Talk Shop: Courtney McLeod // Right Meets Left Interior Design
ABOUT COURTNEY
Courtney McLeod is the founder and principal of Right Meets Left Interior Design, an award-winning Manhattan-based full-service design studio. Her work has been featured in print both in the US and abroad - including the cover of Aspire Design + Home Magazine. We first saw Courtney’s work in a feature in Clever showcasing her beautiful home and absolutely fell in love.
An avid colorist at heart, Courtney draws from a kaleidoscopic toolbox of texture, pattern, and color to create rooms evocative of one emotion above all others - joy. Prior to founding the firm Courtney earned a business degree from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and completed design-related studies at Parsons, Pratt, and the New York School of Interior Design. The name Right Meets Left perfectly reflects her approach to the design process - rooted in the balance of creative design (right brain) and analytical rigor (left brain).
Describe your style in three words or less:
Colorful, Joyful, Elegant
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
My mom’s fearless style; Growing up in New Orleans; Paris
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
I am a career changer - I started my company 8 years ago after spending 15 years in real estate private equity. I love what I do because I make people happy for a living. It doesn’t get better than that.
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
Amy Schneider and Steve Mandel of Aspire Design + Home magazine. They gave me my first real opportunity and exposure in the industry, and have continued to support my career. I respect them so much and value their wise counsel..
What does your home say about you:
My home speaks to joy and says I am unafraid to be exactly myself.
Where do you find inspiration:
Everywhere (not the best answer, but the truth).
Who are your style icons:
Dorothy Draper - Design
Sheila Bridges - Design
Tamu McPherson - Style
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Great people, good wine, and good music
Do you collect anything:
Art, Shoes ;-)
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
@secretsofahostess, @apartment48, @batorrey.
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
Rule #1: Design for yourself - who cares what anyone else thinks.
Rule to be broken: Feel free to use a dark color in a small space. I like to cover the walls and ceiling to blur the corners and ceiling line.
What are you working on right now:
Current projects include -
Design of a 2,000 sf loft in Noho
Renovation of a high-rise apartment on the Brooklyn waterfront
Design of a 5-bedroom home in Washington, DC
Design of a new construction, high-rise apartment in downtown Manhattan
Design of a 6-bedroom home in Westchester
Design of a glamorous bachelorette pad on the Upper East Side
Wardrobe staples:
Full skirts , bold color, fancy shoes, Dior Fine Jewelry.
Best interior advice you ever received:
Invest in your space now - don’t wait for a “forever home”.
Best career advice you ever received:
Money isn’t everything.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
Invest - Quality upholstery; custom wallpaper; beautiful lighting
Save - Small accessories; mirrors
Your greatest extravagance:
Designer fashion - I am an addict!
Favorite places to shop for home:
Schumacher, Currey & Co., Kravet
Most prized possession and why:
My signed copy of a book of poems by Maya Angelou. I saw her speak with my Mom and sister as a kid - a favorite memory.
Your interiors motto:
It’s always elegant, but with a wink and a smile.
Your life motto:
I dedicate my life to the pursuit of joy.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Don’t be afraid to experiment and allow your style to evolve over time. And buy what you absolutely love - you will find a place for it.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Fried Oyster Po-Boy in New Orleans
Drink: Old Fashioned
Film: Auntie Mame
Hotel: Hotel Bristol in Paris
City: Paris
Bedding: Brooklinen
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Cafe au lait with steamed almond milk is a must.
Playlist: Beyonce, the cheesiest of the 80’s, Billy Holiday, Megan Thee Stallion, Michael Buble
Weekend Activity: During these quarantine times, I love puzzles, reading, playing with my kitty Milky J, a nice glass of red wine.
Design Book: Jean Louis Deniot, Expressive Modern by Amy Lau, Stephen Gambrel’s first book
