Imagine Design

I think the number one reason people hire a designer is that they are overwhelmed by the number of decisions it takes to decorate a home. And the number two reason is they are afraid of making a mistake.

And honestly, I understand that. I have been doing this work long enough that I am usually pretty confident making decisions, but every once in a while a house comes along that makes even me pause.

This was one of those houses.

This room is in a 240-year-old home in Old Town Alexandria, a house long recognized as an important part of the city’s architectural history. That kind of history is extraordinary, but it can also feel a little intimidating. The challenge was not to erase the past or make anything feel new. It was to honor what was original and important, while making the house livable for a young family with three children.

In this room, that meant removing heavy drapes and carpet so the original wood floors and beautiful window surrounds could breathe again. The clients’ barrister bookcase, filled with antique books and topped with architectural pieces. We added the vintage screen in the corner to bring down the scale. The art is a mix of traditional and more contemporary pieces, and the rust velvet sofa keeps everything from feeling too serious.

In the end, this one room required hundreds of decisions. What to keep. What to remove. What should feel old. What could feel fresh. Where to add color. Where to be quiet. That is always the balance I strive for: honoring the history without turning it into a museum where everything feels too precious to touch.

I like to think that if someone who knew this room centuries ago walked back in today, they would still recognize its spirit. But it also works for the 21st-century family growing up here now.

This was a family home 240 years ago, and it remains one today.
The best old houses are not frozen in time. They keep evolving.

Design: Imagine Design
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I’ve always loved a custom window seat.

I find that rather than placing furniture in front of a beautiful window, a built-in seat makes the window part of the room. It adds craftsmanship and character, which is especially nice in new construction where those little architectural details can make a house feel more layered and collected.

Practically speaking, it creates extra seating without taking up much floor space. And maybe best of all, it gives the room a little destination: a spot for reading, napping, daydreaming, or just enjoying the view of the garden.

Here, in this family room addition, we kept it simple with a custom cushion, Belgian linen pillows, and brass sconces on either side. Practical, pretty, and exactly the kind of detail that makes a room feel lived in. 🌿🪟

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Build: .co

This primary bedroom has become a favorite place to unwind, which honestly might be the best compliment.

It helps that the room had enough space for more than just a pretty bed. We were able to add both a sofa and a reading chair in the corner, so it really lives more like a quiet retreat than just a bedroom.

The soft botanical wallpaper set the tone, and one of my favorite details is how the fabric on the drapery and Roman shades aligns with the pattern of the wallpaper. It gives the whole room this calm, wrapped-in-the-garden feeling without making the pattern feel busy or overwhelming.

We kept the larger pieces quiet — the upholstered bed, pale nightstands, white bedding - and then pulled that soft green from the wallpaper into the chair and ottoman. A few warmer moments with brass, dark wood, and flowers keep it from feeling too pale or too precious.

It’s serene, but not empty. Pretty, but still comfortable. And clearly, it’s doing its job if they want to spend time here.

Designer: Imagine Design
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This dining room is such a beautiful reminder that dark, moody color doesn’t make a space feel smaller. It can make it feel more expansive, more enveloping, and so much more memorable.

Here, the walls, trim, and ceiling are all wrapped in the same deep green, creating a rich backdrop for everything else in the room. The antique wood tones feel warmer. The crystal chandelier feels brighter. The artwork, rug, and collected pieces all stand out against the deep color.

That’s the magic of committing to a color. Instead of adding drama in little bits, the whole room becomes the atmosphere.

And in a historic home like this, that kind of confidence feels especially right. It honors the architecture, gives the antiques a backdrop, and makes the space feel as if it has always been this way.

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You know how a great pair of jeans somehow goes with everything? Deep blue can work the same way with your upholstered furniture in a room.

That is one of the reasons I love using blue as a neutral when designing a home.

In this family room, the custom blue sofas give the space depth and structure, but they don’t make the room feel overly “colorful.” Instead, they make all the warm neutrals work harder: the natural wood coffee table, the brass lighting, the woven dining chairs, the cream drapery, the textured rug, the leather, the collected art.

It is color, but it behaves like a classic.

And when the tone is right, blue has that same easy quality as denim. It works with almost everything, adds a little richness, and keeps the room from feeling flat.

To me, that is what makes a room feel layered and livable. Not decorated in one perfect note, but collected over time, with each piece making the others feel better.

Design: Imagine Design
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