• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header left navigation
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • about
    • services
    • team
  • portfolio
  • press
Annie Elliott Design, Washington DC

Annie Elliott Design

Greater Washington DC

  • book
  • blog
  • contact

Room Makeover Tips — On A Budget!

Annie Elliott | March 28, 2017

Thank you, House Beautiful online! I’m very proud to be featured in Lauren Smith’s article about interior designers’ favorite ways to impact a room in a big way — on a small budget.

Best Benjamin Moore paint color advice from DC interior designer Annie Elliott, bossy color, for living rooms, bedrooms, and more Farrow & Ball, Benjamin Moore, best paint colors, paint color advice, Edgecomb Gray, Windham Cream, Summer Shower, Arsenic, Black, Black Forest Green, Shaker Beige, Opal, Whispering Spring, China Blue, Wedgewood Gray, Mizzle, Million Dollar Red, Monterey White, Simply White, Ivory Tusk, Simply White, Super White After twelve (!) years of bringing color into people's homes and lives, I've learned that certain paint colors just come through again and again. Here are my go-t0 paint colors for every room. Best Living Room color (neutral): Edgecomb Gray Best Foyer color (and Living Room color - color :)  ): Windham Cream Best Dining Room Color: (a navy blue - F&B?) ***Bathroom: Summer Shower or Whispering Spring Wedgewood Gray? China Blue? Kitchen - choose a light green, maybe F&B? Mizzle #266 Basement: Ivory Tusk With Super White trim. Best trim colors: With medium toned colors, such as Edgecomb Gray - OC-117 Simply White With deeper colors, such as HC-45 Shaker Beige - HC-27 Monterey White Best baby girl's nursery color - Opal Alternate uses: Guest room, bath Best baby boy's nursery color - pick a green Best accent red: Million Dollar Red 2003-10 Best Bedroom color: Farrow & Ball Light Blue Best color for shutters: 2047-10 Black Forest Green Best color for handrails: Black Best Powder Room color: Wallpaper! Freshest new color: Arsenic. I'm dying to use this color. Maybe in a Dining Room
Getty image via House Beautiful online

You have exactly one guess as to what my #1 tip is.

That’s right: paint ;)

But there are more! Check out the article when you have a second — I guarantee you’ll pick up a trick or two.

Bossy color | Annie Elliott interiors is a design firm based in Washington, DC. Annie’s interior design work and decorating insights have appeared in such publications as Better Homes & Gardens, HGTV Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and, most recently, Bethesda Magazine. 

Category: Color + paint colorTag: before and after, budget, budget decorating, decorating advice, decorating tips, design on a dime, furniture, makeover, paint color tips, room makeover

Sidebar

Subscribe

 

Bossy Color Blog

Categories

  • Art + accessories »
  • Bedroom »
  • Color + paint color »
  • Dining room »
  • Furniture + upholstery »
  • Kids »
  • Kitchen + bath »
  • Lighting »
  • Living Room + Family Room »
  • Renovation »
  • Rugs »
  • Wallpaper »
  • Window treatments »

View Portfolio

view Bossy Color's portfolio

Instagram

annieelliottdesign

View Instagram post by annieelliottdesign

Oct 7

Open post by annieelliottdesign with ID 18635567182053307
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

annieelliottdesign

View Instagram post by annieelliottdesign

Oct 3

Open post by annieelliottdesign with ID 18482506054114649
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

annieelliottdesign

View Instagram post by annieelliottdesign

Oct 2

Open post by annieelliottdesign with ID 18103510994172389
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

annieelliottdesign

View Instagram post by annieelliottdesign

Sep 28

Open post by annieelliottdesign with ID 18630011602021777
Happy Fall! Ironic, isn’t it, that fall weather is cool, but the colors we associate with the season are warm? The earthy orange grasscloth in this foyer is undeniably “fall” to me. Add deep, warm versions of green and blue, et voilà: a cozy, inviting, autumnal space.

annieelliottdesign

View Instagram post by annieelliottdesign

Sep 23

Open post by annieelliottdesign with ID 17881497900529047
For this week’s Wallpaper Wednesday we go into the Woods… Woods is a great example of Cole & Son’s innovation in serigraphy, a traditional method of screen printing. The pattern is available on fabric and wallpaper in a variety of soothing yet elegant colorways. Due (I’m sure) to the booming success of the original, there are now some whimsical variations on Woods: Cole & Son added metallic stars to some colorways and pears to others. As you may imagine, however, this traditionalist prefers the original 🙂For some reason, Woods is especially popular for nurseries. Maybe those babies really wanted out of their cribs. 👶🏼In 2005, Woods deservedly won the ELLE Decoration International Design Award for Wallcovering of the Year. And it’s still going strong.

annieelliottdesign

View Instagram post by annieelliottdesign

Sep 22

Open post by annieelliottdesign with ID 17934708156387896
“Isn’t ‘modern farmhouse’ over yet?” I loved speaking with @authordinacheney @washingtonpost about the worst interior design trends! Turns out I’m not the only designer with strong opinions 😊@vincentewolfdesigns @kimletgordon @maxsinsteden #interiordesign #washingtonpost #designopinions #annieelliottdesign

annieelliottdesign

View Instagram post by annieelliottdesign

Sep 18

Open post by annieelliottdesign with ID 17989063023104856
Best part of being an interior designer is using your own home as a playground for creative ideas! We changed the paint in our living room again and here’s how it looks now! #interiordesign

annieelliottdesign

View Instagram post by annieelliottdesign

Sep 17

Open post by annieelliottdesign with ID 18125330714481993
When you become an empty nester, when is it ok to reclaim your adult child’s space? Check out my latest blog post for my recommendations on how to approach empty nesting!📸 @stacyzaringoldberg📸 @kipdawkinsphoto📸 Michael Wilkinson📸 @angieseckinger

annieelliottdesign

View Instagram post by annieelliottdesign

Sep 10

Open post by annieelliottdesign with ID 17906571285498443
Pink, green, and a splash of dark orange come together to create this sunny, summery bedroom 🪷
Follow

Looking for something?

Don’t miss a single post

 

Where classic and modern hang out and drink gin.

  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
American Society of Interior Designers Firm Partner

© 2026 · Annie Elliott Design · privacy policy