How To Incorporate The Grandmillennial Style Into Your Kitchen
There's an old saying that every trend circles back around again, and the same is true about your grandmother's design style. While that's not to say you should replace your home's hardwood floors with dated shag carpets or invest in a pea soup colored sofa, the concept of taking all the coziness, nostalgia, and vintage decor of grandma's house and repackaging it in a modern and chic way is certainly catching on.
Known as the grandmillennial style, this trending design aesthetic has empowered 20 and 30-somethings to reclaim aspects of design that used to be considered outdated by revamping them and mixing them with contrasting modern features.
According to Homes, grandmillennialism is unique in the way that it blends a more traditional design scheme with maximalist elements, allowing you to be bold and eclectic with pattern and color while still leaving the space feeling delicate and cozy if done properly. Here are five ways to expertly incorporate this style into your kitchen.
Start out small
As a design scheme based on maximalism, it can be easy to overdo the grandmillennial aesthetic in a way that leaves your living space feeling cluttered.
Imane Fiocchi, the founder of Neon Lace Company, says via The Kitchn that the key to pulling off grandmillennial decor is to start off small and add to your collection over time. "Grandmillennial style celebrates 'collecting' heirloom pieces in particular, but be sure to start your collections with a point of view," she said. "Small pieces like tea cups and saucers are a great way to start, so display them for your guests and slowly collect more over time."
Becky Nielsen, interior designer and founder of Becky Nielsen Interiors agreed, adding that "Displaying checkered or monogrammed dish towels, a vintage cookbook, a rustic bowl of apples, or a candle set on a blue and white dish add warmth and layers to your kitchen."
She also added that starting small with a few pieces of grandmillennial decor is a good way to test the waters before deciding whether or not you are ready to commit to a space that is fully inspired by the aesthetic. Once you decide to commit, you can start to make bigger and bolder modifications like swapping out appliances and painting your kitchen cabinets and walls.
Display your dishware
When you think of grandma's house, you probably fondly remember her china cabinet – the one that always displayed fancy patterned dishes that nobody was ever allowed to use. Because the grandmillennial style is all about recycling the vintage design concepts that grandma utilized and making them new, modern, and stylish, showcasing your own patterned dishes is a great way to do just that.
"Dishware pieces like serving platters, plates, vases, Mason jars, and cake stands can be antique or new and modern with a vintage vibe," said Imane Fiocchi via The Kitchn. "Displaying them in a fun 'plate wall' or in a pastel-colored armoire are perfect ways to achieve the grandmillennial style in your kitchen."
Showcasing patterned dishes is a great way to offset or add to contrasting patterns throughout the kitchen in things like wallpaper and curtains in a way that feels trendy and intentional as opposed to stuffy and dated.
Homes also recommends having plenty of crystal glassware on hand that can be used for both display and practical purposes, noting that it not only looks beautiful when displayed in a cabinet but feels luxurious when drinking a glass of iced tea or a fruity summer cocktail. Thrift stores are a great place to score small sets of matching glassware, though finding unique pieces individually and building a collection of mismatched glassware is as grandmillennial as it comes.
Swap out fixtures and hardware
The grandmillennial style focuses a lot on texture and finishes, which is why Marie Flanigan, interior designer and founder of Marie Flanigan Interiors, suggests (via The Kitchn) investing in new appliances, sink fixtures, and cabinet hardware that pulls from vintage inspiration while still feeling timeless and chic.
Decor Curator recommends opting for hardware with a brass finish. Though considered to be outdated by some, brass finishings are coming back in style with the resurgence of vintage-inspired design preferences. Balancing out some of your brass hardware by embracing the finish in other design features such as mirrors, photo frames, and more is a great way to ensure your hardware pops and your look is cohesive throughout the kitchen and the rest of the home.
Because one of the fundamental ideas behind the grandmillennial style is to reuse vintage finds and make them feel modern again, the kitchen provides an excellent opportunity to do so. "There's a conscious effort to be less wasteful — either by using recycled materials or finding unique vintage/antique treasures," said Yoko Oda, owner and principal designer of Yoko Oda Interior Design (per 21 Oak). She suggests using an old backsplash, countertop, or sink and plumbing features to give your kitchen an authentically vintage vibe while still feeling chic.
Choose the right color palette
Incorporating a blue and white color palette into your kitchen is a timeless way to pull off the grandmillennial style. According to Homes, blue and white perfectly mesh together and balance one another out in a way that feels both traditional and modern. Incorporating this color palette into floral, paisley, or other patterned design features such as curtains, rugs, and cases can help build a foundation of grandmillennial aesthetics that will allow you to expand upon it over time.
If you aren't a fan of blue and white color schemes or are simply looking to introduce even more color into your space for the most maximalist and interesting look, soft shades of pink, green, and yellow are also great options to incorporate into your grandmillennial inspired kitchen.
The beauty of maximalist design styles is that nothing is off the table, and a grandmillennial style in particular allows you to play with a lot of different colors and patterns. While intricate and feminine floral patterns are common in spaces with this design scheme, bolder, more modern pattern choices like paisley also work equally well.
Add plenty of feminine features
One prominent aspect of grandmillennial decor is an exaggerated level of feminine flair.
"Floral or toile accent pillows on a breakfast bench, framed needlepoint pieces on a kitchen wall, and flowers with a 'just foraged from my garden' vibe displayed on a dining table are great ways to achieve the grandmillennial style," Imane Fiocchi said via The Kitchn.
One of the easiest, most impactful ways you can add a touch of femininity to your space and really play up the grandmillennial design scheme is to add floral accents. According to Homes, hydrangeas are among the most popular choices to incorporate into this particular design style and can be placed wherever there's an open space on your kitchen table or countertop.
While both real and silk flower arrangements have the potential to look nice in your grandmillennial kitchen, there's something so delicate and feminine about fresh flowers. However, don't forget that tastefully incorporated floral patterns can also be employed to add a dash of feminine visual interest.