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Cortney Novogratz

Another Adventure

"Like everything else we do, we tried to put our own unique stamp on the book and make it different than anything else out there on the market."

May 18, 2010

This week’s episode was among our favorite filming experiences on 9 by Design. It features our design book, DOWNTOWN CHIC, which we worked on so hard, poured our hearts into, and were so gratified by how well-received it was all around the world. It was a great way to connect with people on the subjects of both design and our family experiences creating homes! Like everything else we do, we tried to put our own unique stamp on the book and make it different than anything else out there on the market.

When we finally chose a publisher for the book, we decided on Rizzoli—because of their great reputation, a rich history of art and design books, and the fact that they published books we loved, like Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren. It was all a big deal for us, and the experience has been a very happy and rewarding one! We are working on a second book now.

This episode begins in New York, and ends up at a book signing we did in London. We took the four older kids, and left Five, Holly and Major at home. We really wanted the older kids to get a chance to explore London, and the younger kids will get a chance to go when they can appreciate the experience more. We really hit up all the sights, both historical and just plain fun, like a trip to the London Eye! That was amazing on so many levels.

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I love your show!! It's so visually interesting on so many levels, from your clothes, to your accessories, to your projects, to your children. Can't wait to get a hold of your book!

YOU GO GIRL!! I just found out about your family and your show tonight. WOW!! I asked about you at the reunion.....I really wanted to see you!! I am so happy that you are having such a great life with such a wonderful family! I will have to start watching your show now! I know you must be busy but if you have a chance....shoot me an email!! Good luck on your continued success!! We are all rooting for our hometown gal!!

Nicki

Hey Guys

Love the show & the Book and & your work! Headed to London & was wondering can share some cool places I should visit, while looking for decor for my home?

thanks & Bravo if your reading this, please be filiming nor for next season.

What happened to the nanny? Do you still have one? I noticed that George was watching the kids. Just wondering if everything worked out.

Mom of 4 Cedar Hill, Texas

You guys design some beautiful homes. I can tell there is a lot of love that goes into everything you all do, I can feel it beaming out of my TV. I love how you guys go out and reuse things in creative ways that you find at thrift stores. It's a concept we all can take advantage of in some manner. Also, your kids are very lucky to have such hip parents!

I dont watch tv very often, but love your show. I have a fun store on Houston with a look of "Mae West meets Stevie Nicks" so I use a lot of vintage props in the store. It has been fun watching the funky designs y'all use in your work. Stay as you are and keep up the great work, as both a designer and most of all as a wife and mom! xo...deb

Dear Cortney & Robert

By far, you have the BEST show Bravo has ever presented. If there's a sign-up sheet to bring your show back, let me know & I'll sign it. I hope you and your incredible family have a long run on Bravo. It's the best hour on TV.

Your book (which I bought)is visually stunning! Your creativity and energy unfolds in every page. I truly admire people who use their full talents (like you two). And I love the fact that you're raising your children to be risk takers. Our country needs more of that now. You have wonderful, down-to-earth children. Your family is joy to watch!

After every show, I come away inspired by something I've seen. And your energy is so palpable...it leaps off the screen. I wish you & your family much success and happiness in the years ahead. Definitely write more books when you can. You two embody cool creativity!! All the best,

Mary

Cheers to you!

Love your show, your family and the beautiful work you and your husband do. Can't wait to buy your book.

Enjoy both the design & family elements in your show! Thanks for sharing. Your book is in my Amazon shopping cart.

Cortney, From all accounts the book looks fantastic and high style. Congratulations! ps....your children are the cutest!

I'm probably echoing what others have thought and said, but I'm so happy to finally see a positive reality show about wild creativity, family bonds, hard work and charity. A really refreshing and inspiring success story. (I think we've all seen enough gossiping rich housewives.)

I'll be ordering the book, I absolutely love this design aesthetic.

Good energy! Adore your show! You guys are real and fresh! The home on the West side is my fav. Would buy if I had enough dough, but not quite there just yet. It's probably already gone anyhow? Right? I hope for you cause I know as well as your doing what comes in does go out! With 7 children especially! Love the the show. Your children are fantastic, but of course look at their wonderfully loving, giving, fun, beautiful and talented mother and father! People like you are the ones that should be having children! Keep real Keep giving Keep creating... Julie Bakerville EnvironmentalMuse.com

I think you two are geniuses! Love you work and am going to buy the book. Can you help me out--I decorated my house pretty well w/furniture but ugh I don't know what color to paint the walls (any of them!). Any hints on choosing paint color?

P.S. Love all those kids. Keep it up.

LOVE your show! Thanks for sharing your amazing lives with us! Bravo - please bring us a Season 2!

OMG, we enjoy your show so much, it is fun and educational in its way. As parents you are, FINALLY, good examples on Bravo.

And then the inevitable previews of those horrible Thursday night "Housewives"- we can only groan- after your refreshing show, they seem more toxic than ever.

Congratulations on all of your well-deserved successes. Your children are incredibly down-to-earth, beautiful, and so obviously well loved. You and your husband should be so proud of the fantastic job you are doing raising them.

I LOVE your show! You guys are such a adorable family and I love how you and Robert are as a couple. I have a question. What made you come up with some uncommon names of your children like Holly and Five. I love non popular names!!!

Do you take submissions from artists? Just curious, I am an artist and make some interesting items from time to time.

Everytime I think of the "Rainbow Star" nanny incident I start to giggle.

I saw your show for the first time last night and fell in love with both your design style and with your adorable family. As a fellow designer and mother of two I hope I can expand both my family and business as gracefully as you! Congrats!! Sincerely, Hilary White www.liv-chic.com

I LOVE watching your show!! What a beautiful family. Your kids are ALL so adorable!!! I love how you and your husband interact, and even though you have 7 kids you don't have to yell at him and boss him around like a different reality TV Mom of 8. ahem

I hope Bravo realizes what a gem you all are and keeps the show on for a LONG time.

I love this show. Always feel good after watching it. The family is fun, minimal drama and up-beat. What's not to like? Also, I am looking at the white walls of my apartment with a whole new appreciation!

I have never gotten on to "blog" about a show but I LOVE this show, this family, the creativity, EVERYTHING about it.

You guys are so incredibily talented. I envy you!!!

Kim from Texas

everything about you and your beautiful family is a delicious eye treat your feel for style and design shines in your children they are paying attention

Love love love the show. The design part is cool and everything, but I tune in for the family interaction. What great parents, and the kids...so cute. Those 5 year old twins crack me up. However I almost cried with the little blond one when his mom was leaving for London...I forgot how quickly they recover haha. I see the 12 year old boy on the cover of teen mags in a couple of years haha. Look forward to seeing you next week.

Cortney... I love the show-- you and your family are so kind, grounded and hip-- fun to see your lives in NY. I've got your show Tivo'ed and have been catching up. Just saw that you had a Parsons table in the Hamptons remodel-- oddly enough, I've been looking for one for my house, so it was nice to see we had the same taste :-) Can you let me know where you found it? Best, B

Cortney,

I must say me and my fiance LOVE your show. We laugh and smile throuout and are awed by you and your husband's design aesthetic. Your children are AWESOME and so stinkin cute! You also crack me up with your changing accent--sometimes southern, and sometimes northern.

It's great to have such a positive show on Bravo about something everyone can appreciate. I look forward to picking up your book.

Take Care, Marianne

PS, I think you should get a dog, and if you ever come to GA, I'll totally help your nanny watch the kids!

I really love ALL of Anne Carrigton's work that has been on the show, thus far!!!! I find it, magnetic and mesmerizing. I can't take my eyes off of it!!

I didn't realize that all my favorite pieces that I've been staring at, were all by her. Nor what they were made from!!

I'll keep my eye out for them, in future episodes!

Still watching the show and loving everything about it, including you and your family!!

You guys are the cutest!!! Love the show!!! Kids are awesome. You have a great sense of style and charm!!!

I love the way you guys treat your kids like KIDS, and not fragile little dolls! It reminds me of growing up in the '60s and '70s--big crazy families, bumps and bruises, kids yelling and parents yelling and everyone just taking care of each other--the exact opposite of how people treat their one or two darling, precious offspring today! More power TO ya, Novogratzes! :-)

Your show is by far one of the very best reality series out there! Not since the Osbournes, have I been so transfixed and interested in the details of someone life other than my own! Your children are all so lovely - and the way you appear to raise them makes it look easy, which of course is far from the truth! Those boys of yours are going to grow up into some very handsome men! I hope the ladies of NY are ready! Do they know what they want to do and be when they grow up?

A hopeless romantic, may I ask how the two of you met and fell in love? You seem so compatible, yet uniquely different and so very patient with the reality of parenthood -

Thank you for your latest book, time and sharing your interesting lives with us!

Gina

Love your show!!!! You both seem so down to earth.....Please don't go Jon & Kate on us :-)

Novogratz! You are the coolest people on the face of the earth! Positive Energy all the way! Congrats and wishing you all the best for success!

Cortney,

This was a fun episode. I loved seeing Ann's sudio and work and watching Robert surprise you with a date night for the history books. It's always the little moments that get me so my favorite moment was when scouring the antique store Breaker picked out toys for Five and Holly. Such a testament that you taught your kids the importance of love and family. Congratulations on the book. I already have my copy and disagree with whatever Massachusetts mom said you had the ugliest shutters in the state. You have the HAPPIEST shutters in the world! Of all your homes and projects, I adore the country house the most. What I wouldn't give for a whirl on the trampoline. :)

Great show, great family, great (unspoiled) kids and great creativity. Keep it up. And don't get caught in the media hype and become a Kate and Jon. When are the repeats of this show

Love the show and your family's spirit. The little ones may be a little out of control, but I am sure your older ones are an example of how they will mature. I appreciate that your children have a social conscience about the world and are learning real lessons about how to be a Mensch. I hope all your interactions off screen are as loving as the onscreen ones.

You are all amazing people. What signs are you? So calm, cool and collected. It is fun and inspirational to watch you every week. You give and give back. What a talented and loving family. Great job!

OMG I love your show!!!!!! I wish it was on everyday. You both are so inspirational in your carrers and your family life. I was wondering where I could order that wallpaper that you did in that office (the one with family photo's put on wallpaper). Words can not express how much I was blown away by that!!!!! I would love to do something like that in my small office in our home.

Bridgette

Totally enjoying every aspect of this show! Cortney and Robert you are so natural and the kids are well...just kids which makes it amusing and fascinating. The designs, deadlines, and struggles of balancing work and family are all real. Your energies are enviable. Thank you for letting us peak into your lives!

I love this show,you are such a fun family to watch, also such great ideas!

Finally a program on Brave where the parents really do love their children. They are your children not show pieces. The way you all love each other is a breath of fresh air.

All the best

My friend got me watching your show and now I am hooked!! I am redoing my daughters bedroom and have a new big shelving piece that would go PERFEECT with your daughter Bellamy's bed. Where did you find it???? I'm one of those who won't buy something until I find what I like, so right now her room is only half done with her old bed that does not go with the new piece. Please if you read these let me know where or if I can get that bed?? Best wishes!! Thank you, Jenny

How about you are my favorite couple in the whole wide world. I love your design aesthetic and you are great parents, as exemplified by your wonderful children. The idea for your next book should be about doing what you do, but on a budget. Peace!

Courtney, Love your show! You're a fantastic mom and designer, I don't know how you do it all.

Question, What are your favorite antique/vintage shops in New York?

Love Love the show...Love how you and your husband interact when designing a project. The insight you both have to show your children that you give back to your community and to help others is wonderful ... our society needs to do more of that with our children....wonderful example to set. Would love for you to share the names of the shops in New York where you purchase items for your projects...keep up the good work great show!

BEST SHOW EVER - Bravo !

love your show and your style, i specially enjoy your twin boys and how they act, i myself came from a big family and i am a twin so yes twins are a handful. but you manage it well,you are the backbone of the family and give women as well as mother a good name that. nothing can stop you from achieving your dream i am glad bravo made a TV show like this and hope you would come back a second season

love your show and your style, i specially enjoy your twin boys and how they act, i myself came from a big family and i am a twin so yes twins are a handful. but you manage it well,you are the backbone of the family and give women as well as mother a good name that. nothing can stop you from achieving your dream i am glad bravo made a TV show like this and hope you would come back a second season

Oh Courtney,

Your show is a breath of fresh air! Watching Bellamy laugh and watch her eyes twinkle(just like yours does) when she talks is one of my favorite parts of the show!

The only problem I have with your show is that I don't get to see enough of Major! He is ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE! Pretty please, more of Major!

Hi Ya'll!

Q: what was the fabric that you chose for the back of the vintage chairs for the office (forget his name) that's like a cornflower blue/natural white (hard to tell) in a sort of geometric?

Love taking vintage pieces and infusing them with new life.

Cheers!

-L.A. (@notinla)