America's Sweetheart

Firehoses and guinea pig genetics and horse scapulas mix elegantly with sunflowers and Derian plates and hip travel books. Welcome to the world of Courtney Smith Barton.

Last spring, I had the pleasure to spend time with Barton of Inside the Loop before she headed off for adventures on the other side of the world (read more about those adventures at Shrimp & Petroleum). The result was a feature for Refueled Magazine - Issue 3.

Here's the resulting story....

Upon stepping into the 1926 bungalow of Courtney Smith Barton, one is struck by the perfect marriage of feminine and masculine, elegant and industrial, quirky and refined. There is an art to creating a home where old and new co-exist in clever harmony. When done right, a living space can be a great reflection of an owner’s personality. 

Courtney is a girl with strong Southern roots and inevitable destiny in the design world. And fortunately, she is not afraid to seize life as an adventure. These aspects of her personality are reflected in her bold sense of fashion and decor. 

Uprooting herself from Louisiana, she moved to New York to pursue her dreams in the fashion industry. Several years later, she and her husband, JJ, moved to their hip home in the heart of the Houston Heights. And this audacious gal brought more than a passionate addiction to footwear and John Derian plates in her move. 

Courtney brought together the distinct stories and histories of a newly married couple.  There is an easy and interesting mix of family photos and cherished heirlooms, like her grandmother’s fur stole and a vintage mirror from her husband’s parents. All of these items are woven subtly through the space in a way that fit well into the couple’s modern sensibility. 

While setting up her Heights home, Courtney cultivated a love for finding and decorating with unusual pieces. Pieces that added to their new story. Pieces that long to be discussed. 

Pieces like the horse leg that rode precariously in the couple’s back seat on the way home from a Christmas party at a favorite antique shop. The large leg bone sits boldly beneath a Derian plate of a horse head. 

While living in Houston, Courtney and JJ have maximized their 1250 square foot home and generous outdoor space by hosting seasonal parties, including outdoor movie nights. Never ones to shy away from an opportunity to entertain, this couple likes to make sure they always have on hand the makings for “one hell of a night”. 

Unafraid of mixing strong patterns and utilizing spirited color palettes, Courtney’s motto is to be bold and follow her heart. She draws inspiration from a large collection of photography, travel, and hotel-related coffee table books. Courtney and JJ have recently left their Houston home to pursue new adventures around the world. No doubt this experience will only add more interesting elements to an already striking sense of style.

--Cheryl Schulke