Hello, Gentle Readers! I hope you’re reading this by a pool, refreshing cocktail in hand, enjoying the temperate weather. (Ok, maybe that last one is unrealistic. A girl can dream!)
Summer is a funny season in the interior design business. It’s either quiet, because people are on vacation, or it’s a mad rush, putting the final touches to vacation houses and outdoor spaces. This year it’s the latter, but I’m still taking some time to relax with Tilly and reflect on the past year. (I still feel like I’m on an academic calendar!)
In the spirit of reflection — and for fun! — I thought I’d look back at the past 12 months and see which blog posts resonated with you most in 2025-26. Here they are.
NUMBER 5
In fifth place is The Cons – and Pros! – of Curved Sofas.
Top recommendations from that post: Do not use curved sofas in traditional settings, and do not place one against a flat wall.
NUMBER 4
The fourth most popular post was a recent one: How to Choose the Right Paint Sheen. It’s SO recent that I don’t think I need to recap it :)
NUMBER 3
Fascinatingly, coming in at number three is Canopy Beds at Colonial Williamsburg!!! I wrote this in 2014, and yet it remains incredibly popular! We’re about to install a canopy bed made with none other than William Morris’s Strawberry Thief fabric in the Cochineal/Willow colorway. I hope it will rival those at Everard House and the Governor’s Palace.
Here’s a streamlined, contemporary canopy we did a few years ago.
NUMBER 2
“7 Sanity-Restoring Rules About Trim Color” sits in second place and has been in the top 10 since it first went up in 2011! I was just talking to a client about whether we should paint her mudroom doors and trim the same color…
…or two different colors.
One of the key lessons from “7 Sanity-Restoring Rules About Trim Color” is to use caution when experimenting with colorful trim in the “public” spaces of your house. Not everyone can handle the drama :) Luckily, my clients can:
In re-reading that blog post, I realize that I have MORE tips about trim color in my book. So you might want to pick one up. Like, right now ;)
AND THE MOST POPULAR BOSSY COLOR BLOG POST IN THE PAST YEAR IS…
“The Best Window Treatments For Half Coverage!” Window treatments are tricky, as you know, and a huge part of my job is finding solutions that provide the right amounts of privacy and light control. Two of my favorite half-coverage treatments are blinds (I’m very into stained wood rather than painted, and I’m very NOT into slats wider than 2″).
and “Brisbees,” also known as “cafe curtains,” also known as “half curtains.” (I’m trying to get that last one to catch on.) I especially love HALF CURTAINS in bathrooms. They’re great for preventing your neighbors from seeing you naked ;)
I hope some of these posts are new to you, Gentle Readers, and I hope you find them helpful! That’s my main goal, after all: to help.
Have a wonderful second half of summer!
Annie Elliott Design is based in Washington, D.C., but we also love working in NYC and on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. We’re now scheduling projects for fall. Please contact us to discuss.