Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen

Bravo Interior Design LLC is an award-winning design firm that has worked closely with many top builders in Austin.  They are one of the most versatile and recognized interior design firms in Central Texas, and are proud to have a reputation for outstanding finishes and concepts. Today we spoke with Meredith Owen, the Lead Interior Designer on one of our favorite projects with KOKET pieces.

Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
1. KOKET Love Happens: To be in love with our work is always the key to achieve better results. Are you in love with this job? What do you love most about being an interior designer?
I am lucky enough to love my job. I’ve wanted to be an interior designer since a very young age; I even remember writing a paper in 5th grade about wanting to be an interior designer when I grow up, funny! I love working with my clients, and figuring out their unique style and brining that to life, I love seeing my client’s get excited about their home!
Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
2. KOKET Love Happens: Do you have a favorite project or a favorite story about one of your projects?
One of my all-time favorite projects was designing a nursery for a client that wanted the gender of her baby to be a surprise, so I was the only one who knew she was having a girl!! We installed a beautiful baby girl nursery while she was in the hospital and when she came home with her bundle of joy the nursery was complete. It was a pretty special project, one I won’t ever forget.
Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
3. KOKET Love Happens: How important is a perfect chemistry between you and your clients to achieve the best results?
I’m an energetic designer and I feed off of people who have that same energy-I tend to attract clients that are passionate too. Most of my client’s I consider to be friends by the end of the project, that’s the best compliment I could have as a designer.
Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
4. KOKET Love Happens: Do you think working with teams in interior design is better or worse than working alone? Why?
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I let my client’s know up front that we are on a team. Projects work best when the team is united, including the architect, general contractor, client, designer. I won’t take on a project if I feel the energy isn’t there. The best designs come into focus when the team has positive chemistry and can freely express their designs—collaboration is key.

Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
5. KOKET Love Happens: Keep up to date on all the trends is essential for anyone who wants to conquer this market. In what ways do you keep current with new trends?
Social media is a key tool now. With websites and apps constantly feeding you new ideas and inspiration it’s such a nice quick way to be inspired. I follow countless designers and product lines on Instagram and Houzz, I always enjoy browsing through a magazine or going to a home tour to see what is trending.
Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
6. KOKET Love Happens: How would you describe your work style? Do you have any kind “signatures” that help to identify your projects?
I would say you would find a similar thread of casual elegance woven through my designs. I’m a sucker for antique mirror inset inside of custom cabinets, or a great silver leaf light fixture with a casual cascade of crystals- the perfect shade of gray on the walls and a surprising pop of color. I love livable luxury— rooms that can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion, like that perfect black dress in every women’s closet.
Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
7. KOKET Love Happens: All artists need some inspiration to work, and interior designer are artists too. So, what or who really inspires you?
Traveling, museums, a great piece of art, nature…anything really can inspire me depending on the day.
Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
8. KOKET Love Happens: If you had to pick one project around the world that you wish it had been made it by you, which would it be?
This is a hard question, I am grateful always for the amazing projects and client’s I have had the opportunity to work with over the years. I have thought it would be amazing to get to design a room in the White House or have Oprah call me up one day and tell me she needs my help-ha-ha!
Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
9. KOKET Love Happens: Choose the best pieces to compose a project can be the secret to getting the best overall result. Although it seems easy, this is a delicate task and needs full attention on time to execute it. Do you have some tips for those who do not know well how to start a challenge like this?
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Space planning your room to how it suites you best is the biggest step I see people skip. Every good project starts with a plan, and the space plan is your map to selecting the correct scale of furniture, do yourself a favor and don’t skip this step.
Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
10. KOKET Love Happens: What are your favorite brands, those that can never miss in one of your projects?
Kravet is one of my “go-to” brands. They do a great job of everything from their fabrics/ trims, to their rugs to their customer service—which in turn makes my job easier and more efficient. Frette and Ann Gish are bedding lines that always, always wow a client. Visual Comfort has some of the best light fixtures on the market in my opinion- their finishes are stunning. Koket has such a unique line of pieces, adding any of them to your project immediately creates drama.
Bravo Interior Design: Exclusive Interview with Meredith Owen
All design by Bravo Interior design and all Pictures by Tre Dunham, Fine Focus Photography.
If you liked our article on Meredith you should also check some exclusive interviews with Recdi8 and Nikki B.