From a young age, Oklahoma native Rachael Gruntmeir was always extremely creative. By the time she was two, she was able to use scissors and cut straight lines, incidentally leading to many an interesting self-inflicted haircut. As that two year-old, one of Rachael’s favorite activities was to complete her favorite 100 piece Barbie puzzle. By four she learned how to use a sewing machine. She would sit on her mother’s lap because she couldn’t reach the pedal. By the time she entered kindergarten, Rachael was cutting and sewing entirely on her own.
From grade school to high school Rachael was winning art awards and pursuing all available creative outlets. When she was fourteen, her love of Egypt and her artistic abilities collided and she began painting her bedroom to resemble an Egyptian chamber. It took her ten months to complete the project, but the outcome was spectacular and she was featured on the front page of her hometown Enid, OK newspaper.
In college at Oklahoma State University, Rachael realized she still craved a more hands-on, creative field in which to work, so she moved to Oklahoma City and began attending the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO).
While at UCO she was selected to participate in the elite Charles Evans Studio where she was able to refine her design skills and complete her portfolio. While attending the university, Rachael would take excursions abroad with her mentor, Buffy Hughes, to study design even further in places such as Italy and France. This is where Rachael discovered her true love for other cultures, people and unique ways in which people all over the world design their own spaces.
Rachael graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design and a Minor in Art History from the University of Oklahoma. She also served as the Philanthropic Chair for the International Interior Design Association and in 2012 won the Volunteer of the Year award for the Oklahoma City Center.
Since college, Rachael has pursued a successful career as a creative and interior designer in Oklahoma working on several residential and commercial jobs. She is also passionate about giving back and contributing to make her community a better place. Rachael serves on the board for Midtown Association (2016 – Current) and is a member of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce (2016 – Current). She was a guest speaker for MyHeart creative (2018), volunteers with local organizations, and is a small business advocate
Awards/Honors (Year Received)*
40 Under 40, Journal Record (2020)
Small Business Saturday Interviewee for The Oklahoman (2019)
NRF (National Retail Federation) podcast guest discussing small businesses (2019)
Congressional E-Commerce caucus panelist in D.C. (2019)
Small business luncheon guest hosted by Oklahoma City Mayor Holt (2019)
Discover Oklahoma featured business (2018)
40 Under 40, OKC Biz (2017)
Midtown Rotary guest speaker (2017)
Rose State College Small Business Conference keynote speaker
University of Central Oklahoma Interior Designer Department Speaker
Yelp award winner for the Small Business Coast to Coast annual gathering in San Francisco, CA (2016)
When Rachael is not working, she enjoys a variety of activities including hiking, trying new local restaurants, champagne, breaking in a good pair of high heels, designing her own clothing, jigsaw puzzles, and spending quality time with her wonderfully supportive friends. At the top of her list of activities, however, is her love of travel. With her continued success, Rachael still manages to find time to pursue her dreams of discovering and experiencing all the wonderful things that this exciting world has to offer. Her favorite place to travel – Egypt, of course.
