As many of us head into the colder months and begin settling in for the winter, the ultimate nesting trend really begins to shine. Coined by House Beautiful back in 2019, Grandmillennial is the interior trend that combines everything you love about your grandmother’s house. Florals, frills, lace, embroidery, matching sets – everything that some may deem the wrong side of vintage finds its home in Grandmillennial.
What is the grandmillennial interior trend?
Grandmillennial homes take elements of classic retro or vintage styles, most commonly associated with a stereotypical grandmother, and celebrate them. This means an abundance of floral prints, lace accents, and ruffles. It also places a large importance on hand-crafted elements like embroidery, crochet, patchwork and needlepoint.
These elements all combine to create a layered, textured look that is the complete opposite of a more mainstream ‘neutral’ home. Grandmillennial devotees love the look because it’s full of personality and quirk and could never, ever be described as cookie cutter.
What do I need to make the grandmillennial style work in my home?
If you’re going all out and getting new furniture, go antique or vintage wherever possible.
For everything else, there’s textiles. A mix of floral prints is the easiest way to quickly achieve the look. Try layering larger scale florals with ditsy prints, adding texture with embroidery or applique details if you can.
Printed curtains are a mainstay of the grandmillennial trend but if you feel that’s one print too far, accessories that you can swap in and out will also get the look. Think throw pillows, throws, tablecloths and runners. Rugs are also a great way of bringing in colour, texture and print.
I need some grandmillennial inspiration
We got you. (Also, first port of call: your actual grandmother).
We love the way content creator Charlotte Jacklin has incorporated her love of florals into her home. Charlotte’s signatures are vintage-feel wallpaper accents, scallop accents and a shedload of beautiful handmade ceramics. Her judicious use of neutral backdrops and stripes keep the look from being overwhelmingly twee.
Instagram favourite Paula Sutton manages the look perfectly (though her beautiful country home certainly helps!) Her style is characterised by masses of fresh flowers, perfectly matched lamps, dinnerware and just-so mismatched florals and stripes. She even has a book out – Hill House Living, which promises to help you bring the best of country life into your home.
Do I really need a floral sofa?
Absolutely not. If you love the look, go for it, but in our experience a printed sofa can be shoutier than you imagine. After all, the sofa is the largest piece of furniture in your living room.
What can you do instead? Draw from your existing decor colour palette (or you desired colour palette) and choose a complementary shade. Obviously pink is a huge part of grandmillennial, but so are greens, blues and yellows. Find one that will form the most pleasing backdrop to your array of throws and cushions. You can even go one step further with a DIY tufting kit for a truly retro feel.
We love the look of a cosy velvet (Classic or Claw-proof, depending on your pet situation), to add texture to a grandmillennial-style home. Or for something that’s just as cosy but easier on the upkeep, our Comfort Chenille is also a great fit. Comfort Chenille’s pink-toned neutrals are a beautiful complement to the typical grandmillenial accents.
Need a fresh new backdrop to your new (old) grandmillennial additions? Take our samples for a spin!