By Donna Heiderstadt

Although she just turned 29, Courtney Auten has already been involved in the world of cabinetry for 10 years. Now the Lead Designer at Cornelius, NC-based Autograph Kitchens, this self-described “go-getter” first learned about the business during internships while studying Sustainable Materials and Technology at the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University. She completed two internships, one in manufacturing and the other in sales and design, at Marsh Furniture Company in High Point, NC, the latter of which inspired her “to want to create beautiful, functional kitchens.”

Since graduating in 2017, Courtney has been a full-time cabinet designer. She is also proud to have earned her General Building Contractors License in North Carolina, enabling her to remodel kitchens and bathrooms, although she “realized after a few years that truly my passion is with cabinetry.”

A “dedicated and detail-oriented Type A personality,” Courtney says that “the sureness and finite lines of cabinetry combined with the creative drive to push boundaries and create beautiful things, makes the cabinet industry perfect for me.” It shows in her productivity. Since joining Autograph Kitchens, Courtney has increased her sales year over year — and she nearly doubled them from 2023 to 2024.

A number of projects have involved helping homeowners recover from natural disasters, such as the floods that devastated western North Carolina during Hurricane Helene in September. “We are very fortunate to be working with one of my largest builder clients in western North Carolina to help with the rebuilding process wherever we can,” she says. “I went out into the heart of the area that was impacted, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget the devastation there.” The most memorable moment of her career, she adds, was showing a homeowner renderings of her new kitchen. “Her home had flooded to its roof, while many neighbors’ homes no longer existed,” Courtney says. “She was so grateful and so excited to see the possibility of returning to her home with a kitchen that makes more sense for their lifestyle.”

Courtney shares her own home with her supportive husband, John, who has been by her side for nine years as she forged her career, and two kitties, Louise (aka Mouse) and MJ. She’s an avid outdoorsperson and enjoys spending time on her family’s property and hunting. Indoors, you’ll often find her curled up with a good book. Her must-do’s in life are also fairly straightforward: travel more (Rome has been a highlight so far), give back to those in need, raise a family with John, and get more involved in the kitchen-and-bath industry. “I’m really after a simple life with a career that fulfills me!” she says.