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Designers have a knack for finding inspiration in unusual places. British-born, Los Angeles–based designer Ginny Macdonald is no exception. The latest additions to her furniture collection for Lulu and Georgia, debuting today—seven case goods (and five new fabric choices)—have an unconventional origin story: topiaries.
Macdonald was recently in the U.K. for her best friend’s wedding, during which she was struck by the oversize shrubbery. “On the grounds of the venue there were these incredible giant topiary trees that had been pruned into some really interesting geometric shapes,” she remembers. That unique landscaping formed the idea for the legs of dressers, side tables, nightstands, and more. “We decided to keep the same form for all the pieces but alter the proportions to suit each individual piece,” she says.
Ginny Macdonald for Lulu and Georgia
The designer’s talent for fusing tailored details and energetic hues with breezy warmth and clean lines is on display throughout the new offerings. “My British roots lean into a more traditional sense of style, which is why I wanted the collection to have color in it,” Macdonald says. Southern California, she counters, tends to favor bright white and tonal, modern and coastal. “Keeping the lines a little cleaner plays into that and stops things from feeling overdesigned or too ornate,” she adds.
Five fresh fabrics—Taupe Bouclé, Apricot Linen, Camel Linen, Terracotta Linen, and Brie Velvet—join the six existing upholstery options for made-to-order sofas, sectionals, beds, benches, ottomans, chairs, and loungers. Macdonald wanted to add more texture into the mix this time around, bringing in muted hues that could complement the others or make a statement on their own.
“The new bouclé has a really lovely nubby quality, and the three new linens have an almost variegated look to them with the weave,” she explains. She also took into account how each fabric would translate to existing pieces, like the Belmont lounger and Rivington sofa. “When you are working with upholstery, you have to think about how certain fabrics will look on the furniture frames and how to elevate them with details such as welting or fringe, for example,” she says. Macdonald balances prim touches like these with comfortable, unfussy silhouettes, all in the name of designing interiors that make you want to linger.
Shop the Ginny Macdonald collection for Lulu and Georgia here.