From the age of three Brown wanted to be an artist; she was supported in this ambition by her family, notably by her grandmother and two of her uncles who were also artists. Brown is married to architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff; they have one daughter.
Brown's early interest in art was nurtured by her family, including her grandmother and two uncles who shared her passion for creativity. She is married to Nicolai Ouroussoff, an architecture critic, and they have a daughter together.