Inside the Playful, Polished World of Meg Braff Designs

Step into the world of Meg Braff, where timeless elegance meets spirited charm, and every space tells a story. A master of blending traditional design with fresh, contemporary sensibilities, Braff has spent decades crafting interiors that are as livable as they are luxurious. With a signature style marked by vibrant color, layered textures, and a discerning mix of vintage and modern elements, she has become a sought-after force in the world of high-end residential and hospitality design. From her thoughtful approach to spatial planning to her ever-evolving retail ventures and brand collaborations, Braff’s work is rooted in intuition, experience, and an unwavering eye for beauty.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Meg Braff Designs

Haute Living Naples sits down with the talented designer Meg Braff to discuss her inspiration, design process, projects, what is on the horizon, and more.

Haute Living: You started our career as an associate at Ellen McCloskey Associates and later worked with Jeff Lincoln. How did those early professional experiences influence the direction of your own firm, which you launched in 1994?


Meg Braff: Working for other firms helped me learn out the “process” of interior design, how to supervise workrooms and installations, and how to nurture relationships with clients. Organization and preparation really are key to design; there is so much behind-the-scenes planning and communication that goes into a successful project and installation, and working for an established designer really is the best way to learn.

HL: Your design style is known for its playful glamour and modern twist on traditional design. How do you maintain that balance of sophistication and livability in your projects?


MB: We always begin with the floor plan. Studying a seating plan will really tell you a lot. We’ll often realize early on that with a few small tweaks to a space we might be able to improve access, sight lines, and function. I also like to try and make rooms multifunctional, or to have several seating areas so they are comfortable for two people or for a larger group. In terms of color, we start talking to clients early on to gauge their comfort with color, what they respond to, and how they currently live, and how they aspire to live.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Meg Braff Designs

HL: You’ve been described as having a “deft eye” for mixing antiques and modern pieces. Could you walk us through your thought process when blending these elements in a room?

MB: I like my projects to look collected and thoughtful, never like we purchased everything in one foul swoop at a design center. Antiques and vintage furniture make a home feel special, and are the quickest way make a new build or newly renovated project feel grounded and not so new.

I am always shopping, for clients and for my stores, so I am able to bring a lot of different sorts of pieces for a client to consider. When I am decorating a house we have a “needs list” for each project. The needs list might contain everything from lampshades to a fabric for a bench—whatever we are currently looking for that is yet to be confirmed. I am shopping all the time, and it helps to have a running list of what I’m looking for.

HL: Your acquisition of the Philip Graf archive in 2011 was a turning point in your career, as you began modernizing his wallpaper designs. What drew you to his work, and how have you brought your personal vision to these designs?

MB: The archive was in production from the 1950s-80s, and had been out of production for 20-plus years when I purchased it. I really responded to the patterns in the archive, they are all midcentury and in keeping with the design style I love, sort of a throwback, but in colors for modern day. We have had a lot of fun recoloring the patterns, experimenting with printing on grass cloth, and introducing indoor and outdoor fabrics in coordinating patterns.

HL: With your expansion to fabric design and the opening of Meg Braff Antiques & Decoration, what inspired you to delve into retail? How does this complement your interior design business?

MB: I’ve had a store in Locust Valley, NY ever since I closed my Manhattan office when I was pregnant with my twins. It just made sense to me—if I was going to have a street level design office, why not also make it a showroom? When I moved to Palm Beach in 2019 I had the same thought, which led to the opening of my store on Georgia Avenue in West Palm Beach. I am so happy we opened on Georgia, we are a part of a burgeoning new design district in Palm Beach.

HL: You’ve completed residential commissions across the U.S. and the Caribbean. How do you tailor your designs to reflect different regions and cultures, while still maintaining your signature style?


MB: At this point, clients who seek me out are on board with my general design principals: decorating with color, wallpapers, a mix of new and vintage pieces, a distinctly non-minimalist approach.

The light in places like Florida or the Caribbean is so much brighter and clearer than in the North East, so I always make it a point to view the paint colors and fabrics we are considering on site, in the actual light of the location. In places like Florida we will often seek out fabrics and wallpapers with whiter grounds, and clearer, brighter colors.

HL: What has been one of your most memorable projects to date?
 


MB: A great project we just recently completed is a new construction family compound at Mill Reef, Antigua, a collaboration with architect Charlotte Worthy. It was a four year project, and consists of 4 different structures, and has a unique indoor outdoor layout. Working in the tropics is always an endeavor, and this was so complex and aspirational, it feels great to have completed it in such a fabulous manner.

We also just installed Loblolly Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida. The clubhouse was demolished and rebuilt from scratch. We had a great working relationship with the design committee and had a great outcome. This was a big scale project: dining rooms, locker rooms, a ballroom, bridge room. The scale was enormous, the timing was tight, and we had to seek out new, and great looking contract resources.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Meg Braff Designs

HL: Can you share any exciting new projects or collaborations you’re working on or future project projects that you’re particularly proud of and excited about?

MB: We have a collaboration with Weezie Towels out this spring, a fun collection of bath and beach towels and small accessories, all in a few of my wallpaper designs, which will be really fun.

Also, this spring, we are launching a capsule collection of dresses with Sue Sartor, again drawing inspiration from my wallpaper patterns. The collection is a few of her signature dress patterns, block printed and embroidered in great Palm Beach colors.

HL: As a native of Tupelo, Mississippi, how has your Southern heritage influenced your work?

MB: I do think my southern upbringing has influenced the way I design and entertain. I grew up watching my mother host all sorts of dinners and parties, and I do the same today. I strive to make all my projects feel welcoming and inviting and set my clients up for successful entertaining by providing spaces to accommodate different-sized groups, as well as a variety of outdoor entertaining spaces.

HL: You’re involved with The Bone Marrow Foundation and The Preservation Society of Newport County, and you’re also an ambassador for US Squash. How do these roles enrich your life outside of your design career?

MB: The Bone Marrow Foundation does amazing work supporting those undergoing cancer treatments as well as their caregivers, and I am happy to support their efforts in any way I can. Newport, RI has been a special place for my family me since my husband and I began spending summers there about 25 years go. The Preservation Society restores and maintains the remaining Gilded Age summer “cottages” which are so inspiring and fun to visit.

Three of my four sons played competitive squash in high school and college, US Squash was a huge part of our lives for so many years. I cherish the friends I have made over my years cheering on my boys at squash matches.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Meg Braff Designs

HL: Interior design is constantly evolving. Are there any current trends or movements in the design world that excite or inspire you?

MB: The improvements in outdoor fabrics and carpets over the past few years has been remarkable. We often will use outdoor grade items in interiors, in heavy traffic areas or for families with young children.

There is also a huge trend for wireless rechargeable lamps- all the big lighting companies are developing wireless lamps with rechargeable light bulbs, which can be placed anywhere regardless of if there is a plug.

HL: When it comes to finding inspiration for your work, whether it’s new designs or reinvigorating classics, where do you turn? Do you have any favorite sources of inspiration?

MB: House museums and gardens are my favorite places to seek inspiration, whenever I am visiting a new city, I try to seek out a museum or two and a garden to visit. Interior design books, magazine, and Instagram and Pinterest are all great sources for inspiration.

HL: Looking back on your career, what advice would you give to aspiring interior designers who want to make their mark in this industry?

MB: My advice would be to study the work of designers you admire and try to work for one of those designers. Learning by watching and absorbing from someone who is a master of his/her craft is the fastest way to advance your skills Also, being proficient in sketch up and cad is a huge plus and very necessary in working in a fast-paced office.

Explore Meg Braff Design’s custom fabrics, furniture, and tabletop items at La Bonne Vie pop-up shop on Third Street South next to Jane’s Cafe on 3rd in Naples now through April 30, 2025.

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