Not Your Average Vet: A Beautifully Designed Georgia Clinic Inspired by One Dog’s Story
After losing his dog Ruby, Jason Virdi set out to rethink what urgent veterinary care could look and feel like. The result? A clinic in Georgia designed not just for treatment, but for the experience around it. Take a look inside Ruby Vet. Image: Monica Carlson
When Jason Virdi set out to create Ruby Veterinary Urgent Care, he wasn’t just trying to build a better veterinary clinic. He was trying to make sense of a loss.
Ruby, his dog, was just 18 months old when complications from a routine spay led to a series of serious medical issues. A surgical error caused a blockage that led to a severe kidney infection, requiring months of specialized care, multiple procedures, and constant monitoring. Just as she appeared to be recovering, Ruby developed complications after a follow-up visit and died within 24 hours.
“It turned our world upside down and kicked off a grieving process that frankly hasn’t ended to this day,” Jason says.
But somewhere in the middle of his grief, Jason found a way to turn that loss into something meaningful.
What stayed with him wasn’t just the loss itself; it was the experience of navigating it — the constant movement between providers, the urgency, the uncertainty, and the feeling that, even when care was good, the system itself was difficult to move through.
“We were in and out of vet hospitals through Ruby’s journey,” Jason says. “I saw how talented the vets and techs were, and how much they cared, but also saw how hospitals were old and outdated.”
He goes on to explain that getting an appointment with a regular vet could take days (or even weeks during COVID), while emergency rooms were expensive, high-stress, and often more than what’s needed for the many urgent but not life-threatening issues pet owners face every day. “There had to be a better way, which is why we started Ruby and its ‘urgent care for pets model,'” he tells us.
That “better way” wasn’t just about medical capability. It was about everything surrounding it — the waiting, the environment, the feeling of walking into a space already carrying stress.
“We felt that good vet care and a good, inviting, warm experience didn’t have to be mutually exclusive. So we built our hospital to be warm, inviting, and calming, with much of the aesthetic you’d find at a home and tons of natural light, but with all the medical capabilities you’d expect in a high-end medical space,” Jason says.
That vision shaped who he brought in to help build it. Atlanta-based designers Joann Kandrac and Kelly Kole of Kandrac & Kole Interior Design were tasked with translating something abstract — grief, stress, care — into a physical environment that could actually support people in those moments.
“We knew from the start that the mission of Ruby Vet was to be a modern, experiential veterinary clinic that was unique to the Atlanta Market,” Joann shares. “A big part of the ‘experience’ of this clinic was that every space was rooted in great design.”
That thinking shows up immediately, but not in a way that feels over-the-top. The space is bright, but not harsh. There’s color, but it’s intentional. Even the exam rooms carry their own identity.
“We kicked off the project working with Fireclay Tile because we could customize the tiles in each exam room to Ruby Vet’s branded colors,” the designers explain. “Good lighting was key to helping the clinic not feel sterile and boring. The use of Spoonflower Wallpaper with dogs and cats added a bit of whimsy and personality to the clinic as well. We brought in Atlanta muralist Sarah Neuburger to paint a playful, colorful mural on the wall in the lobby.”
Each room feels thoughtfully put together without trying too hard. “Each exam room has its own personality with its own fun wallpaper and coordinating subway tiles, while other spaces like Mother’s Room, Comfort Room, and Restrooms have oversized colorful artwork,” Joann says. “There is a feeling of bright, happy energy infused throughout the entire clinic.”
Kelly adds, “As you can tell, it’s not your average veterinary hospital!”
But for all the visual detail, the design had to hold up to something much more practical: constant use.
“Every surface had to be considered because they are cleaned and sanitized throughout every day,” Joann and Kelly explain. “The flooring and countertops had to be durable, slip-resistant, and able to handle scratches, chemicals, and urine.”
That reality shaped nearly every material choice, from seating to surfaces.
“We used molded plastic Herman Miller Eames chairs in the lobby and exam rooms for their durability and wipeability, along with a customized reception desk in the lobby fabricated out of high-grade laminate,” Joann tells us. “The lobby has tambour wainscoting painted black so that bumps and bruises on the walls are not easily noticeable.”
Just as important was who the space was designed for.
“One of Jason’s top priorities was to make the staff experience as special as that of the pets and pet owners,” Kelly says. “The team break room has high ceilings, a massive window with great natural light (but with an extra-large motorized shade for nighttime privacy and security), a full kitchen, a gathering table, and a large screen TV.”
There are smaller moments of care built in, too … the kind you might miss if you weren’t looking for them. There’s even a room for nursing mothers — a small, quiet space adorned with a really comfortable lounge chair and artwork.
So, what does success look like now that Ruby Vet is up and running? “I hope people say that our team was caring and helpful, our hospital was calming and inviting (and clean!), and they felt they were getting the best care,” Jason says.
Ruby Vet may not be able to eliminate the stress of an urgent visit, but it can certainly create a space that feels calm, thoughtful, and supportive for pet owners when it matters most.
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Jenna von Oy Bratcher
Jenna von Oy Bratcher is StyleBlueprint's Editorial Operations Manager and Lead Content Editor. The East Coast native moved to Nashville almost two decades ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.