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Caroline Rafferty: Palm Beach Chic

Kick off this year's Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Palm Beach with an insider's look from resident designer Caroline Rafferty. Her interiors are the epitome Palm Beach chic: a clever mix of vintage and contemporary, soft textures and bold prints. Follow Caroline's tips on mixing and matching botanical patterns with pastel hues and organic materials, and discover why her hometown is a hidden jewel of the design scene.

​Caroline Rafferty's approach to design speaks to her love of the arts, her intuitive business sense, and her unique first-hand experiences with many aspects of creating the built environment. She studied art history and architecture at a post-graduate level before opening her own boutique real estate development and construction company in 2006 in New York, through which she orchestrated a street art festival and published a subsequent book with Shepard Fairey. After moving to Palm Beach with her family, Caroline established Caroline Rafferty Interiors in 2015.

Her interiors are characterized by rich color palettes; thoughtful, collected furnishings and art; bold patterns and textures; a mix of time periods; and a strong emphasis on ethically sourced materials. Most recently, she’s decided to parlay her design ethos into opening The Gra​nd Tour with her design-savvy mother Julie, using as inspiration her grandmother Dearie, who was a tastemaker impassioned by kindness and generosity. In this vein, Caroline sits on several boards of foundations that give back to their communities.

An active member of the board at the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, later this month she will be awarded the Ann Norton Award for Philanthropy, thanks to her work in promoting the Garden's cultural mission and embracing artist Ann Norton’s legacy for the Palm Beach community.

How would you define Palm Beach Chic?

Palm Beach Chic represents an understated elegance to me. It's layered but not fussy. Fine but not precious.

"Palm Beach is a generational town, and as such, there is an interesting meeting of old and new. This appears in the architecture and design as well as fashion. ​Vintage and antique pieces mixed with contemporary makers and art is another hallmark of Palm Beach Chic."

What unique characteristics make the city of Palm Beach such a hotspot for design?


Palm Beach has always been a hidden jewel on the design scene. For years, designers have come to Palm Beach to scour for vintage and antique pieces.

"The beautiful surroundings and historical nature of the town cannot be ignored. I think with the influx of new people to Palm Beach there has been a renewed focus on design and craftsmanship in our area. I am excited to see what's next for the design community in Palm Beach."


What are you most excited to see at this year’​​s Kips Bay Palm Beach?

I always love seeing what the designers conceive. It's an opportunity for the designers to create with only their imagination as the guiding force. This year I am particularly excited to see Peter Pennoyer's room and Janie Molster's space by the pool.

Palm Beach has always been a hidden jewel on the design scene. As a generational town, there is an interesting meeting of old and new.

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