Annie Elliott Design
Greater Washington DC
Q: I’ve invested 14 years in creating a unique urban space. I now need to sell that house. How much “character” can I leave, and how much of what I’ve implemented needs to be beiged away to keep the realtors happy? A: I love this question, and even though I’m not a realtor, people ask …
Is there anything more festive than a pink plexiglass-topped table? Restaurant designers have all the fun. These tables are the bright spots in an industrial space – jolts of color in a sea of neutrals. This is a perfect example of something I run into all the time, though: it’s a great idea, probably not …
Q: My house is far from modern – it’s a 1919 Arts and Crafts sort-of bungalow – and inexplicably, the living room walls have picture-frame molding (and crown molding too). My question is about what to put inside those picture frames because so far … nothing! A: This little truism applies here: “Just because it’s …
I’ve got to hand it to Kelly Wearstler: the lobby of The Tides in South Beach is lovely. I’ll confess that I don’t like the central chandelier much. It’s the first thing you see when you walk in, and although it’s airy, I think it overwhelms the room. I will say that the longer I …
This past weekend, the Financial Times (which, inexplicably, I love) ran an article summarizing what it sees as the major design trends for 2008. (To clarify, a trend is movement in a certain direction – different from a flash-in-the-pan fad. It’s a subtle but important distinction.) As my job is to translate trends into practical …
I was in a fly fishing store in NYC called Urban Angler recently (I know – what?!?), and it has the most gorgeous old floors…I couldn’t resist posting a picture. The store is in a 3rd floor loft, and I think the old pine floor, with all of its patches and repairs, is infinitely charming.
Q: What are inexpensive or simple ways to update a room you decorated 5 years ago? It’s too soon to do a complete over haul or recover the furniture, but what are some easy ways to avoid boredom or that dreaded passe look? A: It depends on how you define “inexpensive,” but the best bang-for-your-buck …