It seems like your family’s docu-drama is poised to become America’s new reality TV obsession. What made you decide to put your life on the air?

Cortney: We didn’t go into it lightly. We said no at first, and then we thought, maybe it’s an opportunity and a platform? Reality TV really is here to stay, and so many people do watch it, [and we have the chance] to do something slightly different and hopefully draw a more sophisticated audience. Even though there’ll be a small amount of bad that happens with it, it’s been a really positive experience.

Robert: Our ongoing joke is, people said, “Did you have editing power?” and we said, “No, we edited what came out of our mouth.”

How would you describe the show and its appeal?

Cortney: I think it’s hip. I think it’s fresh. One thing we loved is collaborating on how we really wanted the show to feel and move.

Robert: The production value is very high. It looks like a movie, not a television show. They hired a robotic crane that shot inside the house so you could look and see how we lived from the outside looking in. We got the first theme song ever for a reality television show [sung by] this cool indie band. And we showed off New York City. We shot a scene at the New Museum. We shot a scene on the Highline. We shot a scene in our favorite restaurant, Felix, in SoHo. In one scene I’m riding my bike with one of the kids on my handlebars through Greenwich Village. We show a lot of people outside of New York that New York’s as much a village as it is a city.

Let’s talk about how you got into design.

Cortney: We’re self-taught. When we first met, we were the only young couple going to flea markets, going to antique fairs, buying stuff, tying it on top of the car. And before we even got married we bought our first home in New York City. Because we had no budget, we did everything ourselves, and we realized that we were talented and we loved it and we wanted to do it again. And we could also earn money from it.

How would you describe your design philosophy?

Cortney: There are no rules. One freedom that we have is that we didn’t really go to school for design. So we go with our gut. And our style—we mix high and low. Vintage and modern. We love very expensive Italian furniture mixed with a flea market table. From high end art to our kids’ art.

Robert: This is a pretty high-end house, but we do a ton of low-end design, things that anybody can afford. Especially in this economy, people are very budget-conscious. And taste and money don’t have to mix. In fact, most of the people we know who have good taste have very little money. So we try to show that off in a lot of ways.

Cortney: Robert’s good because we love to throw parties, and you know, he never waits until everything’s perfect. He’s like, “Come on, we just moved in, let’s have a dinner party.” So, we do clean up and make a fuss and light candles and get flowers, but there may be a pile of toys in the corner. Nothing’s too precious. We use china for every day, we don’t wait for Thanksgiving.

Can you tell me a little bit about how you choose your sites?

Robert: It’s always downtown. We always try to buy on the fringe. The west of the West Side. East of SoHo. One of our sayings is the worse shape the better when we buy something. Because we’re gonna gut it anyway.

Cortney: We look at anything—if it’s a parking lot, a condemned building—could it be a home? We bought a gun shop, turned that into a house. We bought a nightclub, turned that into a house.

Robert: We are looking…at an ex-funeral home. The nice thing is that the foundation is already poured. ‘Cause I don’t want to dig too low.

What’s it like working together?

Cortney: I like it because when the kids are home from school, we don’t have much time for each other. Our date time is really when the house is quiet. We may be working, but we have our moments. Also, we invest the same. If we fail, we fail together. If we succeed, we succeed together.

Do you think being parents has changed your approach to design?

Cortney: Yes. You know why? Because our kids, especially the older they get, they’ll say what they want. Even Breaker was really interested in this staircase [pictured on the magazine cover]. And the more we travel, they mention things. They’ll say, “Oh, I like that.” And you go, “Oh, I never thought of that architecture or this style or that.” And we’ve always loved chipped and broken things—now we really love them. Because then the kids can go at it. For example, our kitchen table—you can color on it.

You live for a while in each of the houses you renovate. Is it hard for the kids to move so often?

Robert: People make a bigger deal of it than it is. We’ve moved three times in the last four years, but it’s kind of what we do. It’d be like if I was in the military, I’d move a lot. Or if I was an actor, I’d move from one job to another. People are like, “Those poor kids move a lot.” And I’m like, “Are you forgetting the fact that they live in a home with a basketball court?” These are not the kids to be worrying about.

Cortney: Or they can do the opposite and say, “Oh, you have so much.” Well, the kids realize what they have. We work hard for it. It’s a juggling act in real estate. We hope when it’s all said and done, our kids [see] there are sacrifices [to make] to keep your career going.

You guys seem to have a very sensible approach to raising kids.

Robert: I guess we have a lot of sayings, but another one is, we try to keep our kids humble and hungry. Make your kid have jobs or chores. Push them [to make] sure they do their homework. That’s just our philosophy. People look at this house and say, “Oh, your kids have to share a bedroom,” and I’m like, really? The sacrifices that they made and we made—they have some pretty good rewards. They go to private school. They travel the world. And they get it. They’re good kids. They’re not perfect, but they’re nice. We wouldn’t have put them on television if they would have embarrassed us.

Cortney: Well, I don’t know—our 4-year-olds…

Seven is a lot more kids than most families in New York, and even America, have. Did you always know you wanted a big family?

Cortney: We did.

Robert: We thought there’d be four kids, right?

Cortney: We didn’t have a number. We knew we wanted a lot of kids!

You mentioned schools—do all your kids go to the same school?

Cortney: The kids go to the same Catholic school in downtown Manhattan. But we’ve been to public and private. And regular preschool. There’s never a perfect school. You have to be creative, no matter what size your family is. You want to get a good education, you have to hustle.

How do you handle each of your kids’ different needs and learning styles?

Robert: Our kids are polar opposites. One day we got called to the principal’s office because one of our kids was bullying a kid. The same day our kid came home crying because he was being bullied by another kid. So we see everything with seven kids, and that’s fun. I think parents in our generation are a little different than my parents’ generation. Thirty years ago, parents raised three kids all kind of the same. Now parents know, Billy’s different than Joey. One kid you can push a little, one kid you’ve got to coddle.

How would you describe each of your kids?

Robert: Wolfgang is the oldest. When you say the name Wolfgang, you would say “athlete,” wouldn’t you say?

Cortney: Typical first kid.

Robert: Bellamy is…what do you think?

Cortney: Well, she’s my helper.

Robert: Queen bee. Bellamy—queen bee.

Cortney: Tallulah is very compassionate.

Robert: Yeah, compassionate is the word. Breaker—creative. Five—cool. Holleder—wild. Major—an angel. And that’s it.

Neither of you is originally from New York. What are your thoughts on raising a family in the city?

Robert: We literally have two parks across the street. And Pier 40—all the sports fields are there. Five blocks that way, on a bike path, is Chelsea Piers. It’s become very kid-friendly. And that wasn’t true 10 years ago.

Cortney: There’s been some really crucial moments of us wondering, “Are we going to leave Manhattan or not?” 9/11 for example, we had four small children. The economy this year has not been so good. Each time we do whatever it takes to try to stay here because we do love the city that much. We definitely feel blessed to live here and do something we love. Anyone, whether they’re in the middle of Manhattan or sitting in the middle of America, watching our show, will feel the energy that New York offers.

Robert and Cortney’s Design Tips

Cool design and kids can co-exist. Learn to relax about the decor, and enjoy it rather than worrying about keeping it pristine. Everything, even beautifully designed items, are meant to be used. You don’t want your house to feel like a museum.

Get rid of clutter. Your house will look bigger, there will be more room for everyone, including the kids, to move around, and by putting everything in its place, you’ll know where to find it next time you need it.

Good taste has nothing to do with money. Find a style that fits your life and what you like, and make it happen. If you don’t have a big budget, there are plenty of ways to change your environment in an affordable way. Try a new color of paint on the walls, frame the family photos and arrange them as an installation on a wall, repurpose a piece you already have but don’t like anymore, like an old piece of furniture that will look fabulous with a new coat of paint in a bright, shiny color!

Flea markets are the best (and cheapest!) way to find a unique, distinctive object that can be the focal point for a well-designed and interesting room. Go with an open mind, and when you find the piece you love, go for it before somebody else does.

The most important aspect of any home is that it is comfortable. It can look fantastic, but if it is not a relaxing environment, then it is useless. Try to find a balance so that it can be both stylish and have a chill vibe. You, your family and friends will appreciate that the most.

For more ideas, check out the Novogratzes’ book, “Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home: From Wreck to Ravishing.”