Locust Valley Estate

Nestled in a woodland hollow in picturesque Locust Valley, Meg Braff has compiled a lifetime of design fantasies into a home for her family. The gracious proportions and regency details were conceived after those of the 1920s “Gold Coast” and of David Adler. After entering through the duck egg blue front door, gilt antiques make an elegant impression. Beyond, the corridor, in Braff’s “Bleinhem” wall covering, stretches nearly the length of the main level. The living room’s Venetian plaster walls gleam, and serve as a sophisticated backdrop for upholstered pieces in strie solids along with Lee Jofa’s iconic Althea chintz and custom Bernard Thorpe draperies. A large Roger Muhl presides over the room, alongside a monumental 12 foot coromandel screen. Three sets of French doors open onto the dining terrace. The dining room is a Chinoiserie fantasy, crowned by green silk pelmets inspired by The Brighton Pavilion. Green continues in the library, where the original paneling has been given a whimsical lift via a chartreuse gloss. Here, a classic Cowtan & Tout print is very much at home amidst ebonized pieces and un-lacquered brass accents. Another Muhl hangs over the sofa; the rug is a bespoke design of hand-knotted lambs wool. The family room is decidedly midcentury, with a Mastercraft table and chairs, twin Karl Springer goatskin cocktail tables, low slung sofas, classic parsons chairs and lucite accents. The peacock blue butler’s pantry doubles as a bar, and connects the family room to the sparkling white kitchen. At the far end of the main floor, the master suite is completed with his and her dressing rooms and baths. The bedroom is sheathed in turquoise and white bamboo paper; a theme echoed in the Serge Roche inspired carved bed and chairs. A three story staircase in light blue lacquer leads upstairs, which is primarily “for the boys.” Four ensuite bedrooms, each with their own study and lounge spaces open onto a shared family room turned video game center.