Robert and Cortney Novogratz

Popular husband-and-wife design duo Robert and Cortney Novogratz have teamed up with Soundfreaq for a special-edition collection of design-savvy Bluetooth speakers. Available Nov. 15 — just in time for holiday shopping — the Novogratz Collection for Soundfreaq blends the company's sought-after line of wireless speakers with the couple's sharp eye for design. The result? Colorful, eclectic speakers that have great sound and standout style.

The collection includes three types of speakers, each available in two different designs:

• Sound Stack: The hi-fi wireless speaker ($450) will come in either a snakeskin design or a floral print by artist Carly Ralph.
• Sound Step: The smaller wireless speaker ($150) has a sleek, simple design in either a sky-blue or golden shade.
• Sound Rise: The bedroom speaker ($125) includes more of the standard features, like an alarm clock and an FM radio. Choose from either a hand-drawn lace pattern by Charlotte Lloyd or a colorblock design by the Novogratz duo.

Rue Magazine issue five hits virtual newsstands on Monday, May 23, and I am pleased to share an exclusive sneak peek with you! Featured in the upcoming issue is a budget-friendly project from design and developer duo Robert and Cortney Novogratz, of 9 by Design fame. Their firm Sixx Design was hired by a young couple just starting their lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and you'll see the evolution of this project on their upcoming HGTV show, Home by Novogratz, which premieres this Summer.

I love how they've given what seems like a cookie-cutter modern kitchen (with gorgeous zebrawood cabinets) a much more lived-in and historical look with vintage furnishings. The colorful, worn, industrial metal stools and bar cart juxtapose beautifully with the shiny new modern appliances, and the delicate, crystal chandelier lends a feminine style to the masculine interior.

The deity artwork above this white cabinet has an eccentric, thrifted look that's quintessential to the Novogratz style; I can just imagine them unearthing it in a Manhattan flea market. The only thing that puzzles me is this mauve appliance — is that a bread box? I guess we'll find out when the issue goes live on Monday! Can't wait to flip through the whole magazine!

Photos by Emily Anderson and Matthew Williams

We're big fans of SIXX Design here at CasaSugar, so when the Novogratz family agreed to style two adult tables and two kids' tables for the holiday season, we were absolutely thrilled! The Novogratzes are also creating tablescapes for LilSugar, so check out the kids' table as well.  And that's not all – at the end of month we will round up both tablescapes and some of our very own designs for a chance to win $1,000 to HomeGoods! Here's their first table for the grown-ups.

CasaSugar:  What was your inspiration?

Cortney Novogratz: The beautiful, warm colors of Fall, and the sparkle of the sun that time of year.

CS: Why did you select these specific products?

CN: With a big family, we need everything on our table to be durable and fun. We use blue and white china because it is classic and elegant. Then we bring in other bright pops of color to give the table a little whimsy.

CS: What product do you feel completes the look?

CN: A good bottle of wine and a bottle of champagne. Both make the table and the eating experience festive!

CS: What was the most outrageous element you added to a tablescape for a dinner party?

CN: We had a faux pig with an apple in its mouth! Very dramatic!

Love the look of this table? While the dyed birch branch candle holder is specially made from Johnhoushmand, you can get the look with these products:

Take a closer look at the table!

No academic course will teach you how to give a derelict house a gut renovation and turn it into a fantastically unique, high-style home. That skill comes with experience and serious design savvy, something which Robert and Cortney Novogratz accidentally learned they had.

After renovating their first home in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood 10 years ago, which then was a neglected, not-so-fashionable area, they realized they had a knack for building and decorating, together. Since then, they've renovated and designed numerous buildings in and around NYC, including an entire block in SoHo and a house in the country, and founded their own design powerhouse, Sixx Design. As a memoir of sorts chronicling seven of the couple's projects, the Novogratz clan — did I mention they have seven children? — published Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home, From Wreck to Ravishing. Hear my thoughts on the volume when you read more