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Annie Elliott Design, Washington DC

Annie Elliott Design

Greater Washington DC

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Before and after

Thinking about spring cleaning? Make it a makeover!

Annie Elliott | May 10, 2026

Gentle Readers, I’ve decided that spring cleaning is not enough this year. Spring MAKEOVERS are in store! For inspiration, I thought I’d do a little before-and-after post of some past and present projects: heavy on pictures, light on commentary. It’s the blog version of a beach read to give you a jump on summer. Here …

Read more »Thinking about spring cleaning? Make it a makeover!
» Before and after, How-to, Living Room + Family Room, Renovation
Home office with green shade and black dog

Trading spaces: Let’s re-think our rooms in the new year

Annie Elliott | January 20, 2025

Hello, Gentle Readers! I hope your new year is off to a great start. Thank you for your patience as I took an unannounced holiday break :) As we took down the Christmas tree and put the furniture back in place, I thought about how many iterations our living room has had…and how other rooms …

Read more »Trading spaces: Let’s re-think our rooms in the new year
» Before and after
Light green chair in blue and white room

Letting go: to get what we want, sometimes we have to say goodbye to an item we love

Annie Elliott | November 12, 2023

When redesigning a room, Gentle Readers, we start by thinking about how we want the space to feel. Not how it ultimately will look — that reveals itself during the design process — but how it will feel. What vibe are we going for? Bright, cozy, or stimulating? What will you be doing here: eating, …

Read more »Letting go: to get what we want, sometimes we have to say goodbye to an item we love
» Before and after
Outdated coral orange dining room with valences and drapes

Dining room makeover: a simple coat of paint changes everything

Annie Elliott | July 30, 2023

This project happened long ago, Gentle Readers, but I came across the pictures recently and was reminded how few new things we added to transform this room. These amazing clients (seriously: so fun to work with) had bought the gigantic house across the road. The decorating was dated, but the furniture was super pretty, of …

Read more »Dining room makeover: a simple coat of paint changes everything
» Before and after, Dining room

Who doesn’t love a makeover? Befores and afters

Annie Elliott | July 15, 2023

Gentle Readers! I apologize for falling off the blog track for a few weeks. Life overtook me ;) Thank you for your patience! First things first: we are accepting new projects for the fall! Please head over to this page if you’re rarin’ to redecorate. I’d love to work with you! For inspiration, I thought …

Read more »Who doesn’t love a makeover? Befores and afters
» Before and after, Color + paint color, Wallpaper

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Jun 23

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Having sworn I never would wield a paintbrush again, I recently found myself helping my daughter paint her first apartment. Thus a tutorial about paint sheens for her, thus a recap for you!My latest blog post explains the differences between paint sheens and tells you what goes where ;)Link in bio to read. #interiordesigner #paintinspo #apartmenrdecor

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Jun 22

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There’s no other word for it: Sheila Bridges’ pattern Harlem Toile De Jouy has become an American icon. Iconic and ironic: the pattern conflates her experiences as a Black woman living in Harlem with pastoral motifs from 1700s French toile. Delightful and lighthearted at first glance, the pattern gives you plenty to think about. Bridges created Harlem Toile as a wallpaper but later expanded the collection to include fabric, bedding, plates, glassware, umbrellas, and clothing. I strongly recommend getting a piece of this pattern any way you can. @harlemtoilegirl#interiordesign #harlemtoile #patterninspo

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Jun 17

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“Much of the wallpaper [in the Victorian era]—fabric, too—was made with arsenic,’ explains Elliott. ‘There are worse ways to go, I suppose.’”I loved speaking with @allisonpduncan @vogueliving about the art of using two wallpapers in one room. Happy Wallpaper Wednesday!#interiordesign #wallpaper #vogueliving #designopinions #annieelliottdesignSlide 1 📸  by Stacy Zarin Goldberg, Design by Annie ElliottSlide 2 📸 by Leslee Mitchell, Design by Kim ScodroSlide 3 📸 by Donna Dotan, Design by Ariel OkinSlide 4 📸 by Gordon Gregory, Design by Jenny Holladay

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Jun 13

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Pink, light yellow, and gold-y tan combine to create a soft, unexpected color palette. The quiet colors are sophisticated together, and the palette will age beautifully as this tween moves through high school and college. (Her parents won’t even have to redecorate if it becomes a guest bedroom someday! But one step at a time…)#homedesign #paintinspo #bedroomdesign

annieelliottdesign

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Jun 10

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Deep down, I believe that a house isn’t a home without wallpaper 😊 My latest blog post identifies five unexpected places you can use wallpaper — and some are small! Wallpapering the space behind your island stools could be your gateway to my favorite home furnishing. If you have other creative spots for wallpaper, I’d love to hear about them!#wallpaperinspo #interiordesign #wallpaper

annieelliottdesign

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Jun 9

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Welcome to my new before-and-after series! 🥰 I take you through my thinking as I design a space — my “process,” as it were. Pretty pictures are involved too, of course. I hope you enjoy it!This was a super fun project: a historic townhouse with the challenge of a loooong shoebox-shaped front room. You know the kind. Here’s how we made this color-and-pattern-loving client’s challenging space amazing. Like this series? Please let me know! #interiordesigner #windowtreatments #wallpaper

annieelliottdesign

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Jun 5

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Don’t let your porch be a throwaway space! Make it a room. Get a high quality indoor/outdoor rug. Make sure your furniture is COMFY. Find a cordless lamp (they’re everywhere now!). Hang art! You can even add a vintage console table or cabinet if you’re ok with it weathering over time 🕰️. #interiordesign #porchdesign

annieelliottdesign

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Jun 3

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It’s Wallpaper Wednesday! This week we feature Paper Trail by Lewis and Wood. Lewis and Wood launched Paper Trail in the fall of 2025 as one of four patterns in their History Papers Collection. Paper Trail was inspired by ancient rock carvings - 600–2,000 years old! - from various sites in America. It was named after the site Newspaper Rock, Utah.You know I love anything with an animal :) But there are 2 genres, right? Juvenile and…let’s call it *versatile*. To me, Paper Trail falls into the latter category, featuring deer, horses, buffalo, and foxes on a background that resembles the texture of rocks. It’s primitive, not cartoonish. I could see using this in a small bedroom; a breakfast nook (why? Can’t tell you, it’s just a feeling); or a hallway, because the pattern isn’t overwhelming.#wallpaperinspo #interiordesign #homedesign

annieelliottdesign

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May 28

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For those of you lucky enough to have a beach house, now’s the time to start thinking about decorating beyond traditional “costal decor!” Step one? Consider a color palette other than blue and white ;) See my latest blog post for more! 🏖️ 🐚#beachhouseinteriors #interiordesign #eastcoast
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