Is it Martha or Mandy?
That’s the question founder and creative director Mandy Kellogg Rye gets all the time. And for good reason. Her beloved brand, Waiting On Martha, was originally penned as a homage to her favorite personality, the one and only Martha Stewart. But since the brand’s launch in 2012, Mandy has managed to make quite the name for herself.
A dreamer, a maker and a doer, she’s inspired by the art of creating a beautiful every day. So much that she’s made it her personal mission and the mission of her multi-faceted brand to help others do the same in their lives.
It all started with a blog and a desire to unite all of the things she loves the most in one place. From how-to’s for setting the perfect table and custom crafted cocktails sure to whet your whistle, to what Mandy’s wearing (including how she gets her signature pink lip) and the beloved “Currently Coveting” roundup, a glimpse of what’s on her ever-expanding want list, readers know that when they’re in need of a little inspiration, Mandy is just one click away. Her approachability is one of her best character traits, and readers can’t seem to get enough of her epigrammatic writing style.
Soon after the blog took off and Mandy could no longer keep up with the “where can I buy that?” requests, she decided it was high time to expand the brand. And with that, the
Waiting On Martha shop was born. With a keen eye for forecasting what’s new, now and next, a firm grasp on what her readers simply cannot live without, and a desire to be the resource for the necessities to create a beautiful day, Mandy began thoughtfully stocking the virtual shelves. On any given shopping day, you can find a variety of products spanning the home décor, tabletop, entertaining, paper, gift, men’s, women’s, kids and even pet categories. Each product found in the shop is unique, covetable, and above all, beautiful day approved.
It wasn’t long before Mandy’s style and natural knack for pulling together a look, whether it be for interiors, tabletop, lifestyle, holiday, food or florals, began to get noticed. As one of the top Atlanta bloggers, she began producing for brands like Pottery Barn, Le Creuset and Nordstrom, media giants like Garden & Gun and Style Me Pretty Living, and private clients across the country. In early 2015, she made the move to form a bonafide practice,
MKR Design & Consulting, which is officed out of the ADAC Atlanta headquarters. Her lineup of offerings include styling, design and consulting services for a variety of purposes, tastes and audiences.
Since inception, Mandy and Waiting On Martha have been featured in a variety of media outlets, from Lonny and Lucky to House Beautiful and Harper’s Bazaar. Her story and unique perspective on entrepreneurship and business have landed her opportunities to share her knowledge at events like The Southern Coterie Summit and Design Bloggers Conference.
Before Mandy became Mandy of Waiting On Martha, she had a lucrative career in healthcare digital consulting. A Michigan native, she’s a graduate of Bradley University and was a Chicago resident for many years before relocating to Atlanta in 2011. She lives with her husband, Anthony and their enchanting Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Addison. When Mandy isn’t writing, working with brands and private clients on styling and interior design projects or shopping at market, you can likely find her baking her way through Martha’s latest cookbook, brushing up on her photography chops, shopping (naturally, it’s part of the job), and planning her next jaunt to her favorite ski town.
