We recently had the chance to connect with Alida Coury and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alida, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Hands down integrity. I tell my son all the time I don’t care what profession you are in, how much money you have, or what kind of life you are living as long as it is one of honesty and one that is showing kindness to others (and himself). And more than anything with my clients I want them to trust that every ounce of effort I put forth on a project is with pure intentions and to bring them joy. I work hard to keep my work transparent so that they see every part of the process financially and are taken care of for parts that they do not want to deal with. So yeah, morals and ethics matter so much more to me than the financial gain or coming off the most knowledgable. If you have that then the energy is all pure/good by default. And I hope anyone who knows me even outside of work understands that about me. I hope they see that I care deeply.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Alida Coury from Alida Coury Interiors Design Studio in Orange County CA. I am originally from the Chicago suburbs. That is where I grew up learning design through the mentorship of my Mom (Vida Murray of Vida Bartkus Interiors). From a very young age I studied closely as she brought me along to her clients projects and researching and sourcing at the prestigious Merchandise Mart Design Center. Later I graduated from the beloved Harrington Institute of Interior Design housed in the famous and historical Fine Arts Building on Michigan Avenue. Most people do not know early on I had veered off my career path of design to dabble in the Hollywood scene. Only to find out my heart and mind are fed most by my deep love for all things design. However, working for CBS is where I met my husband when I was casting for a show. Oddly enough he was replacing my recruit so I did not think fondly of him at first. It was not until after the show he moved into my neighborhood and helped me through being hit by a car . That is when I truly saw him for the kind, caring, and hilarious human that he is. And he was the one who led me back to my passion and saw that what I loved most was not being focused on. And so we moved back from LA and I went back into the Interior Design business. And to make a long story short after a terrible grind of long hours for many many years with the side of hustle of doing makeup for Chanel until I could transition fully – here we are and here is what this blood, sweat, and tears built.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I think my Dad has always been my biggest cheerleader. I can remember being 7 at a family friend’s house. And they gave me some paper and a pencil so I wouldn’t get bored. And he was just constantly complimenting my drawing skills. And that encouragement carried through my later years of dance performances and all the way into design. He was just so supportive of our dreams. He always told us we could be whatever we put our minds to and that the mind is a very powerful thing. I think he led me to believe by trying to instill confidence in the artsy side of myself. And I will never forget him always saying “you are so talented just like your mother”. (the designer). And coming from a split family that was gold to hear him say sweet things about her, but also that he made me feel I was learning to be as good as my idol.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would say 2 kind things to my younger self: you are enough and stop living in fear.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
You mean the quirky, heart on my sleeve, artsy person? Yes I know I do not fit in but I am finally good with that. I think authenticity is a learning curve. And we start thinking as kids we need to fit in. But having the courage to just be honest of who you are or how you feel means more to me. And those are the people I enjoy ending up with in social situations. I am terrible at small talk and veer away from those asking me what I do as a probe into financial status as measure -over the substance of how kind you are or if you are on the right side of history. I am interested in if you are here to help humankind and Gaia/mother Earth. I try to surround myself with caring people who also lift others in need. And find ease around those who want everyone to shine…Those are the souls who are raising vibrations and inspiring me to keep living better every day -to be the best human I can be.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
I think there will always those people who try to find a way to misunderstand you or highlight your faults. So it is easy to do wrong by them because they are waiting to misinterpret what you say or misunderstand what you are doing because they just don’t like you or want to believe the narrative they perceive. And that is hard for me to accept because I spend too much time trying to please others or make sure everyone feels good or feels seen. And I am sure that at times it could be perceived that I might be tough on getting a particular outcome to fruition when it was just me trying to do right by a client or do the right thing ethically for the overall outcome. It could be a situation with a vendor, GC, or even the client not realizing that if I ever were to give push back, it was because I had their best interests in mind and wanted their trust- Not because I wanted my way or to maintain control. I am pretty sure people will never truly know how deeply I care about every design I do and how much I care about everyone I work with.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alidacoury.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alidacouryinteriors/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alida-coury-interiors-3089a5a
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/alidacoury/_saved/
Image Credits
NICHOLAS COURY INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY (moody kitchen, living room with greenery in window, living room with blue pillows, and office). ERIN KONRATH PHOTOGRAPHY (living room with diver art, bathroom with stool). EILEEN KENDALL PHOTOGRAPHY (bedroom with light blue walls more transitional) NICHOLAS COURY PHOTOGRAPHY (pic of me in LA lamp art at LACMA) ALIDA COURY INTERIORS (bathroom with fluted tub)
