Courtney Love’s interior design: pretty, or like an Anthropologie threw up?


We’ve heard that Courtney Love is being evicted from her $27,000 a month West Village townhouse after failing to pay rent for two months and allegedly wrecking the interior. (You read that right, there’s not an extra zero in there.) The home was restored by an interior designer and was featured in a 2009 issue of Elle Decor. (You can see a slideshow of the original design here. It’s bold contemporary I guess, and it’s not bad but I can see why she would want to soften it up.) Courtney’s landlord told Page Six that Courtney re-wallpapered and painted over several rooms, in violation of her lease which stipulated that the design remain intact. Courtney also set a curtain on fire in her master bedroom, allegedly from a candle. (crack pipe.)

XOJane has a glowing report on how lovely and homey Courtney’s squatter apartment is, after she let their staff use it as an office for a week. They have photos of most of the rooms, and it’s not as bad as I was expecting. The place isn’t trashed, basically. It’s a kind of chintzy eclectic hodgepodge, similar to what you might see at Anthropologie but not as well organized or thematically put together. It’s not my style but it’s not awful either. The best part is the dry erase board of Courtney’s goals, in which she writes that her goals for the next year are earning $25 million, starring in three movies, and earning an Oscar by 2013. She also has several photos of her late husband, Kurt Cobain, with their daughter, Frances Bean. Here’s XOJane’s blurb on Courtney’s townhouse:

You’ve probably been hearing a lot recently about our friend and xoJane Contributing-Editor Courtney Love from several media outlets. A lot of these stories mention Courtney’s West Village Townhouse. Courtney generously opened her home to us this past week to use as an off campus, sort of Pop-Up office. It’s been a cozy, creative laboratory — the vibes here are undeniably GOOD vibes. Courtney said of her home, “listen, there’s no male energy here.” Which, for the record, Bryan and I had zero interest in taking issue with.

We wanted to share with you what’s it been like, so Courtney and I invite you to join us in a photo tour, so you too can experience rooms that immediately put you in a good mood. Courtney’s super-famous-in-his-field realtor, Jared Seligman, declared Courtney’s home as “The epitome of equisite taste” and rattled off with glee “Majorelle, Ruhlman, Chippendale, Willow China, Tiffany China…” Does it look like she “wrecked the decor”? I think not… Hopefully these exclusive photos will help you feel like you’re right here with us.

[From XOJane]

For her part Courtney denies being behind on rent and she also claims that she got permission from the landlord to paint and wallpaper. “My rent is current, but the owner is now asking for the remaining two months upfront. Even though it’s not required, I’d happily pay that and another six months’ rent upfront if she would extend the lease for six months. I have repainted, but I asked permission, and used a painter approved by the owner.” How does this crackhead sound coherent all of a sudden? You know that her spokesperson wrote that and made it all up.

The living room in 2009, Elle Decor.

The living room in 2011, Courtney Love.

Other side of the living room (shows same perspective as Elle Decor) 2011, Courtney Love.

Courtney is shown at Trinity College’s in Dublin, Ireland where she received an Honorary Patronage from their Philosophical Society on 10-18-11. Credit: Fame and WENN.com

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39 Responses to “Courtney Love’s interior design: pretty, or like an Anthropologie threw up?”

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  1. margaritachum says:

    i find the house adorable and i love the pictures and paitings.

  2. Anait says:

    It’s not that bad, I think it could be worse. And a little note, the photo from 2009: it look like the house was empty, nobody was living in it, or at last there is no sign of life in that photo, every single thing is at the right place… beautiful, yes, but impersonal.

  3. VV says:

    That was a bland and ugly living room before and all she did was make it hers and give it a bit more personality. I am not a fan of either design but I prefer hers. At least it was warm and inviting…those couches look comfy too!

  4. Cathy says:

    Just what is she famous for besides being a full steam ahead train wreck and having being married to Kurt Cobain. Her and Lindsay are both delusional if either one of them thinks they’re going to get a movie deal much less an oscar. lol

    • Coucou says:

      She founded a band called “Hole,” and she definitely had her moment in shining rock glory…she was definitely badass…in half of these pics you can still see it, but in the other half, it’s like, step, away, from, the, chardonnay, Courtnaaay

    • Leen says:

      She was a legend in grunge era and in the 90s, she definately made really good music with her band Hole, I enjoy her music, it’s just a shame she’s such a trainwreck.

    • Erik says:

      lol! She’s famous for being an obnoxious foul mouthed skank that lets homeless men suck on her boo bays. They should post that picture! It will turn your insides out from wretching.

  5. Ari says:

    No matter what she is a rock star in her own right and I am actually quite surprised how nice her version is 🙂

    • kaligula says:

      ditto and ditto. i have to wonder why anyone throws away that kind of money on a rental, however. and then to go to such trouble redesigning? not smart. on another note, yes, rock star in her own right! she made a big mistake in attempting the movie star route because her music was something really incredible.

    • Zoe says:

      Seen other spreads where she has chosen her favorite pieces and she has a good eye in decorating and even fashion. However, the way she dresses sure doesn’t reflect it.

  6. Helvetica says:

    Ooh,i want the fireplace in the first photo
    There’s too much blue in that room though. If only the sofas were white, it’d be perfect

  7. Rhiley says:

    I’d freak out if I had to stay there. I hate hate hate antiques and dried, yellowed, lacy clothing. I also don’t like the paintings of children. The home looks drafty, dusty, and dark.

    • Zay says:

      Even i thought so….it gave me a sort of weird haunted house vibe

      • meta says:

        wow you would totally hate my house then. Its completely eclectic with antique ouija boards framed on the walls, porcelain dolls scattered about and beautiful black and white photographs of dead birds. I like courtneys house alright but expected it to have a bit more edge or perhaps not be so light and airy.

    • :P says:

      People who hate antiques, I’ve found, don’t really understand what a true antique is and why it is so special. I’ll take old, dusty things with worlds of meaning behind them over a bunch of newly manufactured junk made in China any day.

  8. Anastasia says:

    It’s not bad, just a bit cluttered and busy for my taste.

    The living room before was very magazine sterile and ug, all that baby blue. I wouldn’t be able to handle all that blue.

  9. ShanKat says:

    She totally wrecked it. Her taste isn’t terrible, but she made it look junky. Because, well, she IS junky.

    Just make music, Court. Use that talent for good, not crack-evil.

  10. EmmaStoneWannabe says:

    That place is a bigger mess than she is – nothing flows, all of it looks so mismatched and just overall cheap. I mean, those striped curtains? Come on now.

  11. Booboocita says:

    I don’t like either style. But that’s not really the point, is it? If she signed an agreement saying that she was not allowed to repaint, or if there was even an oral agreement not to repaint, she’s at fault. I’m very interested to see what proof the landlady has that Courtney agreed not to make adjustments.

  12. madpoe says:

    They both hurt my eyes, however, Love’s version does feel more homey and live-in-able (prob no such word) but I don’t hate it, Elle’s version seemed too cold.

  13. SaintLee says:

    From what the landlord was putting out, I expected there to be holes punched in walls…garbage everywhere..you know, actual damage. The place isn’t damaged a all, at most they will have to repaint, I wish my place looked that nice. Is she not allowed to change the furniture even? That seems a little weird.

    • somebody's daughter says:

      I see plenty of damage she has done to herself. Take a look at that mangled face from all the plastic mumbo jumbo she’s done to it. Looks like they used WD40 as a filler. And why does she always have sores on her body? Her arms, legs and hands always have sores and gouges on them………..EWWWW

  14. anne_000 says:

    Courtney’s place looks like Modern Victorian.

    The previous decor looks like someone was trying too hard to be very stylish. I agree w/ a previous commentator that the sofas should have been a different color. From the other photos of the original decor, it looks like the other rooms are also of one color throughout an entire room, instead of mixing it up a bit. Not very creative.

  15. meg says:

    I prefer the first one. It shows restraint and organization. Two qualities Love is known to have in abundanahahaha couldn’t finish it!

  16. Brandon says:

    Why is that in every picture that’s posted of this tacky, slovenly donkey, she only cops 2 poses? It’s either the one when she squats pigeoned toed, or she squats with her hands flageling in the air like she’s struggling to dump a big stinky load. And those man hands covered in nicotine stains is beyond gross! Along with those patchy purple elbows she jabs around while wearing those “designer” gowns with her saggy boobies hanging out. She never matured mentallypast the age of 10. Such a washed up old hag.

  17. Khalesi says:

    I actually kind of love the wallpaper in courtney’s version —

  18. whatevs says:

    well just like the former owner’s decoration courtney has some pretty items there but not all of it is harmonious together. the former owner’s style is a bit more masculine. courtney’s is a bit more scatterheaded. the ocd in me wants to push the sculpture further to the right as i fear it’ll fall down. some items are too redundant and need to be carried out of the room because they make your eyes and mind too busy. i guess it shows that a crackie decorated this but take out the crystal lamps, the off colour rug and those horrid curtains (wonder why she hasn’t removed those?) and some redundant stuff and it would actually look kinda nice. not a bad attempt imo

  19. Jon says:

    As the saying goes………You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.

  20. dovesgate says:

    I like Courtney’s version. It is perhaps a little cluttered but definitely livable, warm, and inviting. I could totally see coming over for a cup of coffee and a chat. I love the wallpaper too.

    The first one is so cold and too staged. I can see the owners wanting it to stay the same since it was in a magazine and all but yeahhh no. I’d probably make my excuses and leave.

  21. Zoe says:

    Her decor isn’t my taste, but its not bad. I have no decorating sense, zero. Sometimes I think its not something you learn, you just know. What I really like is the place itself, the kitchen is amazing.

  22. skuddles says:

    Gee I half expected to see blood smeared on the walls, naked barbie doll parts nailed to furniture, and insane tweet like ramblings scrawled on the ceiling in gooey red lipstick. Yet this is surprisingly subdued! But I do detect a hint of heroin granny losing her shit chic going on.

  23. Jon says:

    Such a shame she never provided a decent home for her daughter Francis when she was living at home. Now she wants nothing to do with her mother.

  24. stephanie says:

    the elle one is amazing.

  25. Angel says:

    HA! 27k a month and I can’t paint the walls how I want? See you next Tuesday.

  26. Amy says:

    Love.. love ..love..the sitting room decor.

  27. Jess says:

    Courtney’s room is hideous. I like the wallpaper, but everything else is just wrong. It looks stuffy and busy and moldy, if that makes any sense.

    The blue room is far better, and FAR more inviting, I think. It’s clean, for one thing.

  28. This Place says:

    Subtle psycho chic! I kinda like it!