Intriguing Elegance in a Dining Room

When designer Maggie Griffin initially set eyes on Emily and Russ Lambros’ dining room, she described it as “just a white box.” While it did have some redeeming architectural interest, she knew this first-impression space needed something special. “It’s the first room you see when entering the home, so I wanted it to be both intriguing and calming,” says Maggie, founder of Maggie Griffin Design in Gainesville, Georgia. She achieved this two-fold aesthetic by cloaking the space in a nuanced hue enhanced by traditional furnishings, diverse fabrics, and understated dashes of chinoiserie.

They filled the room with a few prominent wood furnishings in varied rich tones, from a deep-hued sideboard with baroque trim to an oval dining table with a lighter stain and strong, modern lines. The Chippendale bamboo-style chairs were a favorite find, especially after they got new cut-velvet emerald cushions that enliven the tint of the walls.

Host chairs with a tailored linen slipcover and sleek sloped arms soften the space. “Dining rooms tend to have a lot of hard edges, so it’s nice to balance that with more texture,” Maggie says. To mellow the look further, Maggie selected a jute rug that stretches nearly wall-to-wall, making the room appear larger, and elongated linen draperies that harmonize with the host chairs.

Mixed metals infuse the space with a finishing flourish, such as a weathered silver mirror frame that brings out the gray notes of the walls. An antique bronze chandelier imbues a bit of glamour, but its dainty profile keeps it from becoming a distraction. Conversely, a pair of creamy lamps with golden bases boast eye-catching bulbous silhouettes. “When I choose lamps, I go big or go home,” the designer says.

 “The room works because of the gorgeous balance in deep color and texture,” Maggie says. “I love a mix of old and new and all kinds of design styles—it’s true that it’s really all about the mix.”

Text by Elizabeth Bonner Czapski 
Photography by Kaylan Bradley/Happy Everything Co.
Interiors by Maggie Griffin Design

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