Decorating & Design
Hot Look: Why We Can’t Get Enough Of Grandmillennial Style
Updated on March 30, 2020
It seems like a contradiction in terms, but 20- and 30-somethings are hearkening back to their grandparents’ decor (cue the maximalist tufting, botanical prints, Gracie wallpaper and heavy florals). Home decor magazines and blogs from The Glam Pad and One Kings Lane have written odes to this surprising throwback, while Pinterest boards have proliferated. In a time of growing global unease, this comforting style is a small panacea for the unrest in the world. It’s also a reaction to the spare, Scandi minimalist aesthetic that, though photogenic, is somewhat generic. It also tips its hat to Netflix’s The Politician, where the lush sets are an ’80s throwback when the classic decorating of Billy Baldwin and Sister Parish was a high point. Surrounding yourself with objects that bring comfort is a small antidote when feeling anxious. Let’s take a look at some of the hallmarks of this style!
Matching Layers
In The Politician, coordinating drapery, pleated bell lampshades and ultra-padded headboard in lead character Payton Hobart’s over-the-top, lushly-appointed bedroom exemplifies grandmillennial style.
Velvet
This fabric has enjoyed a major renaissance in the past few years, but there was a time it was considered dowdy, not sexy. Whether it’s in a deep coral or pretty pastel, the needle has shifted on this textural favorite and it looks young again.
Grand Chandeliers
A large-scale Ruhlmann chandelier with hundreds of faceted crystals in this dining room is a show-stopping moment, but not every chandelier needs to be this grand: even a petite sparkler will perk up a space.
Chintz
The beloved fabric of grannies everywhere, floral chintzes are looking fresh again. In this cottage living room, the tears in a wabi-sabi chair are embraced, proving the beauty of this fabric never really fades.
Tufting
Luxe and inviting, tufting is gaining new traction. When paired with a fabric like velvet, it highlights the sumptuous texture.
Antiques
The traditional sideboard, chairs and dining table in this Nashville home have pedigree, and it shows. Antiques with all their marquetry and craftsmanship are enjoying a moment in the sun when contrasted by a fresh color scheme and airy light fixture.
Wicker
Pretty white wicker chairs are as fresh as a summer breeze. On this cottage porch, a new coat of white paint gives vintage chairs a new lease on life.
Scenic Wallpaper
Designers have always been eager to invest in scenic wallpapers by the big heritage firms — Gracie, Zuber and de Gournay — for their clients. Now mass-produced wallpapers mimicking the high-end, hand-painted offerings are making this gracious look more accessible.
Ginger Jars
These blue and white beauties instantly inject a global aesthetic into your space, and look even better when placed in pairs. On this antique French console, the scale of the jars’ symmetrical placement is impactful and grandiose.
Rattan
Like wicker, rattan is a nod to summer porches and tropical patios. Though it may have be a staple on any retirees’ Florida lanai, rattan shook off any geriatric associations after it was embraced by cool girls like Justina Blakeney.
Floral Wallpaper
Sweet flower motifs haven’t been this sought after since Laura Ashley’s whimsical, English prints in the ’80s. Lately, luscious, overblown and hyperreal versions have been quietly eclipsed by more demure, sweet styles. Throwback florals are a huge trend for 2020.
Gold-Leaf Mirrors
This Federal-style bullseye mirror is the epitome of stately in a gold finish. Lend a fireplace, entry or bathroom some gravitas and history with a similarly gilded stunner.
Trellis Motifs
Treillage gives the relaxed feeling of being in garden all year round — no watering or fertilizer required.
Settees
A genteel version of the sofa, the settee’s petite proportions are perfect for an entryway or hallway. When upholstered in a luxe material like yellow silk, it becomes a gemlike perch.
Gallery Walls
Family portraits aside, a gallery wall conveys a curated passion. This grouping of naval-themed art dresses up a hallway in designer Philip Mitchell’s Chester, Nova Scotia, guesthouse to perfection and reflects the area’s sailing history.
Armoires
A large, family heirloom French Empire armoire might have housed clothes or dishware in its previous life, but in designer Montana Burnett’s Toronto home, it keeps modern office supplies out of sight and adds a huge amount of presence to a small space.
Collections
It’s not all about tiny porcelain figurines: collections are a way to display what’s close to your heart. The owners of this home have an abiding appreciation for Scandinavian design, so this monochromatic grouping of ceramics grabs pride of place. The lesson is clear: put collections proudly on display.
Tropical Touches
The combo of punchy coral, wovens and treillage prints (latticework) are right at home in this Barbados home, but they can easily be transplanted just about anywhere for authentic grandmillennial style.
Skirted Sofas
We’ve all gotten use to seeing a lot of leg on furniture pieces, but this more demure style keeps things under wraps. The pleated skirt on this roll arm sofa is perfectly in keeping with its ladylike, dusty rose awning stripes.