Today we’d like to introduce you to Rusa Topchishvili.
Hi Rusa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a European woman living in the United States, and my work is shaped by two continents: the elegance and craftsmanship of the Old World, and the boundless energy of the new life I’ve built here.
I was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, where I grew up immersed in fashion and design through my family’s business. Creativity and aesthetics were simply part of the air I breathed though I never imagined they would one day become my career.
That changed when my husband’s diplomatic work brought our family to Vienna. Living surrounded by the city’s architecture, art, history, and design culture shifted something in me. I went back to school, trained as an interior designer, and began an entirely new chapter one that took me from projects in Tbilisi and Vienna and, eventually, across the Atlantic to the United States.
Starting over in America was not easy. I arrived without a network, without a feel for the systems and standards of a new country I didn’t even know the U.S. measurement system at first. And I was doing it all as a mother, determined to remain present for my child. A conventional career path simply didn’t fit the life I wanted to build.
So I built my own: RT Interior.
Founding a design business from scratch, in a new country, with no existing client base or professional community, has been one of the hardest things I’ve done and one of the most rewarding. Today I work on projects that excite me, alongside clients and collaborators who inspire me, building the career and life I once only imagined.
I believe I was given the strength and vision to turn a difficult transition into an opportunity. That journey taught me something I now bring into every home I design: starting over is not an ending it can be the beginning of something far greater.
This is my American dream built with the European charm, sophistication, and design philosophy that have shaped who I am, brought to life in the homes I create.
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?
Definitely not. Starting over in a new country while building a career and raising a family has been one of the biggest challenges of my life.
When we moved to the United States, I had to start almost everything from zero. I didn’t have a professional network, friends, or an established place in the design industry. Even simple things, like understanding the American measurement system and learning how business works here, were completely new to me.
At the same time, I was a mother and wanted to be present for my child. I had to find a way to balance motherhood with my ambition and my desire to build something meaningful for myself.
There were moments when I questioned myself and wondered whether starting over was the right decision. Building a business in a new country requires patience, confidence, and a lot of resilience. But every challenge taught me something and made me stronger.
I learned that sometimes you have to be uncomfortable before you can grow. I stopped seeing the difficulties as obstacles and started seeing them as opportunities to create my own path.
Today, when I look back, I am grateful for those difficult moments. They pushed me to become more independent, more confident, and more determined. They also taught me that success doesn’t always happen quickly sometimes you have to build it step by step, with faith and persistence.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the founder and interior designer behind RT Interior, a residential interior design studio based in the Washington, DC area. I specialize in creating sophisticated, timeless, and highly personalized interiors that combine European elegance with the comfort and functionality of American living.
My approach is not about following trends or simply making a space look beautiful. I believe a home should reflect the people who live in it their personality, lifestyle, memories, and aspirations. I focus on the entire experience of a space, from the overall layout and architectural details to furniture, lighting, materials, art, and the smallest finishing touches.
Because of my European background and my experience living and working in different countries, I bring a different perspective to American interiors. I love mixing European sophistication with a warmer, more approachable American style. I am especially drawn to natural materials, beautiful craftsmanship, timeless pieces, and unexpected details that make a space feel unique.
What sets me apart is my international perspective and my personal involvement in every project. I don’t want my clients to have a home that looks like everyone else’s. I want them to walk through the door and immediately feel that the space belongs to them.
I am most proud of building RT Interior from the ground up after moving to the United States and creating opportunities for myself in a completely new environment. Every project represents more than just a beautiful interior to me it represents the courage it took to start over and build something of my own.
Ultimately, I want my work to be recognizable not because it follows a particular trend, but because it has a feeling elegant, warm, sophisticated, and personal, with a distinctive European touch.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Take risks. Don’t be afraid to start something new, even when you don’t have all the answers or know exactly where the road will lead you.
Be curious, keep learning, ask questions, and never stop exploring. Sometimes the biggest opportunities come from places you never expected.
And most importantly, have faith. I truly believe that when you take a step with courage and trust in yourself, God will be with you and guide you along the way.
I wish I had known earlier that you don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin. Sometimes you simply have to take the first step and trust that the rest will come.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rtinterior.design
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rtinterior.design?igsi=MXd2YTF4dDh1dW52dg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
