Maintaining Brand Longevity—and Other Lessons From the Novogratz

When I look through a book to prepare for an interview, I often skim for the major points and quotable one-liners. But in the case of The Novogratz Chronicles: Lessons Learned from 25 Years of Buying and Renovating Houses, which hits bookshelves today, I devoured the whole thing. Husband-and-wife design duo Robert and Cortney Novogratz’s heartwarming anecdotes—from the historical wallpaper uncovered in their first demo that inspired their wedding color palette to a Thanksgiving move-in that put the extended family on curtain-sewing duty—weave between hard-earned lessons on how to finance projects, navigate TV and licensing deals, build and sustain a brand, and more. Spoiler: After 25 years in design, the obstacles don’t get easier, they just get more familiar. I caught up with the couple to dive even deeper into these trade tales and more.

–Mel Studach, Senior Editor, AD PRO

Brand Builders

Mel: The book opens in a gritty New York in 1995, the year you purchased your first reno property. Do you miss that city, particularly from the lens of architecture and design?

Cortney: We call it the Wild West for designers. The opportunities were endless. The buildings were affordable. The Meatpacking District was the meatpacking district.

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