Meet the Owner!!!
Today we’re profiling an Owner as well as introducing you to a new contributor to to our Home Section at GW. Amy Courage (whom you’ll get to know in the interview below!) will be writing a monthly blog featuring home tours, design dilemmas, budget-friendly shortcuts, local tips and freshening tricks aptly called Courage Confidential. We hope to inspire you, your neighbors & friends to find your courage, share your ideas and live authentically in your homes.
So Pull up a Chair…… It’s gonna be a bumpy ride!
What is your favorite thing about Greenwich? Restaurants etc.
There are too many wonderful restaurants to mention, beaches to walk, boutiques to shop, hikes to take, charities to attend. We have a world-class library, beautiful parks, exceptional schools, great diversity, a robust economy. But my FAVORITE thing about Greenwich is its women. Never have I met a more dynamic, inspirational and diverse group of kick-ass women in my life! So much more on that, but gotta go kick some ass…….next question?
Tell us about Courage & Company and how it came to be?
My career has spanned over (yikes!) many decades, founding the New York based architecture firm of Lesser Fifield in the mid 80’s, running Lesser & Frisch, Architects from1986-1999 (oh my maiden name is Lesser!) and subsequently running my own offices in Charlottesville, Chicago and now back in Connecticut.
Having managed some of the most significant renovation/restoration projects in New York, including the Puck Building, Alwyn Court, and Café Carlyle, I made an Intentional transition to residential architecture and interiors. My growing interest in exploring the way people experience, live and work in their homes led me to my greatest passion – the intersection and cross-pollination of residential architecture and interiors.
Can you describe your aesthetic?
You’d think I’d have a simple answer to this question by now, but it’s multi-layered, just like my work. My style has always been rooted in classicism, but with a light and whimsical touch. I appreciate 1970’s French Modernism, Silk Road Bohemia, the Scandinavian Farmhouse and juxtapose all of these historic styles with grace and proportion. I’m known for sourcing and repurposing vintage and antique items and reupholstering furniture with couture fashion fabrics. But each project starts with a conversation and reflects the uniqueness of the clients themselves, but they all share an elegance, vitality & comfort.
Some of my most recent work conveys a spareness & authenticity that resonates with the present day client, looking to simplify their lives while maintaining all the modern amenities. But hey…..who knows what’s next?
What is my favorite kind of project to work on?
Yours!
What is it you love about your business?
I love helping my clients identify their needs and desires and translating them into physical form. I love discovering the soul of a house and nurturing it through the inevitable transitions to modern life. I love personal stories – of homes and people. I love classical proportions. I love to smile when I walk into a room. I love your mother’s china cabinet.
What advice do you have for working moms?
Working motherhood is a risky business, but with big risks comes greater rewards and the chance to make a difference: In the lives of my children, my clients and my community. I try to be brave and true every day. I work from home now and, although it’s in a separate studio, my children see me engaged with my team and enjoying what I do. I hope that seeing me fulfilled in my work (and still able to have babies and cook a pot roast) will inspire them to find the things they’re passionate about, get the education & training and get paid to do it!
Fun Fact?
I have 4 kidneys. Need one?
