Team RJ Living: Jesse, Showroom Manager

Get to know the team behind it all! Team RJ Living is a series where we chat with members of our team and learn about their roles, favourite pieces and more.

As our Showroom Manager, Jesse wears many hats! He looks after the visual merchandising of our Richmond store, and you can find him building, painting and styling in our showroom, always taking it to the next level. Be sure to look for Jesse’s smiling, helpful face when you drop by!

Jesse also heads our customer care team where they focus on building and maintaining relationships with our customers. Recently he's been working on some exciting sustainability initiatives within RJ Living that we can’t wait to share.

Learn more about Jesse’s top furniture picks and his design tips to uplift your space.

What's the best about RJ Living and working here?

I really love the creative side of our business. I live for the days when we unpack new products for the first time and have so much fun styling the showroom and working on photoshoots for our product launches and trade events. I also get a lot of satisfaction working with customers, helping them realise and construct the interiors they envision.

Aside from the opportunities, the company has provided for me; it really is the RJ Living team that makes working here so enjoyable. There's a great dynamic within our business and I work alongside some really talented and inspired people, who are all very good at what they do.

What are your work essentials?

1. Creativity and a keen interest in interior design
2. An upbeat, friendly and approachable demeanour
3. Patience and a good attitude

Tell us about your favourite furniture designs!

My two favourite designs make their debut in the Spring/Summer 2021 range! The first is the Stage Marble Plinth in Earth Marble that creates a theatrical gallery vibe in any space they occupy. They are great for showcasing those treasured keepsakes or cluster greatly as a set. Of the four different stone finishes, I love the colouration of the earth marble, it's so striking, bold and dramatic.

My other favourite is The Ambience bedside table in Walnut. Part of our core range, the Ambience is contrasted and reimagined in a new finish that’s deep and rich, it has the focus of taking the darker grained timber that would otherwise be unusable and adapting it. Our new Walnut stain transforms these dark grained timbers and gives the new finish its depth and character.

Which homewares are you most drawn to?

I love the Lightly range of planter pots, they come in a range of different colours and shapes and their powder-coated finish makes them perfect for any space.

I also love the Point lamp by Citta, the sleek design works within any contemporary space, and its integrated LED lasts up to 35 years, making it a sustainable pick.

What’s your home style like?

It’s all about comfort, functionality and plants with me. Spending so much time at home during lock-downs it's a bit of an indoor jungle at the moment, but I find that plants bring a sense of tranquillity to an otherwise eclectic space with lots of layered textures.

Any furniture buying or styling tips for the RJ Living community?

Plants and dried flowers are the perfect way to bring life into a space. Bringing the outside in and replicating the natural environment is proven to boost overall mood and productivity.