The trend, also referred to as “grandmillennial” or “grandma chic,” is best described as a juxtaposition between old and new. Design blogger Ashley Hardison said in an email that granny chic spaces are “filled with patterns, texture, light and moments to gather,” with antique furniture, old books, candles and plenty of color. “I gravitate to grandmillennial style because it’s ‘anti-trend,’” lifestyle blogger Julie McConville said via email. “It’s a classic style that, with very few tweaks, will look current for years to come. It’s like the Jackie O of interiors.” Though the name sounds, for lack of a better word, rather grand, the style isn’t difficult to replicate. We spoke to several interior designers and decor bloggers about ways you can bring a little bit of granny chic into your home. “I feel like grandmillennial isn’t complete without some element of wallpaper,” interior designer Jennifer Harrup said via email. “You can absolutely do a room without wallpaper, but I feel like if you have a wallpaper that is a toile or floral, your room is automatically going to have that grandmillennial feel.” Harrup says pillows, curtains and upholstery are essentially blank canvases for florals, toile and other granny-esque patterns. But you don’t have to stop at chintz curtains or plaid pillows — incorporating patterned decor, such as blue and white chinoiserie ceramics, are granny chic central. “Patterns like chintz, Indian block print, and botanicals work beautifully for fabrics, while Dresden style florals, Rose Medallion, and other Chinoiserie porcelains are perfect for ceramics,” blogger and stylist Katherine Medlin said in an email. And don’t just stop at patterns: Designers recommend filling antique vases with fresh blooms as well. “Florals are charming as fabric on a slipcovered chair, a tablecloth [or] pillows of any size,” Hardison said. “Floral art is always delightful, and you can never go wrong with a vase or pitcher filled with fresh flowers. You can use florals all together in the same pattern, or mix and match your floral fabrics.” “When it comes to color, there is no right or wrong — just make sure color is evident,” Hardison said. McConville says some common granny chic picks include blues, pinks, greens and white. But again, you can incorporate whatever colors you love most. “The thing that is fun with the pillows is that you can have a floral fabric with a double pleat edge mixed with a solid velvet pillow trimmed out in a Samuel & Sons piece, and then maybe a gingham print in a different size which will allow you to accomplish layers, textures, and dimension … everything you need,” she said. “Grandmillennials are tired of the blank spaces and minimalism, but we want our decor with history [and] with character,” she said. “It’s even better when the decor has meaning to us and our families, so we are particularly partial to family heirlooms and curios that express our personalities.” This eye for the unique means the trend can embrace sustainability — instead of mass-produced pieces, those going for a granny chic look often search through second-hand and thrift stores for one-of-a-kind decor to upcycle. “Wall moulding is a big element that you’ll see pretty much in any grandmillenial interior [and] that’s something that is not going to go out of style,” Harrup said. “It’s not going to in five years be like, ‘oh gosh, we’ve got this beautiful wall moulding on our walls we want to rip off.’ … Moulding looked great 100 years ago and it’s going to look great in 100 more years. It’s not going to go out of style.”
