Look Inside This Colorful Capitol Hill Townhome

This Capitol Hill townhome has a historic past as a former Piggly Wiggly grocery store and a community church in its former life.

This Capitol Hill townhome, from its tone-on-tone burgundy walls to its wallpapered ceilings, is big on color, resulting in no small detail going unnoticed.

Seven years ago top interior design firm Shannon Claire Interiors (shannonclaireinteriors.com) was formed—and the Washington metropolitan area has been spoiled with immaculate design ever since. “Our specialty is creating spaces that reflect a side of our clients that they didn’t even know they had,” says founder Shannon Claire Smith. The luxury boutique design firm’s style is rooted in historical design with a fresh twist: colorful, layered spaces that are as comfortable as they are beautiful. A recent Capitol Hill townhouse project is a perfect example. “This project and these clients were truly a dream to work with,” says Smith. “They have a great eye themselves and were able to look past its questionably updated interior to see the beauty in the bones.”

The powder room’s wallpaper helps seamlessly blend the various hues throughout the home.

The couple’s willingness to take risks, such as wallpapering the ceiling and adding a neon support beam, certainly paid off. Bursting with color, from bold floral wallpaper to pastel pink kitchen stools and pop artwork, the transformed interior draws the eye to every nook and cranny, leaving no corner behind. Another eye-catching element was the distinctive colorblocking in the living room: “This adds visual separation without taking away from the square footage, which was a fun solution to our biggest obstacle,” shares Smith, who was forced to get creative when faced with the difficult conditions the long, narrow space provided. Hard work certainly paid off, though: The results are a gorgeous, bold living room boasting the same deep navy hue on the walls, ceiling and fireplace mantel. Smith certainly has a knack for creative solutions, including transforming the townhome’s seldom-used secondary entrance into a breakfast nook, complete with burgundy walls and a statement light fixture. Even with the abounding design elements, our favorite space is one of the smallest: the powder room. The chic space moved to an entirely new—and hidden—space and instantly catches the eye thanks to bodacious organic floral wallpaper. Smith chose a simple stripe-trimmed mirror as the sole wall decor, which created a great layering effect and didn’t overcrowd the loud space. Once again, the veteran interior designer leaves her mark on the city.