6 min readIt isn’t every day that an interior designer gets to renovate her best friend’s house, but designer Amie Corley got lucky. When Mandi—the best friend in question—bought a sun-drenched condo in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., Corley knew she could finally achieve her wish of designing her friend’s dream home.
She started the full renovation of the living spaces with architect Sean Mullin and project managers Jonattan Lopez and Charlotte Donati Etheridge of Wilderworks for Anthony Wilder Design/Build, who already had a rapport with Mandi after she hired them for a previous condo project. The combined trust from this prior working relationship, plus a 20-plus-year friendship with Corley, made for a deeply personal interior upgrade.
Corley came to the project prepared. For years, she’d been keeping notes on what decor and fabrics Mandi would point out while on their travels. “Mandi and I went to Milan for Salone in 2024 and found this incredible cut velvet by Jim Thompson,” Corley tells House Beautiful. “She grabbed it and said, ‘This is going in my future house.’ I kept note of all of those things.” That same velvet is what covers the showstopping sofas in her living room.
It was a similar case with the paint color in the kitchen. Corley had been wanting to design a pink kitchen for years and had earmarked a dusty rose hue, Setting Plaster by Farrow & Ball, for Mandi’s “one day” apartment long before she actually owned it, let alone knew what it would look like.
— Sean Mullin
Beautiful elements were brought in to add to the theme of modern luxury, which is fitting for an apartment with actual royalty for a neighbor. “The funny thing about working in a condo in this area is that you tend to hear all about what else is going on in the building,” Mullin says. “At one point we heard that a king was moving into the floor above!”
Every light fixture looks like it could belong in a modern art museum, from the European chandelier in the dining room (which required a brand new electrical box to support its weight, adds Mullin) to the otherworldly pendant in the lounge. High-gloss paint is a common find in multiple spaces, but possibly the most special use of it is on the interior doors. “All the doors in the condo were painted with a high-gloss black, which was challenging as they needed to have no imperfections,” Lopez explains.
Elegant materials, like high-quality fabrics, marble countertops, and carved sinks, are threaded throughout the home, but it’s the smaller details that really elevate the space. No light switch cover or receptacle was left untouched, with Mullin and Lopez switching out each one with a stunning Buster + Punch replacement. “Even the existing returns at the air-handlers were replaced with custom brass registers to pick up on the brass themes throughout the unit,” Mullin adds.
The rest of the decor was chosen with a kind of thoughtfulness only a close friend could manage. Scattered around are books from all the beautiful places and great hotels Corley and Mandi have visited together. The ceramic phone in the entryway was a splurge, but Corley just knew it would fit so perfectly in her friend’s home. Artwork that pulls from their shared story of living in St. Louis hangs above the breakfast nook, while two Maria Svarbova photographs of swimmers in the lounge reference Mandi’s high school sport.
“What I love most about this project is that it tells the story of our friendship and is a happy, warm home for Mandi to host Taylor Swift-themed parties or mahjong nights with her favorite friends,” Corley says. “There’s a significance to almost every detail.”
FAST FACTS
Designer: Amie Corley of Amie Corley Interiors
Architects: Sean Mullin of Wilderworks for Anthony Wilder Design/Build
Project Managers: Jonattan Lopez and and Charlotte Donati Etheridge of Wilderworks for Anthony Wilder Design/Build
Location: Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
The Space: A 1,261-square-foot corner unit apartment with 2 beds, 1.5 baths.
ENTRYWAY
The colorful payphone is actually ceramic.
When Corley spotted this Brock De Boer payphone at Square One Gallery in St. Louis, she immediately texted Mandi that she needed it. It hangs above an antique Spanish demi-lune table and serves as a reminder for Mandi to call her mom.
LIVING AREA
Different color palettes meet in this shared space.
Floor-to-ceiling windows make watching the sunset from the warm alpaca sofas—which seem to glow in the sunlight—magical every evening. Perched between them, the large coffee table anchors the space and is the perfect setting for a game night.
DINING AREA
The architectural table is an optimal spot for hosting dinner parties.
Corley explains that Mandi wanted her dining room to be a multifunctional space, something that could be transformed on the spot from a desk to a mahjong night. Vibrancy comes through via the chairs, which “blend an old-world pattern of pinks, greens, and yellow with the modern shape,” she adds.
LOUNGE
Previously an office, it’s now a spot to sit back with a stiff drink.
The homeowner knew as soon as she walked in that she wanted this space to be a bar, somewhere she could hang with friends and entertain with plenty of patterns, color, and a great view. Corley was thrilled—she’s designed many home bars like this because the balance between functionality and form works so well. “Some storage, some display, statement sconces, and beautiful hardware,” she adds.
There’s a real speakeasy vibe to this area of the condo, says Mullin, thanks to the high-gloss cabinetry and antique mirror behind floating stone shelves. It’s a perfect spot for Mandi to unwind with her favorite cocktail and listen to the latest Taylor Swift or Noah Kahan album.
KITCHEN
The oven is perfect for a large dinner party—or to store shoes.
Form over function—that was the goal with this pink kitchen. “Mandi doesn’t cook, so I knew that I’d have free rein here to just worry about it being pretty,” Corley says. “I knew she’d be the one to let my pink kitchen dream come true.”
Floating stone shelves with gallery rails display the homeowner’s pretty vases, glasses, and kitchen trinkets. Burgundy leather stools add a nice bolt of color and line up against an island opposite the range (which Corley guesses has only been used once) for kitchen chats and quick meals. A sink that fully integrates into the countertop, a marble toe kick, and “outlet covers that seamlessly blend into the backsplash are all details that we love,” Mullin adds.
Though Mullin knew the look of this cook space mattered more than the actual functionality, he and his team still made sure it could handle large dinner parties with proper prep areas.
BREAKFAST NOOK
The Nobilis fabric covering the banquette was the starting point.
Designed to be Mandi’s everyday dining nook, this spot feels like a happy perch above Georgetown. Corley brought in colors from every aspect of the house through the Nobilis fabric: mustard yellow, aubergine, lilac, and pink, though they push a more casual vibe here. To tie in Mandi’s history, Corley sourced a piece of art by St. Louis artist Andy Millner as the crown jewel of the corner.
POWDER ROOM
The petite space is a moody departure from the home’s color palette.
This punchy Pierre Frey wallpaper was a bucket list element for Corley, who’s wanted to use it in a project since it was introduced. The entire space, minus the brass accents, is quite different from the rest of the condo, giving the powder room a life of its own. Corley brought in European elegance with the floating Calacatta Viola marble sink and Gio Ponti-inspired mirror.
About the Team
Based in St. Louis, Missouri, designer Amie Corley is known for her whimsical yet sophisticated approach to traditional design. Since opening Amie Corley Interiors in 2009, she’s tackled each project with a certain liveliness and Southern charm and always manages to integrate vintage treasures and one-of-a-kind pieces into every home.
For over 30 years, the team at Anthony Wilder has created deeply personal homes for their community of clients from the very first sketches to the finishing touches. The Maryland-based firm is made up of highly skilled and creative architects, designers, and builders whose mission is to beautifully execute their clients’ visions.
