Annie Elliott Design
Greater Washington DC
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: Any special blog hints for those with very small urban apartment spaces? Aside from space, urban apartment dwellers face other challengers (contractors charging more because they know finding a place to put their truck each day will be a major headache, etc., timing work with your building manager, etc.) A: That’s right, it’s not …
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 …
When should you hire a carpenter for customized built-ins, and when is buying freestanding shelves the better option? This question comes up a lot, and the safe answer, of course, is, “It depends.” Since that’s not a very satisfying answer, though, here is a quick and dirty checklist. Built-ins if:– You plan to stay in …
This is so embarrassing I almost can’t write about it. But, ego be damned, I thought it might be comforting for you to know that even decorators struggle with their own houses. My living room has been painted. Five. Times. We’ve lived in this house for less than three years. And it’s not just a …
According to The New York Times, the Pantone Color Institute‘s color for 2008 is blue iris, or for those in the ultra-know, No. 18-3943. Cathy Horyn quotes Pantone’s Leatrice Eiseman describing the color thus: “Blue Iris brings together the dependable aspects of blue, underscored by a strong, soul-searching purple cast. Emotionally, it is anchoring and …