Trend Alert: Grandmillennial Design

Written by Jaymi Naciri Posted On Wednesday, 05 February 2020 05:00

About that minimalist design. And that mid-century aesthetic. There’s a new trend sweeping through the land of millennials, and it’s basically the opposite of the bare bones approach. Behold “Grandmillennial Design,” so coined by House Beautiful as the style that’s more akin to classic and kitschy touches than clean lines. 

“Over the last year some millennials have become disenchanted with the somewhat generic, impersonal aesthetic that dominates so many influencer feeds,” said MyDomaine. “A new wave of design-savvy, nostalgic-natured, and traditionalist-inspired influencers is on the rise. Pleated lampshades, ruffled linens, needlepoint pillows, blue and white ceramics, and chintz-everything are a few of the items these young traditionalists gravitate towards. 

As House Beautiful puts it, grandmillennials, ranging in age from mid-20s to late-30s,  “have an affinity for design trends considered by mainstream culture to be ‘stuffy’ or ‘outdated’—Laura Ashley prints, ruffles, embroidered linens. Unlike that of the late-aughts hipster, their taste for the antiquated isn’t ironic; it’s less twee than timeless.”

Want to embrace the Grandmillennial style in your own home? Here are a few tips:

Hit the antique stores

If you’re not lucky enough to inherit a few great antiques, maybe you’ll be lucky enough to find a couple while out shopping. “You can get furniture of greater quality for the same price you might pay at CB2 or West Elm,” Robert Khederian said in the New York Post about the style of his New York apartment. Items include: “an American 19th-century ogee mirror, an English 18th-century mahogany linen press and drop-leaf dining table, as well as decorative items like a silver chafing dish from John Koch Antiques on the Upper West Side and brilliant-cut glass decanters from a secondhand shop in Connecticut.”

Cheer on the chintz

“After a long history filled with many ups and downs, it’s become clear of late that chintz—that oversize floral symbol of both Granny Chic and 1980s excess—is having a major renaissance,” said Elle Decor. “Whether it’s the recent rise of “grandmillennial” style or simply the return swing of the design pendulum, we’re fully on board with this new traditionalist trend.”

Add skirts and ruffles

Flounces like these help create warmth.

Swap the geometric prints for brocade, chintz, or florals

But, be careful not to overdo it. “The judicious use of prints and colors is extremely important,” said One Kings Lane. “One step too far and you can end up with a room that’s more granny than grandmillennial.”

Take up a new hobby

Needlepoint—“one of the granniest of all hobbies,” said House Beautiful—has become huge. When you’re done with your masterpiece, you have another item to add to your décor. 

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