Meghan Ford Taylor grew up in West Palm Beach and has always been a problem-solver. She would beg her mother to give her long-division math problems to do for fun. Growing up in with her father, George Ford, in the construction business, pursuing a degree in architecture seemed like a natural path.
Ford Taylor, 37, is now a licensed architect, interior designer and construction project manager for her family’s business, Seabreeze Building. In this capacity, she has been involved in several high-profile recent projects in Palm Beach and Jupiter.
Among them was her role as a leading member of the design team for the historic Duck’s Nest restoration project in Palm Beach. Duck’s Nest is Palm Beach’s second-oldest home and the recipient of the 2020 Robert I. Ballinger Award given by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach.
“I’m really proud of my involvement in the restoration of the historic Duck’s Nest,” she said. “The landmarked house was structurally unsound and there were a lot of hurdles with completing the project in 2020 and making it the house it is today.”
She earned her bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt University, and went on to earn a master’s degree in architecture from Georgia Institute of Technology with a concentration in engineering design.
“That was probably the worst time in recent history for building, and I knew it was going to be a struggle to get my first job as an architect,” she said. “Regardless, I moved to New York City and didn’t give up.”
After months of interviewing, she got a job with tRobert Couturier Inc., where she studied under the internationally-acclaimed architect and designer. There, she honed her skills for pushing standard design boundaries and acquired an appreciation for Couturier’s quirky design aesthetic.
Six years ago, she and her husband, Carter Taylor, a native Palm Beacher and a project manager for the Frisbie Group, moved home to West Palm Beach so she could take a leadership role in her family’s businesses, one of the leading luxury residential building companies for Palm Beach, and Leeds Custom Design, which specializes in luxury custom cabinetry and millwork.
She gets a lot of inspiration for her success from her twin sisters, who both have cerebral palsy.
“They are so optimistic, and kind and they make me appreciate all that I have been given,” she said. “When things seem tough, I remember their struggles and how hard they have fought, and continue to fight, for the things most people take for granted.”
In 2010, the Ford family founded the Leeds Endowment to help provide disabled individuals the resources they need to live healthy, productive and independent lives.
In her personal life, Ford Taylor would like to start a family and be able to have a work/life balance.
Professionally, she hopes to continue to grow as a designer and further her knowledge in the world of construction. She’s also recently partnered with Joseph Tralongo to start an architecture and interior design company, Tralongo & Taylor.
Who is your hero?
My dad is my hero. We work together in our family-owned businesses, Leeds Custom Design and Seabreeze Building. He is the hardest working person I know, and he has taught me so much about life — how to harness my competitive nature, work hard, never give up, and to always have confidence and believe in myself.
What is your favorite movie?
“The Sound of Music.”
What are your hobbies?
I love tennis, surfing, and all water sports. My husband and I recently purchased a wake foil board, and it is our newest obsession.
.What do you do to get away or take a break?
I love anything and everything boat- and beach-related. I love to go to the Bahamas or the Florida Keys whenever work gives me a few days’ break.
What’s your favorite book and why?
“1984” is one of my favorite books because it remains contemporary, and its warning of the consequences of mass surveillance and repression resonates just as much now as when it was written.
If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be?
Winston Churchill.
What is the best advice you ever received?
To always be kind and treat everyone equally.
What is your favorite childhood memory?
Sailing to the Bahamas with my dad when I was 14.
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