By Kara Franker By Kara Franker | January 8, 2022 | Home & Real Estate, Feature, Features, Home & Real Estate, Featured,
Interior designer Meg Braff’s new collection with Wildwood encompasses the Palm Beach aesthetic and all its glamour.
The Meg Braff for Wildwood collection pays homage to mid- 20th century Palm Beach chic, inspired by the designer’s enduring love for the tropical town where she is opening a new interior design studio and shop.
Talk about a match made in heaven. Both Meg Braff and Wildwood are famous for their exuberant takes on traditional design. Braff joins Wildwood and the brand’s 120-year legacy with her debut collection of lighting, furniture and accessories in hues of sky blue, lush green and crisp white. The collection pays homage to mid- 20th century Palm Beach chic, inspired by Braff’s enduring love for the island community where she is opening a new interior design studio and shop. Each piece emulates the ease of living at the beach through classic, functional shapes and a touch of whimsy. Tropical touches include palm fronds, leafy lighting, brass and cane accents, plasterlike finishes inspired by Serge Roche, and details inspired by vintage clothing and upholstery seen in Slim Aarons photographs.
Your sophisticated color sense and curatorial eye are on full display in your new collection with Wildwood. Tell us about your inspiration. The Meg Braff x Wildwood collection recalls the glamorous era of midcentury Palm Beach in a way that feels current for today. There are some classic shapes which we’ve streamlined, and nods to vintage items I am always on the hunt for, or wish I could find more of. Like most decorators, there are a few fixtures that I’ve purchased and sold to clients that have stuck with me over the years, so I am thrilled to be able to offer similarly inspired chandeliers as part of my collection for Wildwood. I’m also always looking for fabulous white fixtures, especially with a large scale. Vintage brass furniture and accessories are also always on my shopping list, so I am excited to have some great brass pieces, and some caning.
Mirasol table lamps in green, sky blue and white
What is it about the iconic Palm Beach design aesthetic that really speaks to you?
One of my favorite things to do in Palm Beach is to drive around ‘house hunting,’ taking in the varied architecture and going on an occasional garden tour of friends’ homes. There are so many architectural styles that exist and look great here, from Regency to Spanish-style Mizner fantasies, Bermuda bungalows and modernist statements. I love that people in Palm Beach really care about their homes and decor and go for it with their decorating and garden design.
Designer Meg Braff.
What advice can you share for those of us pondering a redesign or shopping for new pieces?
Just a bit of light-hearted whimsy goes a long way to bringing a zippy fresh vibe to a space. I love decorating with white chandeliers and lanterns. They are a quick and easy way to update a space, whether or not you are starting from scratch. We have several in the collection that are equally at home in an East Coast breakfast room as they are in a Palm Beach pool pavilion.
Mirasol pendant lamps in green, white and sky blue
Speaking of Palm Beach, congrats on opening your new design studio and retail shop! What can visitors expect?
I’m thrilled! Our new showroom is located at 6417 Georgia Ave., just west of Antiques Row in West Palm Beach, and will house my design office, a retail shop offering antiques, contemporary lighting and furniture, and of course my Wildwood collection. It will also serve as a showroom for my line or wallpaper and fabrics, which I manufacture and distribute exclusively through my shops. I moved to Florida a few years ago and am so happy to finally have a dream space to work from and welcome visitors to!
Dunbar umbrella stand and Dunbar cachepot.
As a Florida resident, you know all the best spots. What are some of your favorite hangouts?
I love visiting the design shops up and down South Dixie and Georgia Avenue. I’ve been shopping with many of the dealers for decades. I shop literally everywhere, but I have to say I have my favorites including Todd Hase, Circa Who, Palm Beach Regency, Paula Roemer, Bamboo & Rattan and Casa Gusto. I love the additions of Le Bilboquet and La Goulue to the dinner party circuit, and I’m excited to see what develops in the coming years in Northwood, where I had an apartment for years.
Photography by: PHOTO COURTESY OF MEG BRAFF X WILDWOOD