PRODUCT DESIGN | PACKAGING | INTERIOR DESIGN | MARKETING | PHOTOSHOOT STYLING | Identity Branding | MERcHANDISING | ART DIRECTION
MACKENZIE-CHILDS
DECOR
A world of whimsy and timeless craftsmanship
Whimsical, playful, quirky, one-of-a-kind.
Role: Lead Designer
Company: Mackenzie-Childs
Team Collaboration: Design (9), Executive Leadership (3), Marketing (15), Production (50+)
Scope: Physical Product Design, Home Decor, Furniture, Lifestyle, Branding, Marketing, Interior Design, Seasonal Product Life Cycle, Photoshoot Styling and Art Direction
MacKenzie-Childs is more than just a luxury lifestyle brand—it's a universe of enchantment, where artistry meets eccentric charm. Since the 1980s, the brand has cultivated an almost cult-like following, captivating collectors with its signature blend of bold patterns, vibrant colors, and handcrafted details. From Hollywood icons like Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter to everyday dreamers, fans have lined up—sometimes camping out for days—for the annual Barn Sale, eager to bring a piece of the brand’s whimsical world into their most intimate home havens.
Birthed in the spirit of an Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter tea party, MacKenzie-Childs celebrates the art of joyful living. Each piece tells a story, whether it’s a hand-painted teapot dancing with checks, stripes, and polka dots, or an ornate piece of furniture that feels plucked from a fantastical fairytale. It’s a brand that invites you to lean into the extraordinary, infusing daily life with playful sophistication and timeless wonder. I had the privilege of beginning my creative career in this whimsical world, growing from a green Junior to eventual Lead Product Designer across five full and rewarding years.
“Courtney is a natural born leader, spirited, so much fun, and a force in her own right.
Courtney came to MacKenzie-Childs at an early point in her design career, and very quickly grew into a responsible, reliable, immensely talented creative member of our small and incredible team. Her vivid imagination paired with her formidable painting skills, process oriented approach to the mountain of work we gave to her each season, her positivity, and discipline to meet deadlines made Courtney an extremely valuable member of our Design department. I grew to adore her quickly and to appreciate her unique approach to life in general. She is incredibly professional, lovely to work with and to be around in general, and she would be a dream for any team fortunate enough to have her.
- Rebecca Proctor, Creative Director, Mackenzie-Childs
Crafting stories through design
I brought to life statement pieces that embodied the brand’s whimsical aesthetic while honoring artisanal craftsmanship traditions. From seasonal mood boards and conceptual sketches, to prototype building, instructional design, artisan training, overseas manufacturing QC, final production and merchandising—I wove narratives into every detail, ensuring each piece felt like a work of art with a captivating story behind it. I collaborated closely with artisans, product developers, and marketing teams to create collections that not only delighted loyal collectors but also pushed the boundaries of holistic design.
Transitioning from the dreamy to the practical, I used Rhino 3D modeling to provide technical renderings to our overseas manufacturers, Adobe Photoshop to mockup surface deco iterations, Adobe Illustrator to produce technical drawings, and Adobe InDesign to finalize instructional design packets for our artisans to reproduce my designs at scale. I traveled far and wide across Asia and the Philippines sourcing materials, conducting QC, and training artisans on our proprietary painting techniques.
I was cheekily dubbed "Keeper of the Courtly Check," or "Courtney Check" during my time at Mackenzie-Childs, updating our most recognizable trademarked pattern of black and white checks as our brand standards evolved. I painted, documented, digitized, filed, and trained on the delicate balance of acrylic hues and glazes woven throughout our brand palettes, print designs, and final products.
Down the rabbit hole...
Bringing Liv to life
This carefully crafted identity informed our physical space design, as well as print and digital advertising campaigns. The refined brand also enhanced the website design, aimed at membership acquisition and appointment booking on the front end, with curated content, educational resources, and special event features within a member portal sub-site.
The gallery below represents just a few examples of the hundreds of pieces I dreamt, sketched, designed, painted, documented, trained artisans to reproduce, photographed for catalogue, and brought to life in the homes of our collectors during my five years at Mackenzie-Childs.
A few dreams from Wonderland
Branding | website | APP design | Marketing | experience design | Packaging | Art direction
PRODUCT | Packaging | Branding | Marketing | MERChandising | Art direction
PRODUCT | Packaging | Branding | Marketing | MERChandising | Art direction
Other works
THINK WE MAY BE A GOOD FIT?
Let's make something beautiful together.
I craft brand identities that feel alive, weaving thoughtful strategy with intuitive creativity. Through a deep discovery process, I uncover your brand vision and translate it into a cohesive visual language that resonates with your audiences on every level.
