What is Grandmillennial Style? {Decorating 101}
What, in fact, IS Grandmillennial Style? The term coined by Emma Bazilian back in 2019 in a House Beautiful, describes a resurgence to the traditionally classic styles of old.
A Grandmillennial is someone “Ranging in age from mid-20s to late-30s, grandmillennials have an affinity for design trends considered by mainstream culture to be “stuffy” or “outdated”—Laura Ashley prints, ruffles, embroidered linens,” shares Bazilian. Think back to the homes from Home Alone and Father of the Bride and you’ll remember the styles well!
So while this style is nothing new, the fascination and re-emergence in popularity IS new. (I’ve long considered myself someone who loves traditional style, so this is super exciting for me!)
I’ll share the why behind why I’m sharing about this style at the end of my post, but let’s dive in a little bit, shall we?!
Grandmillennial Decor
It makes my heart so happy that this classic style is making a comeback. I’ve always been drawn to it, and I love that it encapsulates the feelings of comfort from our mother’s, grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s homes, hence the nickname “Granny Chic.”
I grew up with wonderful grandmothers and I loved their homes, but truly this style reminds me most of my maternal great-grandmother. She was the epitome of a sassy, independent Southern grandmother – all of 4′ 11″ tall.
She lived in a 3-story white home with many rooms, beautiful ornate furniture, landscape art and lots of collections, like silver, china and crystal. I recently inherited her crystal collection and I display it proudly in my butler’s pantry. But this style encapsulates my feelings of being at her home as a child and it makes me feel connected to her.
Important Elements of Grandmillennial Style
What exactly represents this modern twist on an old style? You’ll find all of these beautiful design elements:
- floral wallpaper (like in my girls’ bathroom)
- blue and white
- skirted tables
- block print
- needlepoint pillows
- embroidered linens
- mixed patterns
- monograms
- ornate chandeliers
- collections (silver, china and crystal)
- pleated lampshades
- rattan, bamboo & wicker
- toile, chintz & plaid
- ruffles, pleats & fringe
- lace
- embroidered linens
- slipcovers
- chinoiserie
- brown wood furniture, like walnut, cherry & mahogany
- vintage brass
- boxwood topiaries
- and more!
These beautiful style elements may seem stuffy, but while they might give off a fancy, high end style, the truth is they are very livable and cozy. This is not the plastic-covered couches of our grandmothers’, but rather a modern twist on the classic look.
You may see abstract art mixed with inherited dark walnut furniture. Or maybe a modern framed mirror on a patterned wallpaper. It’s the mixing of old and new that make this design choice feel fresh, timeless.
This style is known for collections that tell the story of its owner. It lends itself to a number of beautiful layers, but remember to edit so as not to be overly cluttered.
There is also shift away from the bleached wood look. And while light-colored wood is still beautiful in moderation (and at the beach house), this new wave is bringing back the antique, darker furniture from times of the past.
In the design world, trends tend to have about a 10-year lifespan. Since the farmhouse style really took off about a decade ago, it was time to see a shift in our decor.
The style incorporates traditional details on upholstery and cushions such as tape, trim, or tassels, in monochromatic or analogous color combinations.
– Stefani Stein
Popular design has been moving away from farmhouse for a couple of years now, but I’m excited to see what will most likely take its place. And since this is a classic, traditional style, it will never go out of style completely, just rise and fall in mainstream popularity.
As always, I say do what you love and listen to the bones of your home. Let it speak to you. It’s taken me a little over a year to really live in and listen to my new home, as I share below.
Settling into a Home Slowly
Does it take anyone else a full year to feel like a new house is your home? It does me! I for sure feel like I’m coming home to someone else’s house for quite some time after we’ve moved in.
It just takes me a while to get my current stuff situated, and then even longer to start putting my stamp on things. Sure there are the people who move in and seem settled in the first week. But it’s just not me.
I know I felt like this was my home when I got almost all of the walls painted, but I still feel like I’m scratching the surface when it comes to really doing this house the way I’d like.
And even though my head says I’d like to move into a home a snap my fingers and it be perfect at every turn, my heart takes a bit longer to figure it all out. I like the practice of settling into a home slowly, listening to the walls and adjusting my style to meet its original aesthetic.
Over the past year I’ve spent hours and hours pouring over decorating magazines and books, trying to figure out the style I want to use in this home. It’s not as blank of a slate as our last home. It’s very traditional and calls to a more classic style vs. a farmhouse style or transitional style.
Side note: When we moved in, I felt like this house was the kind of house you give a name. And after discovering this house name generator (who thinks of these things?!), I settled on Elmwood Manor. (I think anyone can name their home, and if your home has a name share it in the comments!)
OK, back to the story. 🙂
This home boasts a lot of brass and ornate features with beautiful hardwood floors and at one point, I believe, every wall proudly displayed wallpaper. I want to be true to her roots and not bring in a bunch of other styles that don’t feel cohesive in our Elmwood Manor.
So, like I said, I’ve spent hours looking at pictures and really researching how to decorate with what I love while also paying tribute to the original style of the home. Living here at Elmwood Manor makes me crave all things classic. It’s been a fun adventure.
And recently when I discovered that this timeless style is making a comeback, I was so excited because it feels like my home’s true self. And while I may not take it to the extreme, I feel like it gives me clearer direction to what I was trying to uncover this past year.
I’m here for all of it and I’m excited to continue decorating and styling this home with these Grandmillennial Decor ideas in mind.
And while I might not be matching my draperies to my wallpaper anytime soon (you never know), I will definitely be taking lessons from the past!
Coming from the South, it just feels like coming home. It’s why I fell in love with our current home and I can’t wait to be a part of the journey of infusing a modern twist in its original style.
What do you think? Do you love it, hate it, have decorated this way forever? Tell me in the comments below!
Why should I have to change my decor to match what is now trending? I am not impressed with what is current. I like what I am doing and I will stick to it. I like farmhouse style – functional, simple, and comfortable.
My mother recently passed and she had Ethan Allen Furniture, Stiffel lamps and stunning artwork. To my amazement, the market is full of this stuff and no one wants it. I recently went into a Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore Store and the amount of furniture from the early to mid 1900’s being donated and sold for almost nothing.
Isn’t that the truth??? It is so soooooo sad that no one wants antiques and beautiful oil paintings. And I was devastated when I saw so many people move away from brown traditional furniture but it’s just what happens! I can see farmhouse being on its way out here very soon.
Thankfully farmhouse is over and the brown traditional furniture is back in a lot of spaces! Yay!! I’m thankful I never got rid of mine!!
I’m so sorry for your loss. And it’s crazy how no one wants the quality furniture! I love that stuff.
I do love traditional style. So many classic elements. Though I have yet to use any wallpaper, I was so hapy to see it making a comeback
Glad to finally put a name to the style. Quality and craftsmanship are never old. I keep saving these pieces and incorporating them with a bit of new to keep it fresh. Modern paint colors really accent the dark woods and metal finishes
I’m 71 and grand millennial style has always appealed to me. My home has layers of things, most old, some family pieces, lots of eclectic art on the walls, etc.
My young niece (who loves my house) once said to me “I don’t know how you do it, you have this old lady lamp (it’s an antique) on an (old copper and glass) end table, and it just all works together!”
The key is to love classic pieces and to mix them with other things that you love.
I do need to curate every once in a while, too!
I named our vacation home in Brazil Highview because it’s up high on a hill and it has a great view! Of course, I’m the only one who uses the name, everyone else just calls it “the house in Brazil” but I still feel fancy. I just discovered your blog and I think it’s lovely!
I love that, Heather! And I’m so glad you’re here!! xo, Laura
I named my house California Chateau! It is located in the Sierra Foothills in California and was built to reflect certain French architecture. I love everything about it, inside and out! I’m incredibly grateful to live in such a lovely place.
The Grandmillenial Style seems to me to be the high end of Cottage Style. It is more to the elegant end but still incorporates layers, thoughtful mismatches, slip covers, antiques, collections of china, crystal, blue and white as well as many other similarities. My living room is more Grandmillenial ehile my kitchen and dining area are a more relaxed Cottage Style. I love both and see them blending well on the same home.
Our home was built in the 1990’s at the height of the side split craze so we have many levels and many rooms. I always thought that slowly growing into a home and listening to it was best. Homes that were Modern on the outside and then farm house on the inside just felt forced and unauthentic. We moved almost a year ago and we are slowly changing the red, maroon, and deep green walls to creams, and blues, with small touches of teal here and there and trim, plate rails, oh I could go on!
Yes, going slowly is always so good… And I grew up in a split level home. I wouldn’t want to live in one now, but I have many fond memories! 🙂
Thank you — I am always drawn to this style and now have a name for it. I live in my grandparents house — so it will probably always and forever just be called “Grandma’s House.” It is smaller and more cottagey in size, but it needs that more tailored and trim style furniture, just on a smaller scale. Some cottage style appeals to me, but when I see photos of rooms in this style, they always feel like home. Now I can do more research and be a bit more successful in finding furniture, etc. I already have plenty of “collections” — books, china, blue and white antiques, etc. and some really beautiful antique furniture — some of which came west via covered wagon. Now I will know better how to showcase it and what to add — hopefully more beautiful darker wood furniture will be available.
Yay! I’m so glad this was helpful. It’s always nice to have a name for a favorite style! I just recently inherited my great-grandmother’s dining room furniture. It goes in my house so perfectly. I can’t wait to get it all styled up to share it. There’s just something about those older homes and older furniture, you know? xo, Laura
My style in decor has always gravitated toward Classically Traditional British Colonial with an attitude! Yes! It’s a mouthful but accurate, nonetheless. Every time I tried to move to a new design arena such as the lighter woods, farmhouse, etc, I just couldn’t do it. I can appreciate them in others’ homes but it simply isn’t me.
I do name my houses! My current home is named Bella Luna. I love watching the moon traverse the sky, especially full moons and this home has a ringside seat from the comfort of my back porch. My previous home was dubbed Hacienda Hill. With its red roof and dusty golden exterior sitting pretty upon a hill, there was no other way to go.
This is year four in my home and recently one of my granddaughters came for her first visit. She walked in, looked around and said she would know this was my home immediately. None of the furniture is the same and most of the art is different but she felt at home in my style. Trends come and go, yet tradition style is here to stay.
Aww, I love everything about what you shared! Thank you for sharing it! 🙂 xo, Laura
Love it. I always thought Sara Richardson incorporated this in her style. I am definitely inspired. Love your house name. We had a car we named( because of the liscence plate) “the Ampy.” I think we can come up with a better name for our house. Great idea! It sounds so established.
Yes! Sarah Richardson definitely incorporated this style and I love everything she does. It just feels like home!
I’m also way above this age range, but this style makes me happy because I’ve always wanted my house to have that cozy Grandma’s house feel! I was also very close to my paternal grandma and while she actually lived in a small white farmhouse (actually on a farm!), her home was full of color, floral prints, dark woods, landscape art, and lovely collectibles. I tried to get on board with the farmhouse look, but quickly realized it just wasn’t me. I also love floral prints (Waverly!), warm colors and patterns, antique brass, and dark stained wood furniture in classic styles. I would describe my style as southern traditional slightly rustic cottage, lol. We moved into our new home almost a year ago, and definitely took awhile to get it organized and styled, and I’m still working on our bonus room and tweaking things throughout the house. Our new home is a modern craftsman with two tall gables on the front, painted SW Artichoke with Dover White trim, so I named it Green Gables. Haven’t even seen the movie, but it’s on my list! I would add that my college age daughter definitely gravitates toward this grand millennial style, even before we knew it had an official name💕.
So fun! I love hearing about your homes! (And I have loved Waverly fabrics since I was a teen… so it’s definitely a long-time love.)
I only just heard about this style last week online and then read your email today. I also enjoy traditional styles. I just inherited several vintage marble-top coffee and end tables and will be trying to mix mid-century modern and grand-millennial styles together as I collect new pieces. Not sure if/how it will work, but love the style of your new home! Great inspiration 🙂
We called our house in MC, the yellow cottage for obvious reasons. When we moved to Auburn, people asked if I was going to rename my business. I tell people we now live in the doo-doo brown cookie-cutter cottage! The name generator came up with Jen’s House as an option. 🙂
I love the grand millennial style. I’m older than the age range, by definition, but that style definitely carries some undertones of coastal and classic. I like it and I know that you’ll pull it off well in your house.
Glad this style is making a comeback. I’ve never been into industrial, mid century, modern, Scandinavian, or most of the farmhouse style. I just love gingham and ruffles and pretty florals. I love Laura Ashley and have several sets of her lovely sheet sets in my spare bedroom. I have been anxiously awaiting a comeback because my old ruffled chair cushions need replacing and I just haven’t been able to find any suitable replacements. Maybe soon???Ga
Thanks Jen! (Haha about the “doo-doo brown cookie cutter cottage” – I think I’d prefer “Jen’s house”… ha!! )
More or less we have similar taste.Im still not quite there in my new home and its been 10 years.Maybe its because a lot has happened
I don’t think any of what you highlighted is stuffy at all – a lot of it is classically beautiful. And isn’t that what we want in our homes? More beauty? I say yes!