Elke Ridge began her love for interior design back in 1994 when she began her career working for Linda Gilbert, mother of nationally renowned tea guru and NY socialite Tracy Stern. Elke worked at Gilbert and Gilbert Designs in Deal, NJ and quickly moved on to manage Linda's store, T. Berry Square in Red Bank, NJ for 4 years learning the business before leaving to open her own bed, bath and home store in Spring Lake NJ.

As manager, Elke helped customers with orders, worked on window and floor displays, and day to day operations to keep the store running. She also attended trade shows and did the buying and restocking for the store. Within the first year, she began to go to customers houses to help the owner with design services. Her design experience in the field would then help her to assist Patti Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen in selecting furniture and bedding for their Rumson home on multiple occasions in the Red Bank store.