About Annie Elliott
Annie developed her eye and aesthetic sensibilities working in some of the nation's top museums and studying 20th-century art.
After graduating from Milton Academy in 1988, she received a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. from the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.
Annie has held senior staff positions at Philadelphia’s Rosenbach Museum & Library, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. Seeking a more personal relationship with art and design “consumers” and believing that people’s environments directly impact the quality of their lives, Annie turned to interior design in 2004 and started bossy color.
When a potential client asks, “What’s bossy color’s style?” several things come to mind. First, as the name of the firm implies, Annie never passes up an opportunity to nudge her clients toward unexpected color palettes. Second, her overall aesthetic is unfussy: “bossy color is anti-clutter,” she’s fond of saying. And finally, integrating art into interior design is a hallmark of bossy color’s work.
Ultimately, though, Annie takes a practical approach to design: she believes that a home must be livable as well as beautiful. This means creating spaces that suit the clients' tastes, reflect their individuality and enrich their lives.
Bossy color clients appreciate Annie’s design sensibilities, her ability to listen and communicate, and her sense of humor. But most of all, they value Annie’s ability to craft design solutions that work for them.
Annie extends bossy color’s reach through frequent quotations in The Washington Post, Washingtonian magazine, and other publications. She’s an active member of the design blog scene, with bossy blog enjoying a strong national and international following.