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Annie Elliott Design, Washington DC

Annie Elliott Design

Greater Washington DC

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So I wrote a book…

Annie Elliott | May 17, 2023

…and it is HERE, Gentle Readers!!! Available for sale on this very website. Right now!

Woman grinning holding small book
It’s here!

I think people usually write books this way: Usually, people think of an idea for a book, and then they write a book proposal, and then they find an agent, and then the agent gets them a publisher. I think that’s how it usually goes.

I…just wrote the book. I didn’t have a strategy or a plan; I just wanted to pull together some of the information I’d learned during my career as an interior designer-slash-decorator. I thought about the questions clients and friends have asked me most often, and then I answered them. As clearly and succinctly (and wittily) as I knew how.

Book cover, Annie Elliott's interior design handbook
The book itself — including the cover — was beautifully designed by Olivia Hammerman

At one point, I was trying to figure out whether I’d covered the issues people cared about the most. So I asked a handful of close friends what they considered their primary interior decorating challenges. The responses I received the most were choosing paint colors, understanding light bulbs, corralling clutter, and spouses in general.

Watercolor illustration of a coat tree, boots, and wallpaper
The book features the most CHARMING drawings by the brilliant Tania Lee. That’s her work on the cover, too ;)

Alas, about the last I could do precious little. But clutter! I hadn’t considered clutter to be an interior design issue, but of course it is! As a result: Chapter 9: Clutter. Coats, shoes, and bags…what to do? What to do? And, of course, there are chapters about paint colors, light bulbs, wallpaper, furniture arrangement, art, and other things.

The book is called, My Neighbor Saw Me Naked, and Other Reasons You Need Drapes. The most important things you need to know about decorating.

I hope you like it, Gentle Readers. And I hope the 78 friends and family members to whom you give the book like it, too.

Annie Elliott Design is based in Washington, D.C., and designing houses is still our favorite thing to do, literary digressions notwithstanding. We’re experts in creating gorgeous, color- and pattern-filled homes and telling people what to do in the nicest way possible.

Category: Window treatmentsTag: book, Clutter, My Neighbor Saw Me Naked, paint colors, shoe clutter, walllpaper, window treatments

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My home is my lab :) As evidenced by my constant tinkering. Today: replacing my own DR chandelier.

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Oct 23

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One could argue that each element in this New York living room is dramatic, from the mirrored (wallpaper) ceilings to the purple sofa. If we had put an antique rug in this room — which, let’s be honest, is often my first thought — the effect could have been dowdy. It would have been cozy, it would have been consistent with the moody vibe, and it still would have been kind of interesting given the other things in the room.But the contemporary rug, Danika by @starkcarpet, makes the room SING. The huge geometric scale is a beautiful contrast to the smaller patterns on the chair and the Roman shade. The light background brightens the room while making the darker colors more intense. And the black…well, black always adds drama.It’s hard to explain, but you see it, right?@schumacher_midatlantic @timorous_beasties @starkcarpet_dc#schustagram

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Oct 21

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Happy Wallpaper Wednesday! This week, we dive into Martinique by CW Stockwell.This small, family-run print facility in Los Angeles was founded in 1905. Clifton Stockwell’s daughter and son-in-law traveled to the Bahamas in 1942 and were so enchanted by the foliage that they collaborated with illustrator and textile designer Albert Stockdale to create a wallpaper pattern. The result was Martinique — also known as “The Original Banana Leaf Print.” (Martinique is not to be confused with Brazilliance by Dorothy Draper 😉 .)Martinique famously adorns the Beverly Hills Hotel’s halls, stairwells, and Fountain Coffee Room.CW Stockwell now sells the Martinique pattern in seven colorways as wallpaper, grasscloth, and linen fabric.@cwstockwell @scalamandre#interiordesign #wallpaperinspo

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Oct 19

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I love this cocoon of a bedroom :) And what makes it REALLY interesting? The red lamps. There’s no other red in the room. Oranges, yes, so the red has something to relate to, but the exact shade appears nowhere else.It’s these unexpected elements that can take a room from beautiful to fabulous.Hats off to: @visualcomfort @cowtanandtout @cowtanwashingtondc#dcdesigner #interiordesign

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Oct 16

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I stand by my decision to drywall the window 🤭. See how we created a dark and cozy boudoir in a spacious sunny condo in DC…#interiordesign #dcdesigner

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Oct 14

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Your bed is the biggest piece of visual real estate in your bedroom. It needs pillows! Check out my latest blog post for ideas about arranging pillows on your bed 🛏️.

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Oct 7

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Happy Wallpaper Wednesday! Today we’re talking about one of my favorite things in the whole world: grasscloth. (Which technically makes today *Wallcovering* Wednesday, but tomayto tomahto.) Most grasscloth is made of actual grasses that have been washed, dried, bleached or dyed, and glued to paper. Wallcovering made of sisal, seagrass, raffia, or hemp also is placed under the heading “grasscloth.” Talk about timeless style: while grasscloth had a popularity surge in the 1960s and 70s (thanks to a cultural obsession with living in nature), its first known use was in 107 AD, in China ;) Grasscloth has long been appreciated for its insulative properties and durability. From a decorating perspective, I love it because it adds warmth, texture, and dimension to any space. Picture a room painted white, and then imagine that room with an off-white grasscloth on the walls (and, if you’re me, the ceiling). The second room is still light and bright, but it’s cozier and more interesting.Grasscloth can be minimalist in neutral earth tones or maximalist, dyed bold colors, colorfully painted, or appliquéd with spangles, embroidery, or tape trim. It shows its seams when installed, but that’s part of the charm. I love grasscloth in hallways, living spaces, and bedrooms, but I avoid using it in kitchens and steamy bathrooms because I’m nervous about odor retention and excessive moisture.Enough school for the day, but if you remember nothing else: grasscloth enriches every room it graces. Highly recommend.📸 Michael K. Wilkinson@schumacher_midatlantic @schumacher1889 @phillipjeffriesltd

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Oct 3

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You likely know where I stand on pillows: they NEVER should be an afterthought. Check out my latest blog post for recommendations on size, shape, style, and placement. Link in bio. 📸 @stacyzaringoldberg📸 @kipdawkinsphoto📸 @angieseckinger

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Oct 2

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This client’s gorgeous collection of gold icons in the bookcases puts this room in a league of its own. Whenever you have a collection — of ANYTHING: frog figurines, English engravings of flowers or dogs, snow globes — maximize its impact by bringing the objects together and placing them in a prominent place. These icons are breathtaking, and the sheer number invites you to go closer and study them. With reverence.#eastlake #vintagerug #antiquerug
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