1 of 2
Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Sallie Aman, owner of Ruby Ansley Interiors, and Craig Britnell, the shop assistant and warehouse manager, in the front showroom of the store on Petticoat Lane in Mountain Brook Village. The shop celebrated its 60th anniversary in November.
2 of 2
Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
A photograph of Ruby Ansley from a 1985 photo shoot.
In 1963, Ruby Ansley opened her interior design firm on Petticoat Lane. Sixty years later, the business is still there, now with an international reputation for the quality of its work.
The Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce celebrated Ruby Ansley Interiors’ 60th anniversary with a ribbon cutting on Nov. 27.
“There are many reasons for the longevity of our business,” current owner Sallie Aman said. “The most important one to me is our relationship with our clients. Interior design is a very personal career, and it is a privilege to be invited into a client’s home to create a special design specific to their taste.”
Aman said the foundation of those relationships was Ansley herself. Ansley was a founding member of the Alabama chapter of the American Design Institute of Decorators. Aman joined the business as an assistant in 1965, soon after graduating the University of Alabama with a degree in interior design and only two years after Ansley opened her firm in Mountain Brook Village.
“Ruby Ansley was a wonderful mentor to all her employees. She was always pleasant and willing to take the time to train young graduates in all aspects of interior design,” Aman said. “She always wanted to help young designers get started.”
Craig Bitnell, an assistant and manager of the warehouse and installation, joined Ruby Ansley Interiors 33 years ago. Over the years, Ansley, Aman and Bitnell have worked on projects across the country, including Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Mississippi, Indiana and Ohio. Aman even designed a home and a business for a client in England.
Some of their client relationships are now multi-generational.
“One of the unique aspects of our business is that our clientele has been very loyal throughout the years, and we have designed homes for several generations of original clients.” Aman said. “The most rewarding part is that we become good friends.”
Ansley died in 2012, but Aman and Bitnell continue to operate Ruby Ansley Interiors in the same way that has made it successful for six decades.
Their building on Petticoat Lane has changed little over the years, except for the addition of a large showroom window for displays of room settings and accessories.
“This was especially important during the Covid pandemic,” Aman said, “as we were able to reach clients as well as new prospects through our displays.”
Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
A photograph of Ruby Ansley from a 1985 photo shoot.
Inside, Ruby Ansley Interiors offers a preview of its professional services: in-store sales, choosing color schemes for clients and collaborating with architects and contractors on new construction and renovations. Aman and Bitnell frequently attend trade markets and antique shows to purchase items both for the shop and for individual projects.
“We design both traditional and contemporary homes in a tasteful manner, while mixing antiques with fresh ideas to complete rooms,” Aman said.
Aman said Ansley’s legacy as an interior designer and a Southern lady still lives on in the business that bears her name.
“I feel like Ruby Ansley would approve of the way we still rely on her advice and business knowledge,” Aman said. “I think she would be very pleased that I am carrying on her legacy and business in a way she had taught me over the years.”
