Annie Elliott Design
Greater Washington DC
Don’t you love it when you see something cool and then remember that it was your idea? The other day I went to see a client I hadn’t seen in a while. As we walked through the kitchen to get to the pool house (the object of the day’s visit) I saw that the stairway …
My daughters had been asking me for a pink room for months. (They’re 4-1/2: pink isn’t just a color, it’s a way of life.) I loved their gender-neutral yellow and light blue room, but it’s been 4 years since we’ve moved in, and some rooms have gotten more paint attention than others…It was probably time …
Well. I’ve been invited to participate in the spring Design House at the Washington Design Center. The theme is “Urban Elegance.” My urbanly elegant room will be the kitchen. The timeline is pretty short; the opening party is on April 23. So the first thing I need to do is nail down a cabinetry partner. …
Today is the one-month anniversary of the opening of Ava’s in St. Michaels, MD. Hooray! I have two selfish reasons to root for its success: first, St. Michaels desperately needs an inexpensive-but-excellent restaurant with a grown-up atmosphere (wine, lovely setting) and child-friendly practicality (crayons in a pinch). Second, I helped them choose the colors for …
Q: Annie, I have been reading your blog for a few months now and really enjoy it. I was hoping that you could help me pick a new look for my fireplace in Silver Spring [MD]. My family lives in a 1940s colonial. I like midcentury modern furnishings, a clean, neutral look, and silvertone or …
It’s sad, but it’s true. Not all old things are worth keeping. I’m generally in favor of salvaging architectural or decorative elements. If it’s in good shape, if it works with the current owners’ style, and, most important, if it’s original to the house, why not try to work with it? My contractors will tell …
Good old laminate countertops are making a comeback. Cost must be the driving factor: at $20 – $40/sf, it’s really the least expensive material out there. (Butcher block can be close, but everything else – granite, marble, concrete, stainless steel, solid surfacing such as CesarStone or Silestone – is at least double the price: $80 …