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Annie Elliott Design, Washington DC

Annie Elliott Design

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Bossy color’s living room, Part 5: Kickin’ it into high gear (Or: Oh good Lord, not the rug again)

Annie Elliott | February 14, 2010

So. Back to me.


Aren’t you getting sick of me talking about my living room? I’M sick of me. I know my husband is sick of me. (Happy Valentine’s Day, darling!)

But this is kind of his fault.

He recently informed me that we would be hosting a party in EARLY MARCH. This is D.C….I believe it’s a fundraiser for someone running for something.

Not important. What is important is that I will not have a bunch of people who don’t already know and love me passing judgment on an interior designer’s own stuck-in-limbo living room. I. Will. NOT. (I think I actually stamped my foot when I was having this conversation with my husband. Mature, right?)


To my husband’s great credit, he didn’t try to talk me down from my hysteria by saying dumb things like, oh, it doesn’t matter, or, no one will notice, or, you’re your own worst critic, blah blah blah. No, he just heaved a big sigh and shook his head. (This is why I love you! Happy Valentine’s Day again, darling!)


So the living room project is now officially in high gear.

Knowing that we always start with the rug, I bit the bullet and ordered this Savafieh rug, mostly because it was not $12,000, which is how much the OTHER rug I tried to order turned out to be.


I do not yet have the rug. Thanks to Snowpocalypse parts Un et Deux, the rug currently is resting comfortably in a warehouse in Landover, Maryland.

The wait is killing me. It was supposed to have arrived last Monday. Thanks to UPS’s very fancy tracking system, I’ve been monitoring the rug’s progress online: Landover. Landover. Landover.

The rug’s success or failure will depend on that background color. If it’s more blue than green, we’ll be fine. If it’s minty, back it goes. I tried ordering from RugStudio this time, so I’ll let you know how that turns out.

In general, I prefer older rugs for my own house. The problem is that the designs can get really intricate. These were the (most recent) runners-up, both from Rugman. This Kashmar:


Which I absolutely LOVE, but it would have dominated the room, and this Kashan rug:


Really different directions. Of these 3, I still think (hope, pray) I made the right decision.

Unless the rug is, in fact, mint green. In which case, I’m toast.

Category: Living Room + Family Room, Rugs

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Get ready for a dramatic before and after! We transformed a playroom into a dining room, and the result is pretty amazing. (But still fun!) #wallpaper #interiordesign #diningroominspo

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Jul 22

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For today’s Wallpaper Wednesday, we discuss the chinoiserie wallpaper in the Great Hall at  @citytavern_dc  in Washington, DC. Ooooohh - field trip!I was delighted to visit City Tavern recently. It’s a historic 1796 Federal building in the heart of Georgetown, and all the cool kids hung out there. You know, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson…those guys. At one point, the building boasted the largest room in Washington.I, of course, was captivated by the Great Hall, which is covered in @graciestudio hand-painted wallpaper — which was selected by none other than Jackie Kennedy! EVEN THOUGH at that time the building was a club that didn’t admit women. Harumph.The chinoiserie walls are gorgeous from far away, but they’re amazing up close, also: you can see faint brushstrokes left by the painters. Doesn’t that give you a shiver? I love it.

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Jul 21

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For a recent article in @vogueliving, I was asked how to mix wallpapers — either in the same room or adjacent rooms. I have a few pieces of advice to offer 😊See my latest blog post for more…#interiordesign #designblog #wallpaperinspo

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Jul 8

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Star-studded wallpaper on the ceiling childish? Not necessarily! Here are the differences between babyish and grown-up star themed wallpaper. #wallpaper #interiordesign

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Jul 4

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Happy Independence Day! I happen to love a room decorated in red, white, and blue. It’s not always gimmicky; wouldn’t you agree that the dining room below is bold and sophisticated? 🤪 My advice: vary the shades (clash those blues if you have to!), throw some large-scale patterns into the mix, and add texture. A grasscloth ceiling, for example 😉 Have a great 4th, everyone!#interiordesign #homedecor #pattermixing

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Jul 3

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I was honored to co-chair — with the inimitable @ianthainteriors — the design competition, America at 250: The New Look of American Design, a project conceived by the nonprofit MADE: In America.Design students from Howard University partnered with Washington Design Center showrooms to create storyboards and vignettes reflecting their vision of “American style.” The Design Center is showcasing the students’ work through July 10; admission is free and open to the public. Details may be found at the link in the @washingtondesigncenter’s bio.I encourage you to visit! It’s so important to support the next generation of designers, and I was delighted to participate in this event. Iantha and I are grateful to James De Lorbe, Chairman of MADE: In America; and we extend our warmest thanks to jurors @melissacolganinteriors, @mariella.cruzado,  @gaildavisdesigns, @val_hawkins_architect, @hadleykeller, @byronrisdon, and @jazmynedesignstudio.

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Jul 1

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Happy Wallpaper Wednesday! This week’s guest star: Schumacher’s Birds & Butterflies. It’s so whimsical, yet so grown up! Creatures on wallpaper can be a tough sell to adults, but Birds & Butterflies’ black and white background is quite sophisticated. (That’s why the Multi on White is my favorite colorway. I wouldn’t bother with the others.)The pattern is derived from a hand-printed 1960s wallpaper in the Schumacher archive. It’s certainly earned its place in the Exuberant Prints collection, don’t you think?#wallpaperinspo #interiordesign #roomdesign

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Jun 26

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Before and after part 2: a NYC pied-a-terre part deux! In this video we move to the primary bedroom, guest bedroom/office/workout area (remember: it’s NY! Gotta maximize your space!) and the tiniest powder room in the world. Such a fabulous, fun project!Mentioned:@Schumacher_midatlantic@leejofa@visualcomfort@fornasetti#interiordesign #wallpaper #nycdesign

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Jun 26

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Another installment of my Before and After video series! This project is in NYC. SO fun!!! We start with a VERY challenging living space/kitchen and then…well, then there’s Part 2!Mentioned:@Schumacher_midatlantic@leejofa@visualcomfort@fornasetti
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