In Conversation with Huff Harrington
Connoisseurs of all thing art and antiquing, founders of beloved Atlanta brand Ann Huff and Meg Harrington share their story
Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles: You had a spontaneous start when you launched Huff Harrington in 2006. Tell us about it.
Meg Harrington: A door of seismic career serendipity opened on the day we sat at Buckhead’s Anis Cafe & Bistro and decided to open a retail art gallery together, despite the fact we barely knew each other. But, what we did know was that as a matter of sheer coincidence, we both had grown up cross-culturally with American parents and European upbringings, followed by college in the U.S. As it turns out, that shared experience shaped our joint design aesthetic in remarkably similar ways.
Ann Huff: Through visits to dozens of European cities, art museums galore, and a deep love of art and history, we had both learned to appreciate the elegance and history of European design from a
young age. It’s this glorious mix of new and old, formal and crunchy, polished and patinated, representational and abstract, that has become the foundation of what we do—and still defines our approach to this day. And, of course, Anis continues to be one of our favorite Atlanta restaurants.
AH&L: Huff Harrington has been in business for 20 years and has grown consistently since the beginning. What was the biggest risk you took when adding additional ventures to your brand?
MH: As fledgling business owners, every decision felt enormous and risky at the beginning (for instance, launching immersive trips to France felt scary given the financial landscape in 2009, but our trips are now far and away one of our best-known brand offerings). I think after being in business together for so long, we feel comfortable facing risky decisions together. Probably diving into a long-term real estate investment in 2021 has been the scariest scenario we’ve dealt with, but five years later, it’s definitely been one of the best. It’s been a game changer by combining all of our brands under one roof, presenting a consistent experience to our clients.
AH: I would add that my moving to Paris to open our European business was a huge risk—for me personally, for our relationship, and for the business. But like Meg said, our relationship and strong support for each other made this decision less risky (even though poor Meg has had to put up with more complaints from me than she deserves!).
AH&L: What “rule” in the interior design world do you think deserves to be broken?
MH: We love to say “there are no rules,” but one we’ll never walk away from is: Keep the magic of the mix. There’s nothing better than pairing things that are yin and yang. It’s what gives a space personality and life.
AH: I think every rule should be broken! In Paris the walls are crooked, the moldings often don’t work with how we want to hang art, we are always restricted with moving walls, and so much more. As a result, we hang chandeliers that are off-center, we play with hidden doors to camouflage openings, and we are constantly telling our clients that it’s okay if the fireplace and dining table don’t line up perfectly. We use the word patina and character on a daily basis.
AH&L: As gallerists, what advice would you give young collectors who are just getting started?
MH: Buy what you love, buy what you can afford, do your research by visiting galleries and talking to artists, buy art on vacation, and most important: Buy art that speaks to your soul, not art that matches the sofa.
AH&L: What art moves you personally, and has that changed over time?
MH: I’m a true believer that one’s tastes change over the years and I’m proof of that. When we opened the gallery, my inclination was definitely toward more representational art. Now, I’m head over heels in love with all things abstract—it just intrigues me. Runner-up: any kind of vintage art, especially crunchy old portraits and dark, brooding still lifes. My little caveat, no matter what? It must be well painted.
AH: My taste has also evolved, and I’m drawn to pieces that are a little ore edgy, that might be out of my comfort zone, and which require a longer relationship. But in the end, I am very picky about how well it is painted: I look for the composition, the balance of color, but mostly, the confidence of the brushstrokes. huffharrington.com
This is the fourth installment of AH&L’s Legends of Design. To learn more about the class of 2026, visit atlantahomesmag.com/futures-legends.
A Day in the Life of Meg Harrington
6 A.M. The day begins quietly with coffee, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for local headlines, The Wall Street Journal for everything else, and a quick run-through of emails and things to do. Then, it’s a fast-paced, 3-mile walk around Historic Brookhaven.
9 A.M.–12 P.M. If I’m in Atlanta, I’ll head to Huff Harrington for a full day of everything and anything that relates to running several businesses. If I’m sourcing in France with Ann, the days all blur together in a wonderful mélange of very early mornings, picking through merchandise with flashlights, and racing through our favorite dealer markets.
1–5 P.M. If we’ve just received a new container of imports from France, I’ll head to our warehouse for an afternoon of receiving, cataloguing, and tagging our new goodies.
6 P.M. There’s always another round of checking and responding to emails. And then, it’s a light dinner and daily recap with Scott, my husband, or maybe a calorie-heavy visit to Superica for our Tex-Mex fix.
A Day in the Life of Ann Huff (in Paris)
A day in my life always involves lots of running to different projects, to vendors, or visits with clients; at least one Métro or bus ride; and a few sacred hours behind closed doors to work on projects at our office. Around 4 p.m., the calls with America start, and frankly, those are my favorite of the day because I love following up with what’s going on in Atlanta. If I’m lucky, there’s a dinner waiting for me at home when I emerge from my office, and there is always, without fail, some oohing and ahhing over the sparkle of the Eiffel Tower and an appreciation for the life we lead in Paris—despite the occasional complaints!
