Husband and wife team Robert and Cortney Novogratz of Manhattan design powerhouse Sixx Design, untrained designers, only accidentally learned that they had a knack for renovating derelict homes when they turned their own first home into a fantastically unique, high-style abode. They sold it, moved on to designing their next home, sold that one, and then just sort of . . . never stopped. Since the '90s, they've designed and developed a dozen or so properties mostly in Manhattan (including at least five they've lived in), rebuilt entire blocks, and even designed a hip boutique hotel at the Jersey Shore. To top that, they have seven children — seven! Last May, the couple met much applause with their first book, Downtown Chic, a memoir of sorts chronicling seven of their projects.
Come April 13, they'll be making their television debut on Bravo's new show 9 By Design. The series follows the family over the course of six months, during which they worked on six large-scale design projects, including The Bungalow Hotel, a 10,000-square-foot glass house on the West Side Highway, and a converted gun shop in SoHo. I watched a screener of the first few episodes, and let me tell you, it's good! This family's life is so hectic and unusual that it's really interesting to watch how they juggle their kids and their career. And they do pull it off: they're a truly talented couple. Actually, take a tour of one of the homes they renovate during the show in this Coveted Crib and see for yourself. Can't wait to watch the full season!
Photo Courtesy of Bravo
After renovating their first home in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood 10 years ago, which then was a neglected, not-so-fashionable area, they realized they had a knack for building and decorating, together. Since then, they've renovated and designed numerous buildings in and around NYC, including an entire block in SoHo and a house in the country, and founded their own design powerhouse, 