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‘Open shelving makes party prep and clean-up so much easier,’ says Courtnay Tartt Elias, principal, Creative Tonic Design. ‘By storing commonly used dishes and trays in easy-access open shelves and lesser used pieces a bit higher up – but still on open shelves – it’s a breeze to see what dishes you need before your party.’

Creating bespoke, layered environments that celebrate the beauty of everyday moments. Current projects include designing a multi-structure compound at a Texas Hill country golf resort, a stunning new build English Regency home in Houston, and two vibrant homes for empty nesters on the Gulf Coast.

When the British textile designer, poet, and activist William Morris wrote, "The past is not dead, it is living in us, and will be alive in the future which we are now helping to make," he likely never imagined the design world would be celebrating nature's beauty through his iconic Arts and Crafts motifs more than 160 years later.

Small kitchens can be challenging but they can also be really rather special. For one thing, it’s easy to make them feel cozy, and there’s a place for everything and it’s always close to hand. Plus, you’ll need to buy fewer cabinets to fit out a small kitchen, so your budget will go further.

If the kitchen is the heart of a home, you don’t want it a jumbled mess. Not only will kitchen organization free up valuable countertop space for meal prep and enhance your cooking experience, but a tidy space will also make family gatherings that much more enjoyable when you’re not distracted by clutter.

Royal blue is navy blue's vivid cousin. It's a deep hue that's adjacent to cobalt or azure. It's a mesmerizing, bright, rich color that lives up to its royal name. This stunning shade of blue is a favorite of designers for its versatility.

The past year’s design scene was marked by showstopping kitchens, eco-friendly materials, and over-the-top maximalism. But 2023 will soon be a distant memory, and the new year and a fresh approach to the spaces we live in will be upon us.

It’s safe to say that designers are wild about using marble all throughout the home, be it on a kitchen counter or in accent form.

No one wants their home to feel like a showroom – a house that exudes warmth and personality is much more appealing. "The key to a home that feels like YOU is leaning into what you already love! Shop your home for things you collect, or plan to begin collecting things you love," says Courtnay Tartt Elias, founder of Creative Tonic Design.

Orange paint isn't always the first choice that comes to mind when you start designing the color palette for your home. But this cheerful, vibrant hue is more versatile than you might imagine, and it doesn't have to be deeply saturated and neon (though it can be!). You could choose a warm apricot, a sunny peach, or a rich rust.

Maximalist interior designers are masters of combining patterns, palettes, textures, and layers to achieve the “more is more” aesthetic, bringing a riot of color, form, and pattern to every room they create. Although it may not everyone’s cup of tea, the trend towards bolder interiors has grown steadily and significantly over the past few years, as

Envisioned as a serene space for a couple and four small childrento relax and reconnect, this primary bath is all about finding a bit of calm in each day. To set the tone, the homeowner told interior designer Courtnay Tartt Elias that she wanted to feel like she was living in Longoria Collection, one of her favorite Houston houseware shops.

If you’re looking to add a bit of flair to any room of the home, consider incorporating jewel tones, which are a designer favorite, no matter the mood you wish to set. As designer Courtnay Tartt Elias says, “Jewel tones can read as understated and old-world elegant, or bright, punchy, and modern—and everything in between!”

Southerners are known for their love of heirloom pieces, and many interior designers have flawlessly integrated these special antiques into their own homes. Here, nine pros weigh in to share their favorite heirlooms that they personally own and also offer styling tips for those struggling with how to introduce a more storied piece into a contempora

Her avant-garde approach to design and technicolor interiors have garnered a proceeding reputation for interior designer Courtnay Tartt Elias of… pure fun. The principal designer of Creative Tonic, Courtnay has been fashioning together interiors that invite celebration, layered with inventive pattern combinations.

Though you might be all about cozy living room ideas as the temperature starts to drop, a successful home design should feel comfortable year-round. A plush throw is simply not enough, but having one is certainly a plus.

Ever wonder how interior designers know how to style coffee table books so flawlessly? It turns out, selecting and displaying coffee table books throughout the home is somewhat of an art form.

Where would American culture be without Barbie, the doll who officially is 64 years old but still looks like the "Teen-age Fashion Model" she was created to be? She's been the subject of little girls' dreams and academic research, "Saturday Night Live" skits and even an exhibit at the Louvre in Paris.

Clearly, these AD PRO Directory Houston interior designers are redefining southern style. From interiors rich in color and patterns through furniture upholstery, curtain fabrics, wallpaper, and millwork to more neutral high-end spaces with a modern industrial twist, these six studios all put their unique stamp on residences in the Houston area and

Whether you already own a dark brown sofa or have plans to buy one in the near future, you might be wondering how to best style this piece in your living room. What colors will pair best with this large item of furniture?

Do you own a brown sofa or many different wooden pieces of furniture? If so, you might wonder which colors will best complement these items. It turns out that many hues happen to look fantastic alongside brown, whether you're looking to go bold or keep things simple with a neutral palette.

For some, bold prints and paints might be too much for larger, heavy-use spaces like kitchens and bedrooms—but they do provide perfect powder room ideas. Often reserved for those convivial occasions when guests come over, these less-trafficked petite rooms are just the place to transcend neutrals and make a statement with riskier design schemes.

We’re still weeks away from summer, but the latest launches are already sizzling hot. From desert-themed wall murals to scalloped brick tiles, here are 10 standouts from the current round of releases.

Whether you’re an everyday reader or only manage to squeeze in a few pages here and there, you deserve to tuck into a good book. These reading nooks are equal parts warm, inviting, and showstopping—the perfect setting for your dedicated reading time, no expansive home library necessary.

Front door colors truly make a lasting first impression. “The color of the front door is the first thing that guests and visitors notice when entering your home, so it’s important to make a statement with a color that complements the overall exterior aesthetic,” states Skip Sroka of Sroka Design in Washington, DC.

If you thought the reign of pink was over with the slow fade of the Millennial shade, think again. According to interior designers, pink decor for any room is definitively in this year—from blushing rose to magenta and every hue in between. The pastel posy has proved itself a serious contender when it comes to decorating the home.

Rooms of jewellike color and glorious pattern. Enchanting lacquered ceilings and geometric floors. Brilliantly massed collections of furniture, objects, and art.

If you need some inspiration as you select a range hood for your kitchen, you won't want to miss out on the 30 range hood ideas below. They're chock full of excellent ideas that will fit a variety of styles from maximalism to neutrals, and everything in between.

Gone are the days of solely relying on all-white kitchens or natural wood cabinetry for kitchen color ideas. After all, the heart of the home longs for a paint color that gives your kitchen cabinets personality and the attention they deserve.

The kitchen is considered the "heart of the home" for a reason — it's the central gathering place for family and friends, plus it's where you spend hours preparing and enjoying your favorite meals. Not only can lighting completely transform a kitchen design, but choosing the right fixtures make food prep, cooking and cleaning much easier.

We all know how much of an effect paint can have on space—which is why the paint color (and style) you choose for the molding of a room is also incredibly important. Whether you're into muted or vibrant colors, a flat or glossy finish, and everything in between, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Blessed with a view? Take advantage. "In this home, historic guidelines wouldn't allow us to change the windows to extend the countertop, but adding casual seating underscores the inviting feel of the space and provides the perfect spot to chat with friends during a party," says Courtnay Tartt Elias, creative director of Creative Tonic.

The annual Houston PaperCity Design Awards kicked off Texas Design Week Houston in the Post Oak Hotel’s grand ballroom. The awards recognize winning projects from 21 categories, and were selected out of hundreds of submissions.

Texas Design Week Houston cooked up an exciting panel at CookChill to discuss all things kitchen design. Both designers and professional chefs offered two points of view on what design elements make the best kitchen.

Matching high-contrast neutrals with touches of color, this Robert Dame-designed dwelling built by Thompson Custom Homes in Houston is an achievement in casual sophistication. High-gloss lacquer, metallic finishes and bespoke elements add notes of modern elegance throughout.

In an Acadian-style Houston abode built by Thompson Custom Homes, this powder room makes a statement with a bespoke Emperador marble pedestal sink featuring a burnished-brass front fabricated by Root Lab.

Whether you own a million dollar home or simply want your home to feel like a million dollars, bringing in luxurious style doesn’t have to come at a price. Simple changes like installing wallpaper and bringing nature into your home are great ways to achieve luxury without breaking the bank.

Each week, Mansion Global tackles a topic with an elite group of designers from around the world who work on luxury properties. This week, we explore how to set an outdoor table to impress your guests.

Each week, Mansion Global tackles a topic with an elite group of designers from around the world who work on luxury properties. This week, we look at how to embrace pastel colors within your home.

Our vaulted ceiling ideas explore the magnificent design opportunities and varied vaulted styles that stem from this historic construction technique.

Our beamed ceiling ideas explore how these architectural ceiling elements are not just part of the structural design and construction of your home, but can bring in beautiful visual interest, texture and uniqueness to your space.

Farmhouse curtain ideas play an invaluable role in how a room looks and feels. Not only do they offer a versatile way to control light levels and privacy, but they also provide endless decorative benefits.

Our bedroom ceiling ideas explore the creative possibilities for this under-appreciated surface area in the home. The ceiling can often be left behind when planning bedroom ideas, simply painted white or another simple neutral shade for ease.

A timeless design feature that brings the beauty of natural materials indoors, our wood ceiling ideas explore the everlasting popularity and capabilities of working with wood in interior design.

Our bathroom ceiling ideas provide beautiful inspiration for a surface that is often painted white and simply fitted with functional lighting.

Our kitchen ceiling ideas can help you establish a stand out design for this central hub of the home. When planning out a scheme for a room, the ceiling is generally not considered in the design, usually painted white, however, this surface area provides a whole host of creative possibilities.

Sometimes the best ideas spring from a frustrating situation, as designer Courtnay Tartt Elias of Creative Tonic discovered at her home in the Tanglewood neighborhood of Houston. “The houses on my street are set way back from the curb with huge lawns, which was perfect for my three boys to play all their games when they were growing up,” she says.

Arranging a beautiful table is, for some, practically a competitive sport. But for the most gracious of hosts, it’s always, in one way or another, an homage: a nod to those before them — the mothers, grandmothers, and others who worked to integrate tradition, memories, and beauty into daily life.

It’s in the stars: The Kinkaid School’s art and design auction returns this month — a collecting opportunity that also does good, funding a new student wellness center and a community cause, the Engineering Math Science Institute summer program for underserved youth.

Organizing a desk well is at the heart of any home office area that is designed with efficiency in mind. The ultimate desk will support you through the working day by keeping essentials close to hand, without disrupting creativity or flow.

It’s no wonder that white shower tile ideas are the number one choice for so many bathrooms. They look fresh, help keep the space light-filled, and work in a neutral scheme or one with colorful accents. They’re enduringly stylish, too, and won’t date a room in years to come.

Known for her fearless use of colour and inventive flair, the Principal and Creative Director of Houston-based Creative Tonic wowed visitors to Kips Bay Dallas with her bold Moulin Rouge Media Lounge. Courtnay Tartt Elias talks rugs and rooms with Rachel Meek.

A tonic is said to energize — and that’s certainly the effect of Courtnay Tartt Elias’s interiors at her firm, Creative Tonic. Gravitating toward all that is colorful, Elias uses rich palettes, patterns and textures (think chinoiserie wallpaper and pom pom fringe) to create imaginative spaces centered around the art of gathering and celebration. “I

Houston-based designer Courntay Elias of Creative Tonic Design is known for her colorful, layered interiors that always feature a bit of Texas flair and emphasize artwork when possible. The designer is no stranger to decorating family rooms and other gathering spaces where a television needs to be front and center, and she actually encourages her

When designing a home for a big family, meeting everyone's needs (and finding space for everything!) is certainly a priority–and Courtnay Tartt Elias of Creative Tonic Design learned that it's possible to do just that without compromising the interior design of a space. In this Houston home, Tartt Elias–working with Thompson Custom Homes and archit

It was the staircase seen around the world: Sasha Bikoff’s spectacularly maximalist creation for the 2018 Kips Bay Show House in New York had design lovers near and far enamored when her colorful masterpiece was unveiled at one of the world’s most prestigious show houses. The inspiration? Memphis design, a movement that began in the 1980s, in Italy

Lighting is a vital element of every interior design. Naturally, it has to complement the room scheme and look great in its own right, but lighting fixtures also have to provide a comfortable level of light for the whole space, create sufficient illumination for activities such as reading and working, plus highlight chosen features of the space.

The annual Houston PaperCity Design Awards elicited over 300 project entries from interior designers and architects in 21 categories, each reviewed and commented upon by our panel of judges: designers Alessandra Branca, Ashley Whittaker, Corey Damen Jenkins, Matthew Patrick Smyth, Tom Scheerer and architect Michael Imber.

The annual Houston PaperCity Design Awards elicited over 300 project entries from interior designers and architects in 21 categories, each reviewed and commented upon by our panel of judges: designers Alessandra Branca, Ashley Whittaker, Corey Damen Jenkins, Matthew Patrick Smyth, Tom Scheerer and architect Michael Imber.

SheSpace is a 6,000-square-foot work, connection, education and social space designed by women for women. The concept was built by a team of 33 women. The team incorporated female-owned businesses as much as possible and female representatives the rest of the time.

Completed in collaboration with Robert Dame Designs and Thompson Custom Homes, this Houston residence features steel windows, Rocky Mountain Hardware details and custom lighting that continue into the outdoor spaces.

For some, working remotely has totally transformed the way they think about their daily routine, while others can’t wait to get back to the office. We asked five designers—Whitney Durham, Annie Elliott, Tracy Morris, Kristen Nix and Courtnay Tartt Elias—whether they’ll continue to work from home after the pandemic.

While the pandemic has made much of the working world recognize the extent of what’s possible to accomplish virtually, for many people, working remotely has long been their preference. Sarah Durnez, a virtual design assistant who has been freelancing for over a decade, says that the crisis just shed light on a category of workers who’ve always been

Part of a major renovation, the bathroom in this 1920s Spanish craftsman-style Houston residence features black, white and gray hexagon mosaic flooring, large-scale porcelain tile on the shower walls and a vintage Murano glass lower chandelier

What happens when you combine two strong women with a passion for community, and an explosion of vibrant pinks and greens? The answer is SheSpace – a coworking outfit opening in October in the Lower Heights District.

Singular Space – Dining or Entertaining

Singular Space - Bedroom

My daily commute to work is a long one, and on days with especially bad traffic I find myself fantasizing about working from home: imagine the luxury of getting two hours of my life back five days a week. I could read a book or learn to bake bread, clean up my yard or even clean up my house with all of that extra time.

Courtnay Elias remembers a lot of carpet padding, sawdust, and eating out of coolers in her childhood. “I’m so lucky my Mom taught me about renovation and design,” says the owner of Houston’s Creative Tonic design firm, known for her gutsy blends of color, pattern, art, and diverse styles.

Skylights and a 20-foot-high cathedral ceiling make a great framework for this modern-day Art Deco wet room and bathing retreat in Houston. Among the dazzling details: geometric inlaid walls and floors clad in Juparana Bianco marble and a silver slipper cast-iron tub that gleams in the light streaming through a 12-foot window.

Julie Soefer, a sought-after culinary, interiors, and portrait photographer in Houston, first met Courtnay Tartt Elias, creative director and principal of the local design firm Creative Tonic, nearly a decade ago at the opening of one of her shows. Fueled by mutual admiration for each other's work, a friendship was sparked.

With warm summer days officially behind us, you may already find yourself longing for paradise. And while we can’t provide you with a real-life tropical getaway, there are ways to bring that classic island charm into your home. We asked some wonderful top designers to share their favorite tropical color schemes, along with ways to get the look no m

I started Creative Tonic Design about 10 years ago as a special events company and after styling several events for clients one asked if we would help decorate her home… you betcha! My background is in Decorative Arts (I worked and studied 19thc + 20thc Decorative arts at Sotheby’s in London) and I fell in love with the industry and found designing

Courtnay Tartt Elias is no shrinking violet. Her legendary soirees are as richly vibrant as her personality and Houston residence. She is known for her love of color, and especially her fearless use of purple—a color often associated with creativity, splendor, and devotion.

After long upholding tradition, or seldom straying from the well-practiced belief that the past must be present, hosting the new is the ever-widening French mantra. As the twenty-first century continues to unfold, sumptuously accessorized rooms filled with weighty furniture and voluminous draperies (embellished with swags and jabots) often feel st