CORTNEY

Cortney Bishop is the founder and creative director of Cortney Bishop Design, an interior design firm based in Charleston, SC. After 10 years as a partner in the firm Barlow and Bishop, Cortney broke out on her own and has since been recognized as a designer with a "New Southern" vibe, incorporating her love of art, fashion and music into all aspects of her work. With projects ranging from residential builds to boutique hotels to large-scale event design, Bishop's passion runs the gamut of style and structure, balancing creativity and functionality.

Raised in Atlanta, Bishop has a family history in design, as her mother owned her own interior design firm in Atlanta for over 20 years and her Greek grandmother, an accomplished seamstress, designed women's clothing. Bishop drew inspiration from both women, incorporating this lifelong passion for design and textiles into her current business. She plans on merging these two aesthetics into a custom fabric line which she will launch in the near future.

Over her 13 years in the industry, Bishop and previous partnerdiscovered the growing demand for fine American furniture in Europe and the Middle East and began acquiring clients overseas and exporting furniture. It was during this time that Bishop developed a love for antique rugs and began hosting boutique rug shows. An avid contemporary art collector and supporter, Bishop serves on local committees and boards such as the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art and the American College of Building Arts. Among the artists who inspire her are: Yayoi Kusama, Jorge Pardo, Don Zanfagna, Nick Cave, John Baldessari and Mona Kuhn.

When she isn't working on design projects or scouring markets, Bishop enjoys life on Sullivan's Island with her husband Baker, and their children, Ryder and Lucy Kohl.