Over the past two decades, Courtnay Tartt Elias has been redefining the essence of traditional design, proving that classic style, when approached with a fresh perspective, is timeless and more relevant than ever. Her work demonstrates that traditional interiors can be both unexpected and wildly inspiring.
From a young age, Courtnay was surrounded by beauty, history, and a vibrant sense of energy that shaped her design sensibilities. Gracefully styled vignettes told the story of her family’s legacy, while her childhood bedroom—lavender carpet and vibrant 80s prints—ignited her love for layering color, pattern, and texture. Her passion for storytelling through design only deepened during her time in London, where she studied 19th- and 20th-century decorative arts at Sotheby’s, further cultivating her appreciation for richly appointed textiles, saturated hues, and storied antiques.
In 2006, Courtnay founded Creative Tonic Design, a firm dedicated to creating joyful, layered spaces that reflect her clients’ personalities and histories. Her ability to blend textures, tones, and prints into environments that feel fresh yet rooted in tradition has earned her numerous accolades, including features in Traditional Home, House Beautiful, Southern Living, Homes & Gardens, and Flower, as well as Luxe RED Awards, PaperCity Houston Design Awards, and a coveted feature in More is More is More by Carl Dellatore and The Living Room, a publication by the Design Leadership Network, of which she is a respected member.
Courtnay’s work continues to inspire a loyal audience of over 26k across platforms, and her dynamic designs, which marry vibrant dreamscapes with timeless elegance, are a testament to her belief that traditional design isn’t just enduring—it’s evolving, thriving, and capturing the imagination of today’s design world.
