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Annie Elliott Design, Washington DC

Annie Elliott Design

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How big are YOUR pillows?

Annie Elliott | May 21, 2013

They’re getting bigger. Throw pillows, I mean. Time was, accent pillows were discreet. Small, modest, tucked away…never taller than the back of the sofa or chair in which they nestled.

Big throw pillows on sofa

Those days are over: throw pillows are GIGANTIC now! Check out the ones below at Century Furniture! I don’t think I’ve specified a 16″ square accent pillow in a year. Even 18″ square can feel small to me.

Century Furniture sofa with 3 huge accent pillows

I just ordered 22″ throw pillows from Sparkmodern via Etsy for our family room sofa. Granted, the sofa itself is 37″H, but still. Two 22″ pillows, two 20″ pillows, and one long lumbar. That’s a lot of fluff.

Large purple accent pillows on sofa and chairs

Layering patterned pillows is still a white-hot trend, especially if your taste runs to the eclectic. (The fact that these pillows are in matching pairs saves the room from becoming a crazy mess.)

Large patterned accent pillows in NYC apartment

The sofa in this Thom Filicia-decorated living room is so long it NEEDS the bigger pillows. Again, using pillows in matching pairs is a plus. (Am I the only one who still refers to him as Thhhom, as I did when Queer Eye for the Straight Guy reigned? Yes? Ah, well. God, I miss that show.)

Thom Filicia's oversized accent pillows on blue sofaDon’t these pillows look skimpy to you now?

Screen Shot 2013-05-21 at 10.22.28 PM

As opposed to, say, these by my hero, Jamie Drake?

Screen Shot 2013-05-21 at 10.37.23 PM

If not, give it time. Soon you’ll be turning your nose up at anything smaller than 24″ square. It’s happening, people.

Large black and white accent pillows on outdoor furniture

Cococozy, you saved my bacon this post with your excellent pictures — thank you! Quoted in publications from The New York Times to The Washington Post to Real Simple magazine, Annie Elliott is an interior designer in Washington, D.C. Her firm, bossy color, delivers distinctive, curated interiors with professional precision.

Category: Art + accessoriesTag: Century Furniture, Jamie Drake, large accent pillow, large throw pillow, matching accent pillows, oversize pillow, Thom Filicia, throw pillows on sofa

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May 11

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I’ve decided that spring cleaning is not enough this year. Spring MAKEOVERS are in store!Read my latest blog post to see before-and-after photos of some past and current projects. It’s heavy on pictures, light on commentary…the blog version of a beach read to give you a jump on summer 🏖️.

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May 8

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It was an honor to be a sponsor of the 87th annual Flower Mart at the National Cathedral! My  daughters have been trekking up to the Cathedral for this event since they were little - wonderful memories. This year, my favorite flower display was the Hong Kong Economic and Trade office; those peonies smelled UNBELIEVABLE! 🌺 🌼 🌷 🌻! Switzerland was a close second ;)

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May 6

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For today’s Wallpaper Wednesday, we discuss Hicks Grand by David Hicks.The British interior designer created the smaller-scale Hicks Hexagon in the 1960s and later scaled up the pattern to create Hicks Grand. The contemporary, geometric, honeycomb repeat adds intrigue and depth to any room. I have only used the smaller Hicks Hexagon (stairway picture), but I LOVE the scale of Hicks Grand. Fun fact: The Hicks Hexagon pattern was used on the rugs in the Overlook Hotel’ hallways in The Shining 😱#wallpaperinspo #interiorinspiration #hicksandgrand

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Apr 30

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Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.But nothing says spring like flowers! 🌷 🌻 🌸 (And birds!)

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Apr 28

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Your house should reflect *you*. My recent visits to Eudora Welty’s house and the Mississippi Museum of Art reminded me of that. If the wallpaper you put up makes you happy, it’s a success! If you need help figuring out how to translate your personality and lifestyle into your home’s function and appearance, I’m here 😉.Read my new blog post for more!

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Apr 24

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Annie Elliott Design is a proud sponsor of the 87th annual @flowermartdc! I hope to see you all there! I will be there on May 1st shopping for peonies, yellow roses, and Black-Eyed Susans. 🌸 🌹 💐 #flowermartdc #springflowers #interiordesign

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Apr 22

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The star of today’s Wallpaper Wednesday is Farrow & Ball’s Lotus!The dramatic Lotus pattern is in the Art Nouveau style of the late 19th century and veeeeery early part of the 20th. (The pattern’s curved, stylized, botanical shapes are a classic indicator of Art Nouveau style.) Today, Lotus wallpaper is available in 19 colorways — or coloUrways, since Farrow & Ball is British ☺️ — and the metallic ones are quite spectacular. F&B changes its wallpaper colorways with annoying regularity; once they cease making a paper, that colorway is considered “archived.” But fear not: ANY F&B wallpaper pattern can be made in ANY F&B paint…all it takes is time and money.If you’re a Succession fan (I struggled, but I made it through), you may remember Lotus from Season 3, in Rava Roy’s foyer.#interiordesign #wallpaper

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Apr 20

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You know my thoughts about small rooms and wallpaper: bold, large-scale paper totally works! Your gateway drug is powder rooms. They’re the perfect place to experiment with whimsical patterns and bright colors because you don’t spend a ton of time in there. Although * I * argue that when you have the right wallpaper, you’ll want to ;)

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Apr 8

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When you come home after a long day, do you want your foyer to rev you up or calm you down? Decide which approach you need and run with it. Add large-scale wallpaper and layered rugs for excitement, or paint the walls off-white and be selective with your artwork and mirrors for calm. #foyer #homedesign #foyerinspiration
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