Coco Maison

A Home Bears Witness to the Most Important Moments of our Lives

A short journey of what design looks like when you embrace the unknown, and the impact it has on the lives of clients.

Story Archetype:

Why Story

Impact Summary

• Created a flagship film anchoring Coco Maison's rebrand and establishing a premium story foundation
• Reframes design as emotional transformation rather than transaction — pre-qualifying clients who value the journey
• Gave Courtney clarity she "can't unsee" and permission to step into bigger opportunities aligned with her true purpose

Story Keywords

Our first Milestone is defining five Story Keywords that encapsulate the essence of the story. These keywords help us stay aligned on what’s most inspiring about the story, the emotional tone, target audience, and the key action we aim to drive. This alignment ensures we have a clear objective for your story before we make any creative decisions.

Inspiring Keyword

Becoming - Courtney’s story is one of transformation, a continual becoming that mirrors the homes she creates, always evolving into their fullest expression.

Uniqueness Keyword

Rooted - What sets Courtney apart is being rooted — in self, in place, in honoring the unique architecture and culture of every home she touches.

Audience Keyword

Seekers - Courtney's story calls to seekers. Discerning individuals who long for spaces that reflect more than wealth, but the lives they’re truly living.

Feeling Keyword

Sacred - The story should feel sacred, sharing the ethos of homes as containers for life’s most tender and transformative seasons.

Action Keyword

Awaken - The story calls the audience to awaken to the depth at which design can influence and transform their lives.

The Why

As an interior designer rebranding from Courtney Thomas Design to Coco Maison, Courtney understood what most don't: that differentiation doesn't come from showcasing work, but from articulating the truth behind it. She was drawn to our story-first approach because she knew her next chapter required more than beautiful portfolio imagery — it needed a narrative foundation that could finally express what she'd been unable to say in client meetings.

The Challenge

Courtney was saying yes to the wrong clients. Without a clear way to communicate her philosophy (that design is an emotional journey, not a transaction), she attracted people who treated her work as a commodity. She'd built a successful practice, but was exhausted from projects that drained rather than energized her. The rebrand to Coco Maison was her stake in the ground, but she lacked the centerpiece asset to articulate her truth succinctly. She needed something that could pre-qualify ideal clients, counter objections before they arose, and give her the confidence to step fully into her authority.

The Approach

We followed our four-step story process. First, the StoryFinding calls surfaced the raw material: her journey from staying in shadows to stepping into courage. Then we developed Story Keywords (see section above) that would guide every creative decision. Thirdly, Character Development identified her desire (creating sanctuaries), motivation (having lived the fear of staying small), and uniqueness (leans into the unknown), and lastly our Storyboards. With the story architecture complete, we moved into production: a multi-day interview and B-roll capture in LA, followed by a shoot in Barcelona — not to recreate her past with photos, but to capture the energy of the very city that catalyzed her transformation.

The Journey

Going to Barcelona was a big ask. It represents maybe 30 seconds of the final film, but those 30 seconds are an important initiation in Courtney's story. Rather than rely on archival imagery or recreations, we brought Courtney back to the place where she first discovered independence and courage. Walking those streets, sitting in those plazas, and seeing the architectural influence was about reconnecting her to the moment that changed everything. The footage we captured there doesn't just illustrate her story; it embodies the truth she now guides her clients toward.

The Result

The film is the centerpiece of Coco Maison's rebrand, anchoring her website, client pitches, and partner outreach with a narrative that pre-qualifies the right clients and repels the wrong ones. But the deeper impact was personal. In Courtney's words: "You saw my truth and helped me honor the story I didn't know how to tell on my own... I can't unsee that there is more." The film didn't just give her a marketing asset, it gave her a North Star. She now brings that clarity and confidence into every client relationship, knowing exactly who she is, what she stands for, and the transformation she facilitates. She's become the designer who doesn't just create sanctuaries for clients, she embodies the courage she's asking them to have.

Thank you for being the exceptional humans you are who saw my truth and helped me honor the story I didn't know how to tell on my own. In doing so, you've given me permission to reach further and for even more because now I can't unsee that there is more. I think when you meet people who shine a light on the parts of you that you had thought to keep hidden, it's a sign that it's time to do something about it. I am better for knowing you and daring more greatly because of our time together.

Courtney Thomas, Coco Maison

What We Loved Most

We always seek out characters that are remarkable, that have a deep desire, uniqueness and motivation, are cognizant of their journey and can express themselves beautifully. Courtney was exactly that. She brings a level of fun and passion into her day-to-day that guaranteed that every call we had together overran, not because we're poor time managers, but because it was mutually delightful to explore and share deeper. Traveling to Barcelona after several years away added to the experience. We've noticed that when we find people that trust our process deeply, and lean into the storytelling journey, the production flows with ease, and this was no exception.