Bret is a lifelong creative and founder of RÜT DESIGN, a studio rooted in storytelling, interior design, and soulful spaces. With a background in building billion-dollar brands for national retailers, having spent 13 years as a merchant for Target Corp, he brings a highly curated eye and deep intention to every space he touches. Phil is a nurse anesthetist and outdoor enthusiast whose calm presence and love for wellness, nature, and craftsmanship shape the peaceful energy guests feel the moment they arrive. We’re the perfect blend of form and function!
Hi, we’re Bret and Phil—partners in life, design, and this wild dream we now call the Mendocino Tree House
Our Background
Our Story
We met in Minneapolis 15 years ago and eloped in Big Sur where we first fell in love with the California coast. The pull of the West—its vast landscapes, slower rhythm, and deep connection to nature—kept calling. In 2023, we made the leap, relocating to Mount Shasta, CA with the intention to live more fully and create spaces that reflect what we value most: simple beauty, rest, community, and meaning. In Fall 2024, we founded the Mendocino Tree House in Mendocino, CA as an extension of that vision—a place where travelers could experience the magic of the redwoods wrapped in elevated design and soul-soothing stillness.
Credit: Header image by Ilanit Litman/@blue.ilaa
