Caroline Rafferty Interiors is a design firm offering end-to-end design. Led by founder and design principal, Caroline Rafferty, the firm is known for both a close personal touch, as well as embedding the client’s own style into each project. 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.
Caroline’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.
In 2008, she co-founded Carolina George, an interior design firm with its own line of fabrics and furniture also in New York. And 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.
Dia Gilley was delighted to join the Caroline Rafferty Interiors team in 2018. She brought with her many years of accounting experience from various backgrounds to assist with the growth of the company. She earned a BS in Biology, with a pre-medical emphasis from Cumberland College and has a BA in Philosophy from University of South Florida. Initially, Dia was keen on joining the medical field, but her love for numbers and a normal work-life balance, swayed her to accounting
Christina Sugathapala met and joined Caroline in 2018 after relocating to Florida from New York City where she lived and worked for more than 10 years. She brings with her a BA in Interior design from the renowned Fashion Institute of Technology and a formal decorating pedigree after a more than 10 year tenure at a prominent New York Based firm. Her love of history, of textiles and furniture curation make her an invaluable asset to the creative outcome of each interior she works on.
Janna Kaufer, originally from New York, grew up within the creative environment of her grandmother’s couture fashion house exposed to the love of art, design, and textiles. Janna earned her BA in Art History with a minor in Fine Arts. Her hard work and passion over the years opened up a great opportunity to work as a designer at Pembrooke & Ives for 8 years, where she learned the ins and outs of the high-end residential industry. Janna joined the Caroline Rafferty in team in 2021 as a senior designer with a strong focus on FF&E, where she sources and designs specialty finishes, custom rugs, fabrics, embroidery and furniture to bring each project to life.
A native New Yorker who recently relocated to the sunny Florida shores, Charles brings the experience of a thirty plus year career to Caroline Rafferty Interiors after working for several prominent New York firms including Buttrick White and Burtis, Naomi Leff Interiors and David Kleinberg Design Associates. A graduate of Pace University, where he achieved a degree in Managerial Accounting, Charles has since explored his latent passions for the arts, becoming an actor and a writer. "The best way to live is creatively. When you create something that is totally your own, however big or small, your hours are well spent."
Originally from the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, Grace Rais moved to the US to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a track in interior design at the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a minor in Art History. After a post-college year working in Miami with William Lane Architect, Grace relocated to New York City to work in the architecture department at David Kleinberg Design Associates, where she cemented her career in high-end residential design. After ten years and starting a family, she spent four years at Frank Bostelmann Architecture, where she continued to work in the field. In 2019, Grace returned to South Florida where she lives alongside her husband and two young daughters.
Frances Luciano, originally from New York, is a skilled designer at Caroline Rafferty interiors since October of 2020 after receiving her BA in Interior Design. Her passion for travel and learning from different cultures around the world is what sparks her creativity and love for interiors. Frances strives to design unique spaces that embrace each client's aura while also establishing a safe space that positively impacts their lives. “Good interior design evokes happiness and soothes the soul”.
Nina Monell joined Caroline Rafferty's team after relocating to Palm Beach from New York City in 2023. A native New Yorker, she holds a B.A. from Southern Methodist University and furthered her studies at the New York School of Interior Design. Before Joining CRI, Nina founded her own firm, Nina Monell Design, and has managed projects in Manhattan, Long Island, and Palm Beach. Her passion for design is evident in her ability to create homes that are clean, timeless, elegant, and functional, skillfully blending modern, mid-century, and period pieces with family heirlooms. Additionally, Nina sits on several boards in the New York area, where she channels her enthusiasm for science and medicine.
