It’s not easy to get hold of Annie Brahler, the designer behind what might be the most famous office on Capitol Hill. The founder of Euro Trash, a design and import company that specializes in “the time-worn imperfections of the past,” Brahler is a busy woman. When we first spoke by phone this week, she was caught in a snow storm, driving home from work. During our second conversation, she was in the middle of an install, often politely excusing herself to speak with a colleague or an electrician who was on site.
Clearly, the onslaught of press attention surrounding Brahler’s so-called “Downton Abbey” re-design of Rep. Aaron Schock’s (R-Ill.) office has not slowed her down in the least.
Brahler’s work snared the political world’s interest this week when The Washington Post published a widely discussed story on Schock’s office, located in the House of Representatives’ Rayburn Office Building. One of the congressman’s employees told the Post that the unusual decor had been inspired by the well-known British period drama. But Brahler is quick to point out that “Downtown Abbey” was not the model for her design. True, her company is known for its vintage aesthetic, but Brahler is more likely to raid the dusty corners of a flea market than the shelves of a pricey antique dealer. The stuffy Crawleys would probably not approve.
Of course, Brahler wasn’t designing for an aristocratic family, but rather for one of the youngest Republican congressmen, an up-and-coming lawmaker who understands the power of Instagram and can recite the immortal words of Taylor Swift. Brahler had designed Schock’s previous office as well, and knew that only an office drenched in red, accented by bits of gold and white, would do.
Peek at the below photographs of Schock’s recently completed office and you’ll see the ornate frames that line the walls, paired with carefully arranged pheasant feathers and presidential portraits. A vintage glass table rests atop two golden eagles with their wings spread. A bust of Lincoln lingers in a corner. The details — from leather-bound books to precariously stacked teacups to retro coins — were collected over several months’ planning, but installed in just four days.
Many outlets have questioned how Schock was able to pay for such a visually stunning office. Contrary to what some initial reports indicated, Brahler emphasized that she is indeed being paid for her services. And the decor she found for Schock was, like many of her other projects, chosen on a budget. Look a bit more closely at the photos and you’ll find evidence of Brahler’s resourcefulness: inexpensive reproductions of oil paintings bought online, velvet from Jo-Ann’s Fabric and furniture cleverly forged back together with J-B Weld epoxy. Oh, and that red paint? That’s from Home Depot.
“Aaron is open-minded enough to know that just because it’s inexpensive, it doesn’t have to look cheap,” Brahler said.
We spoke about the real inspiration behind her creation, what it’s like to hunt for furniture in Congress and the improbable wonder that is plywood.
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A representative from Schock’s office did not immediately return a request for comment on this story.
This interview has been edited and condensed. All images courtesy of Jill Maurice.
