The goods
Winter is here, and for many of us, that means a lot of quality time spent around the dining room table. It’s the perfect place to share good meals and conversation with friends and family.
Interior designer and stylist Ginny Macdonald’s cozy, retroinspired dining room caught our eye on Instagram. The standout space looks warm and inviting — a perfect place to swap stories and laughs with guests around the holidays.
“My main inspiration for this room, and the house in general, was heavily taken from having grown up in the U.K.,” said Macdonald, of Ginny Macdonald Design.
The designer, who lives in Los Angeles, incorporated a mix of vintage furnishings and contemporary accents to create a curated look.
While the dining table and Eames chairs are new and speak to a midcentury era, most of the other pieces of furniture are flea market finds, she said.
Want to get the look? Try these tips.
For dining room chairs, don’t be afraid to mix and match styles. “Start off by selecting the main pieces, whether it be the dining table or the chairs,” Macdonald advised. “If you choose a modern dining table, then look for vintage chairs, and vice versa.” To “add a layer of eclecticism,” she mixed two modern Eames armchairs with her beloved vintage bentwood dining chairs.
An 8-by-10-foot striped mattress ticking woven cotton rug from Dash and Albert complements Macdonald’s dark and moody walls, painted Farrow & Ball’s Stiffkey Blue.
Macdonald was planning to swap out the art deco-inspired light fixture that came with the house, but she decided to keep it after receiving compliments. She also used a round brass tray to add color and shine against the stark white table.
“It not only breaks up all the negative space but allows you to corral water glasses and snacks.”