomplicated

Merokean Rose Ott helps clients transform their homes and business spaces into beautiful and transcendent places.

Ott, 44, is the principle designer of Rose Ott Interior Designs, located at 63 Merrick Ave.  Ott's work can be seen in many homes locally, throughout Long Island and NYC, as well as at high profile places such as Surfs Out, a restaurant in Kismet, Fire Island. Also notably, Ott has been featured on NBC's "Open House: To The Rescue!" 

When discussing her work, Ott lights up with enthusiasm: "I really do get excited over each project and every detail along the process. Each client is different and has their individual tastes, ideas and needs.  I love working with them to come up with unique designs that truly reflect their style, vision and budget."

Ott has been an interior design professional for 10 years.  She opened her Merrick offices about three years ago. 

"I love the town of Merrick.  My daughter works across the street at Ralph's Ices and my son and his friends will pass by and drop in to say hello," says Ott. 

She and husband Frank, a contractor and owner of Frank J. & Sons, Inc., have three children. Ott's daughter Devon, 17 and son Frankie, 14, attend Calhoun High School. Daughter Chloe, 9, is a student at Levy Lakeside Elementary.

Ott explains that it was not until after she had children that she realized that interior design was her true calling.

"My background includes fine arts and fashion," she says. "For a time, I worked for Louis Feraud, a couture fashion company. Later, I worked for painter using my art skills to create faux finishes."

Although Ott enjoyed the creativity of painting, she began to tire of climbing down scaffolds covered in paint to pick up her children. 

"It was around that time that I started to find myself really taking note of interior design elements like accessories, finishes and window treatments. I realized that I really had a passion for interior design."

Ott decided to go back to school, attending the Metropolitan Institute of Interior Design, to become a trained professional.  Following her graduation, she launched her interior design consultancy and hasn't looked back since.

Today, Ott and her team offer interior design from conceptualization, planning and purchasing to project management and strategic planning.  For her projects, which include bathrooms, kitchens, single rooms to entire new building projects, Ott acts as an advocate between her clients and  architects, builders, contractors, sub-contractor and suppliers. 

"We're known in the industry as construction specialists," explains Ott. "Being married to a contractor, I definitely speak and understand the language of builders."

Ott and her team act as intermediaries between construction professionals and clients smoothing and facilitating the process for all parties involved. By managing the processes and anticipating the needs and issues that may arise, Ott helps to keep the jobs on schedule and virtually worry-free.

"I also try to make the project fun because designing or creating your dream home or business should be an enjoyable experience," Ott says.

Ott and her design team take pride in establishing really collaborative relationships with clients.  They work closely to select and purchase furniture, lighting, plumbing, fixtures, surface materials, wall and floor coverings, window treatments, accessories, and more. 

Ott even has her own line of custom fine furniture which she sells by appointment.

"Each piece in my furniture line has a designer finish on a classic look so that it's unique," Ott says.

Inevitably, when working so closely with her clients on design projects, which can last anywhere from a few months to years during major construction, Ott says strong bonds form that last well beyond the project. 

"I truly become a part of my clients lives and for the time we are together, I really cherish it," she says.

Merrick resident and Ott client, Elizabeth Laganas agrees.

Laganas retained Ott to help lead her through the entire interior design of her new home which was being built.

"What could have been a stressful experience was instead enjoyable and memorable," recounts Laganas. "Rose Ott has impeccable taste and made my visions come to life. She is loyal, honest and has an unbelievable work ethic. I could not imagine doing this project without her. At the end, we not only got the home of our dreams, but also a wonderful friend."