Gen Z Is Bringing Back A Mesh Of Nostalgic Home Decor Trends

Romanticizing the past is something humans have always done, whether it was the Victorian craze for Egyptomania or the Gilded Age obsession with Marie Antoinette. And Gen Z, the digital-age generation and the latest to enter into adulthood, proves to be no exception. Nostalgia-core is making its rounds on the internet as the latest "what's old is new again" trend, an all encompassing aesthetic "mood" that describes all things that give you the warm and fuzzies of the nearby past. Think: Y2K Claire's vibes, blurry photos, the inside of Grandma's living room, and the satisfaction of snapping your flip phone open and closed. And even further back in time, retro-funky prints and colors.

For many of us who remember the days of grandma florals and fuzzy bedroom couches, nostalgia-core is less about historical accuracy and replication and more about the "vibes" of what makes you feel the feels. In home design in particular, it's about cherry picking specific moments from the past that elicit a comfy-cozy response even if that means harkening all the way back to ye' olde retro cottagecore aesthetics through antique furniture, or staying in a Y2K theme with kitschy collectibles. Nostalgia-core is all about what speaks to you from history, crafting a decor aesthetic that sparks joy.

It's a truth universally acknowledged that if you were a grandmother in the 90s, your grandchildren remember those distinct rosebud patterns from your couch or love seats. And if you're the grandchild, those grandmother florals probably still bring you a sense of lived-in comfort. Why not, then, use this style in your home? To modernize this nostalgic design, pair it with clean architectural elements like a contemporary coffee table so it doesn't feel so on-the-nose. Or embrace the nostalgia head on with some larger-than-life florals in moody, dark colors. That way it feels more grandmillennial than grandma.

One of the biggest nostalgic comebacks in interior design, wallpaper is now used in many different decorative ways. While wallpaper of the past may be considered a little too precious for modern tastes, today, wallpaper comes in all sorts of prints, colors, and patterns that suit just about every design palette. Consider wallpapering unexpected spots in the house, like room ceilings, to reimagine the material of yesteryears, or stick with more traditional application and transform your rooms with fun colors or patterns. All in all, wallpaper offers an easy way to inject personality into a space without a full redesign.

While we'd suggest steering clear of those fluorescent lights that ruled school hallways in the 90s, thoughtfully placed retro light fixtures throughout the home can pack a big nostalgia-core, design punch. For a grand look, opt for some art deco pieces with those characteristically geometric lines, while, for that funky vibe, aim for more mid-century modern fixtures with curves and fun materials. Of course, you can go full nostalgia-core with some 90s lamps, like tasteful torch laps or, stay with us, a good lava lamp (which of course is a 60s to 70s throwback itself).

Advertising boomed in the mid-century, giving rise to fun, quirky, and sometimes cheesy collectibles from big companies like Coca-Cola and Texaco. And while it may have felt like an outdated, cluttering trend of bygone eras, collectibles and memorabilia are making a big comeback, through the lens of dopamine decor. While streamlined, clean, and minimalist decor have dominated design preferences in the last few years, dopamine decor and the practice of, well, collecting, and displaying is sparking joy in a different way, igniting our happiness through fun, kitschy things.

Next, we have colors — gone are the days of modern, austere neutrals. This nostalgic trend instead, focuses on those bright maximalist colors of mid-century palettes, bold neons of the '90s, and the deep jewel tones of Victorian decor. Powerclashing, a term borrowed from fashion, is also a major interior design trend, and describes purposefully clashing big, bold colors to create a vibrant room-scape. Think: Pink walls with orange furniture or alternating colorful walls. Gen Z loves color and routinely tease neutrals that the generation before them wholeheartedly embraced. Yes, that does mean Millennial Pink is going out of style.

For many years, the dining room disappeared in favor of communal, open-concept living, with eating moved to kitchen islands or banquets. However, the idea of formal spaces is coming back with Gen Z's preference for communal dining. It's a chance to make connections in a digital age where virtual communication is replacing face-to-face interactions. "Bringing people back to more of a communal dining space allows people to reconnect. It's the only space in the house where you're not idling or just sitting around," describes Lance Thomas, principal designer of Thomas Guy Interiors in an interview with Southern Living Magazine.

Metallics and chrome, whether antiqued brass or high gloss, Y2K vibes, is in the zeitgeist again with this nostalgia-core trend. Class it up with kitchen or bathroom accents, or with decor that glams up otherwise potentially boring spots in the house, like mantelpieces or side tables. Double nostalgia-core points if your pieces are both metallic and kitschy! Consider this your permission to go ahead and purchase that gold elephant or silver cat statue. Incorporating these flashy, reflective materials is the perfect way to bring drama to your nostalgia-core palette.

You've probably noticed by now that nothing about nostalgia-core is all that minimalist, and dopamine decor is very much the name of the game. And what you put on the walls is no exception. Rather, lean into the different artwork stylings that bring you joy from aesthetics past — big, graphic posters, framed museum prints, or gallery walls of artsy photographs are all on the table (or shall we say walls?) for this nostalgia-loving generation. Gen Z is frequenting thrift stores and estate sales to curate their eclectic yet cohesive walls.

If you thought open shelving was a new concept, think again. Open shelving has roots in revolutionary, mid-century floating shelf designs and was wildly popular for many decades before being condemned as an impractical choice for a functional home. But in the mind of Gen Z and nostalgia-core, function is not held over form; rather open shelving is making its rounds as the chic, designer-feeling alternative to cabinets in kitchens and bathrooms. If you maximize storage on open shelving right though, then you don't have to sacrifice too much function. 

The mid-century was a maximalist's decor paradise, and even though furniture got sleeker and architecture more streamlined, loud, bold, and stylish decor was not sidelined in the least. Instead, funky mid-century prints and patterns with geometric shapes and psychedelic curves were all the rage. Today, Gen Z is bringing the funk back with similar prints on textiles and wallpaper. Don't think that you need to hold back if you use a graphic print, however. Match these patterns with equally bold color for a true dopamine hit that's far into nostalgia-core.

Back to the grandma aesthetics, embroidery is popping up as a vintage throwback, popular among the cottagecore or castlecore crowd. While there are quite a few "cores" with this one, what makes this nostalgia-core in particular is that warm feeling you get when surrounded by embroidered throws — it's like being back in grandma's house, but perhaps a touch classier and a little more elevated and modern for the Gen Z home. Good news is, you don't have to be master sewer to make your own piece either. Embroidery kits make it all the easier to achieve grandma vibes!

We're all probably guilty of using the same old glasses from college, but nostalgia-core (and Gen Z) encourages us to look to the past for elevated pieces in glassware. Multi-colored Depression glass, Murano glass, carnival glass, and jadeite are all popping up as desirable blasts from the past. This trend isn't reserved for just pricey materials, like fine crystal, however. Cheesy, collectible glassware (like the kind mentioned earlier) is equally welcome if it makes you feel that comforting nostalgia at the heart of this design trend. 

Grandmillennials rejoice at this nostalgia-core trend: Antique furniture. The old adage "they don't make it like they used to" rings true with young folks looking for good craftsmanship. Craving uniqueness, as well as fueled by a desire to be more sustainable in decor design, younger generations utilize antique furniture as both a nostalgic show of creativity as well as an eco-minded practice. These pieces add some historic depth and character to a room and often provide special meaning to a space if the furniture is heirloom in any way.