Longtime residential designer applies her good taste to Houston’s restaurant scene.
Article by Diane Cowen
Originally published in River Oaks Lifestyle
Courtney Hill Fertitta is known for her elegant and timeless touch in residential interior design but lately she’s found a new outlet for her creativity at popular Houston restaurants.
She’s been busy adding color and rich pattern to the original Carraba’s, which opened nearly 40 years ago, and to two of the city’s newer restaurants, Bludorn and Navy Blue, a pair launched by chef-restaurateur Aaron Bludorn and his wife, Victoria. Her newest accomplishment is being named a Leader in Design by the Houston Design District.
“I love growing and learning, so that has been amazing for us. And everything we’ve learned on the restaurant side has helped us with the residential side. We’re able to make decisions so much faster now,” Courtney said of her Courtney Hill Interiors design firm.
Courtney and her husband, Jason Fertitta, CEO at the Americana Partners wealth management firm, also are partners in Brenham-based Truth Barbecue’s Houston outpost. The couple married in 2001, and now are the parents of three teenagers.
Courtney and her team have designed beautiful homes all over the Houston area, and some in other parts of the country, too.
Her classic style embraces organic materials such as natural stone, but sees virtue in durable manmade materials, too. Many homes need to be kid and pet-friendly, and she embraces tech-driven materials that let beautiful rugs and fabrics stand up to the rigors of daily life.
“We’ve done some amazing residential projects, and I was itching to do something a little different. The restaurants were a way to add to my portfolio. Who knows, maybe we’ll do some furniture design or fabric lines or boutique hotels in the future.”
