Imagine Design

Home
United States
McLean, VA
Imagine Design

I am an interior designer that works towards creating casual, elegant rooms that are visually intere and Northern Virginia area.

Although Imagine Design is a full-service design company, our specialty is working with renovation or new construction. I love the building aspect of design and believe getting scale, flow and function right from the beginning helps everything fall into place. Being able to assess these elements from a set of blueprints or floor plans is essential, and is one of my favorite parts of the process. For 10 years prior to launching Imagine Design, I was a top-ranking real estate agent in the Washington, D.C. This experience provided valuable exposure to what impacts home value, and an understanding of which improvement would ultimately provide the best return on a client’s investment. I work towards creating casual, elegant, rooms that are visually interesting but also comfortable and inviting. It is the subtle coordination of fabric, color, layering, and unique accessories that really brings a home to life. My approach is tailored to each client’s individual needs, lifestyle and budget, but the formula based on comfort and elegance is always the same. Imagine Design is available for service from project management for a full-scale renovation/new build project to simple consultations on how to work with existing furnishings.

09/28/2026

There’s something rather wonderful about a home that feels a world away from the city, even when you’re right in the middle of it.

Just a block from the Potomac River in historic Old Town Alexandria, this townhouse has beautiful proportions, high ceilings and wonderful natural light. We wanted the interiors to feel every bit as open and airy as the architecture, but without sacrificing the warmth and character that make a house feel like a home.

We kept the palette intentionally quiet, allowing texture, interesting silhouettes and a few unexpected pieces to do the talking. The generous, comfortable seating is balanced by more delicate antiques, natural woven elements and layers of linen. And while there’s very little color, there’s actually quite a lot going on.

I particularly love the views between the living and dining rooms and the way the spaces relate to one another. It’s an elegant home, certainly, but one where you can just as easily imagine a house full of guests as a wonderfully quiet afternoon with absolutely nothing on the calendar.

Design: Liz Mearns Interior Designer Imagine Design
Photos: John Cole

09/26/2026

If the forecast isn’t going to give us much sunshine this weekend, I figured this family room could.

With a nor’easter making its way up the East Coast, this feels like an especially nice room to land in right about now. Comfortable sofas, a good book, and, believe it or not, it’s chilly enough to consider lighting a fire. There’s absolutely nowhere you need to be.

Of course, this time of year can’t quite make up its mind. One day we’re opening the doors and living outside, the next we’re pulling out a throw and settling in by the fire. So I slipped in a photo of the charming screened porch just off this room, ready for whenever the sun decides to make an appearance.

Hope everyone in the path of the storm stays dry this weekend and gets to spend at least part of it somewhere comfortable and beautiful.

Design: Liz Mearns Interior Designer
Photos: John Cole

More project photos:

09/24/2026

I always love a kitchen that feels a little more like a room than simply a place to cook. Probably apt, since my husband does the vast majority of the cooking in our family while I mostly hang out and look for interior design inspiration.

And this kitchen, in a recently finished project in NYC, definitely feels like a room worth hanging out in.

Deep burgundy cabinetry felt like a bold choice, but in the space it gave us exactly the warmth we wanted, while the marble became almost an artwork of its own, wrapping the counters and walls and even curving around some of the trickier architectural details. Brass, woven shades and a mix of old and new pieces keep all of that stone from feeling too polished.

And tucked into the corner, the little banquette may be my favorite part. It turned what could easily have been leftover space into a spot for morning coffee, dinner for two, or just keeping someone company while they cook.

A small New York City kitchen where every inch was considered, and somehow it all came together to become one of the most beautiful rooms I’ve had the chance to work on.

And apparently you can cook here too. 😉

Design: Liz Mearns Interior Designer
Photos: Molly Smith Watson
Architect: Douglas C. Wright
Build: S. Donadic, Inc.

09/22/2026

I can’t believe it, but it’s officially the first day of fall, which feels like a pretty perfect time to introduce our latest project in Oxford, Maryland.

Just about 90 minutes from DC, but truly a world away, Oxford has that wonderfully quiet, small-town waterfront feeling that makes you slow down almost immediately. This is a weekend home meant to be an escape from the city, a place for big family gatherings, long weekends and slow mornings by the water.

We’re starting with two of my favorite spaces in the house, although admittedly I tend to say all the rooms are my favorite.

The screened porch was designed to feel as relaxed as its setting, with comfortable upholstered chairs, vintage rattan, antique finds, a well-worn wood coffee table, a newly planked ceiling and the original brick floor. Nothing too precious, just layers of pieces that feel as though they could have collected here over time.

And just off the kitchen, the sitting room may have one of the best views in the house. That enormous window frames the water almost like a painting and gives a whole new meaning to the idea of a picture window.

Both rooms are really about the same thing: comfortable places to sit, linger and take in the setting. Morning coffee, afternoon reading, drinks before dinner, or probably a lot of time spent doing absolutely nothing.

More of this house to come. The screened porch may be holding onto summer a little longer, but the rest of the house is ready for fall.

Design: Liz Mearns Interior Designer Imagine Design
Photos: Molly Smith Watson

09/18/2026

I can’t believe it’s already Foyer Friday. An obscure little holiday of my own making, but a very good way to mark the end of the week.

And this was a particularly good week.

We wrapped an amazing install at a waterfront home in Oxford, Maryland, and I cannot wait to show you that one. Pictures coming soon! I also had a great client presentation, which is always such a satisfying point in a project. Seeing all the ideas finally come together on paper and in renders before we really jump in never gets old.

So, a favorite foyer to close out the week. I love the mix of old and new, the beautiful architecture, and yes, the enormous branches on the console.

Which is particularly appropriate because this weekend my husband and daughters have me heading into the woods for a camping trip. I should probably mention that my usual level of communing with nature involves arranging branches in a vase on a console table.

Wish me luck. And happy to those who celebrate. 😂

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Design:
Liz Mearns Interior Designer Imagine Design
Photo: John Cole

More project photos:
entrywaydecor

09/16/2026

The more time I spend with this room, the more I love it. So yes, you are getting all the angles.

This is one of my favorite rooms in our Fifth Avenue project, partly because there is just so much to look at. The incredible landscape mural is on a textured grasscloth, so it has this beautiful depth that changes with the light. We carried that deep, almost-black green up through the millwork and ceiling, then added the Urban Electric chandelier, warm wood, stone tabletop, brass and that wonderful hit of green velvet.

And as much as I love the finishes, the room also had to function in multiple ways.

We designed the custom banquette to give us generous seating without filling the room with chairs and taking up precious floor space. It keeps the center of the room more open and allows the space to flex for more than just dinner, which mattered in a New York apartment.

One of my other favorite details is the glass wall and doors between the dining room and foyer. You get these little framed glimpses from one room into the next, and the light can travel through while the dining room still feels wonderfully enclosed and intimate.

I’m incredibly proud of this one. It’s dramatic, layered, functional, a little unexpected and just flat-out gorgeous. Every time I look at these photos, I find another detail I love

Design: Liz Mearns Interior Designer
Photos:
Architect: Douglas C. Wright
Build: S. Donadic, Inc.

09/13/2026

This project had a deadline built right in.

Our clients had just purchased this home on a golf course, but baby number four was on the way, so we only had a month or two before move-in to get the main rooms pulled together. Their growing family had outgrown their previous house, so the goal was to make this one feel settled, comfortable and personal from the start.

Fortunately, there was no construction involved. This was all furnishings, wallpaper, lighting, rugs, art and the layering that makes a house feel like home.

In the living room, we mixed warm grasscloth, a blue plaid sofa, plum velvet chairs, antiques and art that ranges from traditional to abstract. The dining room went in a completely different direction with that deep green botanical wallpaper, striped chairs and warm wood, but the rooms still relate to each other through color, texture and age.

I always love a project like this because it shows how transformative decorating alone can be. No walls moved. No kitchen ripped out. Just thoughtful choices, made fairly quickly, so a family could move in and feel at home right away.

Design: Liz Mearns Interior Designer Imagine Design
Photo:

More project photos:

09/11/2026

I so often find myself wishing the builder had called us first! Of course, that would have been difficult since the house was built 20 years ago, but still…

This living room had wonderful light and generous proportions. But the one small glass door leading to the deck, however, felt completely out of scale with the space.

Replacing it with double French doors made an immediate difference. The new doors bring in more light, create a much stronger connection to the outdoors, and give that end of the room the sense of openness it was missing.

While we were at it, we gave the fireplace the presence it deserved with a beautifully veined marble surround. The piano and fireplace now create two strong architectural anchors, with the new French doors centered between them.

From there, we kept the furnishings warm and inviting: brown upholstery, and reupholstered an antique chair with special meaning to the homeowners, and a simple geometric rug that allows the architecture, art, and piano to take center stage.

Swipe to see where we began. It’s amazing what two thoughtful architectural changes can do for an entire room and they feel like they should always have been there.

And one completely irrelevant little aside: if you look closely at the bottom of the before photo, you can spot my shoes. That picture was taken six months ago, and by complete coincidence, I was wearing the exact same shoes today. Apparently I have a very consistent site-visit uniform

Design: Liz Mearns Interior Designer Imagine Design
Photos: John Cole

09/09/2026

Apparently, all it takes is spotting one little pumpkin at the front door while flipping through old project photos, and suddenly we’re having a fall house tour.

This Falls Church, Virginia home is especially fun to revisit because we were involved in the project from the very beginning, when it was still just a set of building plans and an empty lot. We worked through the floorplans, cabinetry, lighting, and finishes, and then stayed to furnish and layer the rooms with art, antiques, pattern, and color.

I especially love the way the rooms flow into one another. The table between the kitchen and family room creates a natural bridge between the two spaces, while the stair hall gives you glimpses into the spaces beyond. Nothing is overly matched, but the warm woods, collected pieces, and repeated colors quietly tie it all together.

Longtime followers may recognize a few rooms, but I tucked in some new angles and details too.

And, of course, if you swipe to the end, the little pumpkin that started it all.

Design: Liz Mearns Interior Designer Imagine Design
Photos: Molly Smith Watson

CollectedInteriors

09/06/2026

I have shared this living room before, but it is such a great example of how we integrate art into a room and mix contemporary pieces with antiques. Because so many of you have said you enjoy seeing more complete views of our projects, today I wanted to widen the lens and show how this room relates to the more casual spaces beyond it.

The living room is grounded by a beautiful antique rug and layered with contemporary abstracts, traditional oil paintings, warm wood, and quiet upholstery. It feels collected and refined, but still very comfortable.

The adjoining family room, with its generous sectional, was designed for everyday life. The kitchen area includes another, more intimate sitting space with a leather sofa, woven cane chairs, and a wonderfully sculptural burl wood coffee table. At the kitchen table, the warm wood tones and natural textures continue, with light pouring in from the surrounding windows.

Each space has its own purpose and personality, but the repeated materials, colors, and mix of old and new allow them to flow naturally into one another.

That is always the goal in a connected home: not rooms that match, but rooms that belong together.

Design: Liz Mearns Interior Designer Imagine Design
Photo: Molly Smith Watson

Address

McLean, VA
22101–22103, 22106

Website

https://www.lizmearns.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Imagine Design posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Imagine Design:

Want your business to be the top-listed interior service in McLean?