We are spending more time than ever at home. Whether you’ve been full blown social distancing, treating friend and foe alike like the plague, or working from home being bombarded with rotating meetings, you’ve gotten more familiar with the walls and halls of your domicile. Now that we actually get to live in our homes and get to actually enjoy the rent we spend every month, people are investing in their home from remodeling, redesigning, rearranging seems like everyone is taking the time to reimagine and perfect their sanctuaries from the outside world . While I have definitely become my mother in the cleaning aspect since we have been condemned to the inside, others like J.Courtney, have flourished and found that they have a talent for interior design and remodeling.
Recently purchasing a home in the Berkley side of St.Louis, the outside of the home is still true to the foundations no doubtably built in the 1900s, wiith a few rock beds, and a few wood paneled modern motifs, he sets the tone of being a young home owner, so by the time you walk through the threshold, you are anything but surprised by the youthful interior. Decor with pops of color and accenting art pieces are carefully placed along the walls and anchored shelves in the living room as soon as your walk in. A stone coffee table reminiscent of Kanye’s Wyoming home, and a slate stone couch simplify the more interesting accents. But the home isn’t the only thing fashionably relevant in this secluded home.
The inside of your home is probably one of the loudest statements you can make about your personal style. “Home decor is all about how you want to present yourself and your interests to anyone that enters your home.” he says. It shows a level of maturity, seeing as we all discovered in our twenties that a rug was not cheap, and a couch was about the same amount as rent, but more than anything it shows personality, values, interests, life. “The way you dress yourself in fashion, you dress your home in the same sense with decor”, he says. J.Courtney however didn’t just discover his knack for home making prowess, he actually specializes in it. “I’m a very detailed person in every aspect of my life” he says talking about the way he handles his remodeling projects and his pursuit of design. “ I am very particular about presentation and not over doing anything.” Founding his own remodeling company, SIG LLC., in 2019, J has more to offer on the outside as a tastemaker of style when it comes to fashion too.
Further back in besides the bedroom, is a room dedicated to Courtney’s love of designer fashion. Sneakers, boots, belts, a personal stylists; and probably a few aspiring fashion aficionados pipe dream, J.Courtney houses the good, the rare and the must haves in his second bedroom turned closet. Drawing inspo from the likes of Stefan Diggs, Rhuigi Villaseñor, and Jerry Lorenzo, J.Courtney’s ranges from the recent reform of high fashion street style, to the new age comfort contemporary being enforced by the pandemic. “ He’s got a rugged chic elegance to hime I like.” , he said describing Rhuigi’s style. “It’s like he can blend into any surrounding very comfortably, no matter what he wears, he’s perfected a very chameleon like style.” Heralding Jerry Lorenzo, as the ‘father of classic elegant comfort style’, his take on fashion is to not let the clothes do the talking. “I really love comfort. I think I’ve adopted a more loose fitting wardrobe these days.”, he says as he arranges accessories on a mirrored carrier. “ I think a pop of color is the attention getter. I enjoy being under the radar, whether that is what I’m trying to convey or not I might change it up, but no matter the occasion, I always try to ‘keep it chill’.”
Being covert is definitely something J.Courtney is familiar with, never causing too much of a scene he has remodeled interiors for a number of renovated and new builds in the St.Louis. Never one to give all the details, J is looking to take on more personal endeavors. “ I feel the universe is pulling me back to artistic and creative ways”, he said. “ I stumbled away for a while, but I believe it’s time I really jump back in. As a creative I found that it’s ok to put things down and pick them back up when we are ready.” he said, alluding to the various personal collages and other physical framed artwork he has in his home. In the fast-paced word of social media creatives can often feel inclined to continuously pump out content, and while some of us thrive in the chaos of deadlines and completion payouts, it’s always good to remember why you’re create in the first place. Whether that be your audience or yourself, I think we can all take a page from the book style from J.Courtney and make it a little personal.
