Meet Micah Brantley of Fayetteville, GA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Micah Brantley.

Hi Micah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story starts in Los Angeles, where as a little girl I first discovered my love for art and calligraphy. I actually learned calligraphy in the basement of the Los Angeles Mission, where my mother ran the learning center. My teacher, Ray—an openly gay Black man who had once lived at the Mission—taught me not only how to form letters but also how to express who I was through art. That lesson of authenticity and storytelling has stayed with me ever since.

Years later, I went on to study physics and engineering at Spelman College, which gave me a deep appreciation for both discipline and creativity. While my career path led me into civil engineering and program management, I never stopped creating. Art was always the place where I could breathe, tell stories, and connect with my culture.

In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I returned to that passion with more intentionality and launched Deco Négro. Deco Négro is a home décor and lifestyle brand I created to celebrate Black culture through design, storytelling, and calligraphy. I wanted to create something that reflected Black culture and heritage in a sophisticated, unapologetic way. I try to create pieces that carry meaning, history, and pride into people’s homes. From lamps to engraved wall art to pillows, every item I design tells a story, often through the calligraphy that has been with me since childhood.

DecoNegro is not just décor—its legacy. It’s my way of preserving and celebrating the shared experiences that have shaped who we are. Today, I’m proud to see my work living in people’s homes and sparking conversations, because at the heart of it, my journey has always been about storytelling and leaving something meaningful behind.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—but I think that’s part of the beauty of entrepreneurship. Deco Négro was born in 2020 during the pandemic, when the world was full of uncertainty. Launching a business in the middle of that was both a blessing and a challenge. On one hand, people were home and reimagining their spaces, which gave me an audience. On the other hand, supply chains were disrupted, materials were delayed, and I was learning how to build a business from scratch while working a full-time job and being present for my family.

One of the biggest struggles has been managing time and energy. By day, I work as a civil engineer and program manager for the FAA, and by night I’m an artist, entrepreneur, wife and mom. There are times when I’ve felt pulled in every direction. Add to that the learning curve of running an e-commerce brand—figuring out packaging, pricing, marketing, and connecting with customers—it hasn’t been easy.

I’ve also had moments of self-doubt, wondering if people would really value what I create. But those challenges have sharpened me. Every hurdle has pushed me to get clearer on my vision, ask for help when I need it, and remember why I started in the first place: to tell our stories, in our voices, through beautiful and lasting design.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At its core, my work is about storytelling through design. With Deco Négro, I create home décor that celebrates the richness of African-American identity through calligraphy, and heritage. I specialize in one-of-a-kind items—engraved wall art, pillows, lamps, journals, and kitchenware—that don’t just decorate a space, but tell a story.

A big source of my inspiration comes from the Harlem Renaissance, a time when Black artists, writers, and musicians unapologetically claimed space to define our culture on our own terms. I see Deco Négro as a modern continuation of that movement—an artistic platform where our voices, our sayings, our songs, and our shared experiences are elevated as beautiful, sophisticated, and worthy of display in our homes.

Part of what pushed me to start Deco Négro was walking through big box stores and noticing how “Black art” was represented. More often than not, the pieces leaned heavily into generalized African patterns, silhouettes, or imagery that, while beautiful, didn’t reflect the lived experiences of African-Americans. Our culture is distinct from Africa’s, though of course connected, and I wanted to honor that uniqueness. There’s a richness in our own stories—the gospel songs, the colloquialisms, the elders’ wisdom, the civil rights anthems—that deserves to be seen on our walls and in our spaces.

That’s the heart of my mission: to create home décor that doesn’t just celebrate culture broadly, but specifically centers the African-American experience. My vision is that Deco Négro becomes the go-to destination for people who want pieces that are not only stylish, but also meaningful—designs that spark conversation and remind us of who we are.

I’m most proud when customers tell me a piece made them think of their grandmother’s kitchen table, or when they sing along to the words on a lamp because it takes them back to church on Sunday mornings. That’s the uniqueness of DecoNegro—each design is deeply personal, and yet universal enough to resonate across generations.

What sets me apart is this fusion: the craft of fine calligraphy I’ve honed since childhood, the design sensibility to make pieces feel timeless, and the intentional storytelling that makes them culturally rooted. Deco Négro isn’t just décor. It’s art. It’s history. It’s legacy you can live with every day.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
For me, it always comes back to my tagline: Legacy Lives Here. Legacy is what grounds us, inspires us, and carries us forward. I want to encourage anyone reading—whether you’re an artist, an entrepreneur, or someone simply dreaming of your next chapter—to honor your own legacy. Tell your story. Share your gifts. Don’t wait for permission to create what only you can bring into the world.

And of course, I’d love to invite readers to explore Deco Négro, follow along on social media, and be part of this journey. Every piece is a small reminder that our stories matter, our culture is beautiful, and our voices deserve to be seen and heard—in our homes and far beyond.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.deconegro.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deco.negro

Image Credits
Laura Mack Photography
Catherine Kent, Creative’s Collective Co.
Crystal on Brand Photography