Downtown Chic

There's a new book on the newstands in the UK called DOWNTOWN CHIC. Yes I know you lot in the US have had it for a while but I wanted to grab your attention about it because the super amazing, glamourous and err... well big family (7 kids in total) behind it all have been picked up by BRAVO TV as the new must watch family from January 2010. The name of the show 9X Design.

I had the opportunity a few years ago to cover a story about the hip, young artsy New York couple, Cortney and Robert Novogratz, and their six (they now have seven) children regarding their amazing home they transformed. Since then they have gained global reputation under their company name SIXX Design for their ability to develop and design many unique properties in Manhattan, New York and beyond. Rebuilding entire city blocks from the ground up, they have perfected the art of turning funky into fabulous. Using a creative mix of high and low for their signature look, every detail is considered and executed with taste, luxury, confidence, always with an unexpected twist! .

Last year I was invited by Cortney and Robert to come and visit their newest development. Their new family New York home. I was very excited to see it so when I turned up I was a little shocked. They invited me to a building site. The home wasn't built yet however it only took minutes with Robert's enthusasim to guide me around the property telling me how he had just purchased a table from Zaha Hadid, pointing down to a wet damp area where the basket ball court was going (yes there is an inside basket ball court) and detail descriptions how this home was all about family. I couldn't help but fall in love with their dream. You can only imagine how excited I have been to see the finished  poject and well here it is photographed by the very talented New York based photographer Matthew Williams.

Their first book, DOWNTOWN CHIC, from Rizzoli delves into the decade-long history of SIXX DESIGN, from their original projects in Chelsea (NYC), two homes on the outer edges of Soho (NYC, and their most recent masterpiece at 5 Centre Market Place, New York changing the entire block from a gun shop and condemned properties to a showplace of modern, urban elegance.

SIXX DESIGN took shape in 1995, where Cortney and Robert were married in Georgia.  Both from large families and both with parents who were decorating enthusiasts, the couple moved to New York.  They are the parents of seven children: Wolfgang, 12, twins Bellamy and Tallulah, 10, Breaker, 8, twins Five and Holleder, 4, and the newest addition to the family, a son, Major.