Grandmillennial Style: What Is It And How Can I Use It?

By Ana Zuravliova

Trend Specialist at Blinds Direct

Wed 23 Dec 2020

Last updated Fri 2 Dec 2022

The grandmillennial style

Grandmillennial style – sometimes referred to as granny-chic – is a trend on the rise. The theme focuses on the symbiosis of vintage items and modern pieces. Think Lady Gaga meets Vera Lynn. 

In this blog we’ll be investigating this trend, where it came from, and how you can implement a grandmillennial style of your own. With almost 32,000 tagged posts on Instagram, people clearly think its #awesome, or should that be #spiffing?

Where did grandmillennial style come style from?

Somewhere in the depths of Instagram, tucked away between the fancy cars and makeup tutorials, emerged a trend where images would at first seem to showcase an interior where you might expect to find a little old lady wearing a cardigan. On closer inspection however, among the Laura Ashley prints, ruffles and embroidered linens, there might be framed picture of an imperial stormtrooper wearing lipstick (it exists – I’ve seen it), or a sequined pug footstool.

Interior designer Kevin Isbell noted that a driving force behind grandmillennial style was the need in all generations to rebel against the one it proceeded. In this case, it’s a shift away from the “mass market furniture explosion” and “monochromatic catalog looks”. This mutiny has led to an explosion of colour and pattern, the likes of which hasn’t been seen for many years.

As a result, grandmillennials aren’t afraid to fill their homes – or Insta-feeds – with chintz, needlework, knitted blankets or grandma’s best China.

How to achieve a grandmillennial look

While we’re taking a lot of inspiration from the past, we’re not trying to emulate it exactly. The objective should be the removal of stuffiness and formality leaving behind the character, fun and charm of an idealised 1940s/1950s home.

Flowers and floral patterns should be your starting point in achieving a cool grandmillennial space. Wallpaper, curtains, blinds or cushions featuring flowers or plants of different types will add vibrancy and energy to any home and help enhance the cosiness.

Lighter, dusty colours are a hit here also. Classic vivid blues, peachy pinks and teals are great colours to consider alongside more modern colours including eucalyptus, yellow and light stony greys.

Contemplate the sources of internal light in a grandmillennial home also.  Large roof mounted lights, while elegant and sophisticated, don’t work well as part of today’s subject. Instead consider placing lamps around a room in different shapes and colours. You can enhance these further with a wide choice of snazzy lamp shades.

Lamps shades are great because they provide you with options. You can use a lamp shade to knit together the colours in your space, or go completely off-piste and introduce something wholly different and introduce contrasting spot colours.

Metallics are a great option for a spot colour. We don’t want to overuse these however – the main purpose of metallics in this theme is to bring a twist of the 21^st century to emphasis the millennial element.

Materials matter

We mentioned earlier that the grandmillennial trend was a rebellion against conservative monochrome and off-the-shelf décor. To enhance this edgy theme even further be sure to pay close attention to the fabrics you use and consider their inherent characteristics.

Great materials to use are linens, wools and velvets. These materials have a natural texture to them that moves away from the flat, super smooth materials which we don’t even want to consider for a grandmillennial décor.

An added benefit of these materials is that they carry colour and pattern beautifully. Plaid woollen curtains, for example, or bold jewel tone velvet cushions will really add to the overall affect.

To provide you with some #spiffing inspiration we’ve even created a dedicated collection of grandmillennial-inspired items. You can enjoy them here.

Fitting with the wholesome nature of grandmillennial, all our blinds, curtains, cushions and lampshade are made in the heart of Yorkshire by an elite team of craftspeople. Our website has a range of popular options to enhance your grandmillennial space but if you get stuck don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team who will be happy to help. You can browse our dedicated gradmillennnial collection here or shop some of our selected products below:

Shop our grandmillennial style: