Courtney Mercer believes a functional space makes life easier. That’s why, after years as a nurse practitioner, she turned her passion for thrifting and DIY projects into Buffalo Room Refresh, an interior styling, home organization, and home staging business that helps busy, budget-conscious homeowners create spaces that truly work for them.
“When I was experiencing career burnout, it always felt better when I could come home to my space that I had created and made comfortable,” says Courtney.
Rather than requiring clients to commit to a full-home makeover, Courtney offers an a la carte approach that makes professional design more accessible. From DIY to collaboration or full service, she customizes her offerings as needed. The first step is a discovery call to identify the main support needed, from space planning, creating a cohesive design style or organization.
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As Courtney works with clients, she focuses on building trust and creating a judgment-free experience.
“It’s important to establish a rapport with people because they’re being vulnerable by letting you into their homes,” she says. “Sometimes people are embarrassed because their houses are messy, but there’s absolutely no need. We’ve all been there.”
Courtney says living rooms and bedrooms are the spaces she redesigns most often because they’re where people spend the most time and where they frequently experience similar shortcomings.
“I joke that the furniture is like middle schoolers at a dance. Everything’s pushed up against opposite walls,” she says with a laugh. “But when people are open to pulling furniture into the room, it completely changes how the space functions and feels. That’s often something I have to convince them to try.”
Not Chelsea Latta though.
After pouring time and energy into updating other areas of her home, she lost steam when it came to her own bedroom.
“The bedroom always felt like an afterthought. It was just where I slept and where my clothes were,” Chelsea says. “I would endlessly scroll through Instagram for inspiration, but Courtney helped me narrow it down and actually make decisions.”
The room’s potential had been overshadowed by dated paint and an awkward layout. Courtney started by bringing over paint samples, eventually settling on a serene taupe that covered both the walls and ceiling to create a cozy, cocoon-like atmosphere.
Working with the furniture Chelsea already owned, including a dresser and two nightstands, Courtney repositioned the bed on the room’s main wall, instantly creating a stronger focal point. The new layout also transformed an awkward alcove into a functional storage nook with shelves, baskets and hooks.
To complete the room, Courtney added textiles to bring warmth and softness to the space, carefully selecting pet-friendly options that could hold up to Chelsea’s furry friends. She also hung several paintings Chelsea had been meaning to display for years.
Now, the space greets Chelsea with a feeling she hadn’t realized she’d been missing.
“When I walk into my bedroom, it feels calm,” she says. “Everything is intentional, and it all works together. Before, it felt a little haphazard like there had been a plan at one point, but over the years it had gotten lost. It never really felt finished. Now it feels organized, complete and peaceful.”
Exactly what drew Courtney, the former nurse practitioner, to this work. “This is how I care for people now,” she says.
