In 2019, House Beautiful defined the aesthetic of the “grandmillenial” as a stylish young person with an appreciation for granny chic. Since then, we’ve only seen more evidence to support this, with everything from 80s patterns to 70s color palettes reappearing in current interiors, products, and pop culture. Making the old new again is showing up in every facet of interior design.
It might be time to rethink repurposing that old quilt from your Grandma’s house never thought you’d want. After all, who doesn’t want to be surrounded by pretty things that bring us comfort and happiness? One scroll through the home section of a modern-day design site will show you just how cool your grandparents’ taste actually is.
Following are 10 things from your grandparents’ house that are making a comeback.
1 – CHINTZ – A timeless classic, chintz has once again become mainstream, making its resounding return in fabrics, furniture, and serving ware. For nearly 10 years, chintz has been considered outdated but now that we’ve been spending more time at home, homeowners have rediscovered the charm of chintz and how it instantly elevates any room. Chintz has an air of familiarly and understated elegance that naturally draws you in and puts you at ease.
2 – FLORAL WALLPAPER The resurgence of chintz isn’t limited to fabric: In fact, florals of all sizes are reappearing as sophisticated wallpaper options. With more people turning to wallpaper (as well as peel-and-stick options) as a way to add a touch of personality to their homes, familiar florals are making a major comeback. Floral murals are also hugely popular right now.
3 NEEDLEPOINT – Needlepoint is back for all who love to pass the time this way. But don’t expect the church kneelers or kitschy throw pillow canvases our grandparents used when looking for modern equivalents. Needlepoint has changed a lot. No matter your personal taste, there is needlepoint out there for you. Whether you take a minimalist or a more encompassing path to integrating needlepoint into your home, you’ll be trending toward a new look.
4 CHINA CABINETS – While it’s easy to gravitate towards mass-produced and often less expensive furniture, it’s not exactly the most sustainable way to furnish a home nor do those pieces typically last very long. Newer furniture is typically made out of engineered wood or a solid wood substrate topped by a wood veneer. This makes the wood much lighter than solid wood. Because old furniture is made from solid wood, it typically lasts much longer.
Not only is quality a factor, but people want a way to display their tableware in a way that goes beyond letting it collect dust in a cabinet. The unexpected display of a modern array of collected dinnerware in an inherited hutch, for example, or vintage plates against a sleek Saarinen table, really play into the give and take that make collecting and layering so much fun.
5 PINK TILE – What a blast from the past!!! While pink tile might give you nightmarish flashbacks to bathrooms of decades past, contemporary takes on pink tiled rooms might make you reconsider why we even abandoned this trend in the first place. Pink subway or glazed ceramic (like in this pink shower by ETC.etera Design) are the perfect way of incorporating the retro trend in a subtle, more current way.
6 ORNATE FRAMES – If the everlasting obsession with Anthropologie’s infamous primrose mirror is any indication of the popularity of ornate frames, then it’s almost certain that this is a trend that’s here to stay. I know that my grandmother would be proud of me for swapping my mass produced frames for something with a little more character.
7 DECORATIVE PLATES – Instead of the typical gallery wall, try a wall full of decorative plates. Do Grandma proud! Good art isn’t limited to a frame and your grandmother knew that. The days of allowing our fine china to gather dust in the cupboard are long gone and homeowners have rediscovered the joys of adding color, pattern and whimsy throughout their homes in a variety of ways. Decorative plates add that extra dose of beauty into our lives.
8 COLORED GLASSWARE – Originally created during the Great Depression due to colored glass being cheaper than clear alternatives, colored glassware (it’s often referred to as “depression glass”) has made a comeback in a big way. Despite its origins as a lower quality glassware option, modern adaptations have popped up everywhere as a unique take on glassware. So, you might want to hang on to those cups that likely lined your grandparents’ cabinets.
9 QUILTS – Repurposing family heirlooms is such an incredibly special way to let family history live on through design in your home, and what better way to do that than through your grandmother’s beautiful handmade quilt. If you don’t have grandma’s original, quilts in retro patterns are widely available.
10 PINTUCK PILLOWS – A variation on Grandma’s round, lace, pintuck pillows has emerged! While modern versions are much trendier than my grandmother’s aged lace variation, the round pillow trend is definitely back.
