I like a smaller dining table, even if it necessitates multiple seating arrangements to fit everyone. It’s better than one big surface that feels businessy like a conference table. Then, layers of light overhead, table lamps, candles. And I love a floor lamp to light up the dark corners, especially for those who dine by candlelight!
The Unboring Dining Room
Billy Ceglia
Interior Designer
Florida and Connecticut-based Billy Ceglia is known for creating classic environments that are perfect for modern living. His distinctly hip, modern and witty flair endears him to his clients, who come to him for rooms that are infused with glamour and elegance without being stuffy or overdone.
Florida and Connecticut-based Billy Ceglia is known for creating classic environments that...
I love using grass cloth wallcovering. This one has a touch of lavender and the pairing adds not just texture but a welcoming feeling — it's not just a gray room! And we chose a deeper color fabric for the dining chairs because a darker color draws one's eye inward and down to the table.
We always do Benjamin Moore Bridal Pink on the ceiling for a very, very slight warm glow. And, for wall and window trim and case pieces (including this buffet), it’s Benjamin Moore Super White almost every time.
Brass and gold tones in accents like hardware make a room inviting and they’re user-friendly. When real brass gets a little smudgy, it just adds to the allure. I love polished nickel and chrome, but they’re very severe. Here, they’d say: put on that Halston dress! Instead, this room says: come and play Rummikub, come sit and have a grilled cheese!
Yay. I love a rug in the dining room as it absorbs sound. We use a flat-weave versus cut-pile so it’s easy to drag chairs over and it won’t absorb spills.
Adding the final layer. You need a pillow in a chair, or leaning artwork, or a quick easy arrangement of branches or leaves. You need one quirky thing to show that a formal dining room need not be formal!
Interview by Sophie Donelson