One of the hottest trends in design isn’t anything new. It’s a return to a classic interior design style where floral chintz, rattan, painted furniture, skirted sofas, chinoiserie, wallpaper, cloth napkins, and grandmother’s china are celebrated. And most importantly (to me, anyway) it’s about COLOR. Not a lot of neutrals in this style. My friends, the Grand Millennial style is a trend that I embrace whole heartedly!
If your favorite designers include Dorothy Draper, Sister Parish – maybe even Tobi Fairley, you may already know the look. Happy colors, relaxed formality, attention to detail, and unapologetically feminine.
If you love to attend estate sales, tour historic homes, and collect things of nostalgic beauty, you just might be a Grand Millennialist. Wondering why it’s named that? Millennials in their 20s and 30s are reviving and reinvigorating the look of dear old Grandmother’s home. If you consider all the modern, clean-lined design that has saturated homes for the last few decade, it’s really quite rebellious!
I was fortunate enough to recently attend a FABULOUS estate sale in the toniest old part of Nashville. The images I’m sharing here are from its many-decades-old design, which holds up surprisingly well in this latest design trend dubbed Grand Millennialism.
Please excuse me while I linger in the front entry to soak it all in:
I just can’t even. Is it just me, or HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING SO BEAUTIFUL????
So much beautiful flooring. Lots of marble, hardwood, vintage rugs, and patterned carpet.
Oh, the fabrics and colors! The next two shots are from the a young girl’s room, with a walk-in closet to die for:
The house was built in the early 1900s, and nearly every room has a fireplace. Every one is uniquely beautiful.
This hallway took my breath away. I mean, look at that ceiling!
The dishes, furnishings, and decor items for sale at this home – a total dream for lovers of Grand Millennial style.
You don’t have to amass a collection of antiques to apply the Grand Millennial style, but a few special old pieces really help.
Mixing brand new items with what you love from different eras keeps the Grand Millennial style fresh and modern, in its own way. I’m just dying to share what I scored at this estate sale!
But before I do:
For those of you who are in the design biz (or who would love to be!), I’m offering 2 LIVE, IN-PERSON certification courses in September. The first is for paint color consulting, and the second is for real estate staging. Students of both courses will attend an hors d’oeuvres reception at my own Grand Millennial style home at the end of the class! Click on the images below to find out more:
Ok, now for my great estate sale finds! I scored a gorgeous, striped, custom sofa and a bound, patterned carpet that is PERFECT in size for my large, square drawing room:
The photo below is showing some shadow from the furniture, but the rug is not faded.
Someday I’ll post better images of this room, but I’m still working on the layout since I’ve incorporated these awesome estate sale finds! I want to know – what do you think about Grand Millennial style?
i love it! you house is wonderful. I’m doing farmhouse cottage with a flamingo twist.
Thank you, Jeannie! I’d love to see that flamingo twist, sounds fun!
I really love Grand Millennial style. It’s the colors and patterns.
Yes, it’s just so fun and happy. We could all use some of that, right?
I’m way too old to be a Grand Millennial, but I love ALL the things you described and always have. And I adore your estate sell finds!!!
I’m too old, too, but I like to think the millennials are just coming around to appreciate what some of us always have! 😉
I new this style would have to come back someday. Simply gorgeous. Hooray!
Hooray for happy!
Those dishes! SWOON!!! Really, all the architecture and design details are just stunning. I would have had such a hard time staying focused on what was actually for sale! Thanks for sharing. And, congrats on the sofa and rug. The rug is stunning!
Jenny, I was like a kid in a candy shop! It was definitely hard to focus on all that was there to take in. There was limited parking, so you had to make an appointment and you only had a one-hour window to make your decisions. While I KNEW I wanted that rug, I really didn’t know where I was going to make the sofa work/fit in my house – but I decided that I would surely find a way. Thankfully, I did – but I have a couple of things that I need to sell now, haha!
Be still my heart.Right up my alley “style wise”
Refreshing to know that at age 70 I am on trend.Thank you
You are totally on-trend, Renee! 70 is the new 30. 🙂
I love to look at it, but I couldn’t live with it. It’s beautiful, but at the end of the day, I’m allergic to color! I need my calming neutrals. Ahhh…
Ahh, you are not alone, Kathy! Many people feel just as you. Good thing there are lots of options on both ends of the spectrum! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 🙂
How do you go to Kroger when you live someplace like this? It’s so Southern and dreamy.
I don’t know how to answer that, Davi! hahaha
Just the right amount of granny chic for me. I love it all!
“Sophisticated Granny,” for sure! 🙂
Oh, I LOVE this look. It is all so light, happy, and beautiful. Thinking hard about how to move in this direction in our Cape Cod cottage-y home. Maybe reupholstering would be a start?
Absolutely! A cottage or Cape Cod can totally do this look. Add color and patterns with fabrics and decor, throw in some beautiful pillows and printed lampshades, and you are on your way!
Too beautiful to die!
I love your style and the mixing of the old with new. It gives your surroundings so much warmth and personality. Can’t wait to see finished room.
Thank you, Linda! I have two huge windows in here, and it’s really difficult to get a great iphone photo where the colors look true to life. I need to get a professional photographer in here soon!
Hi Kristie,
We lived in Tallahassee for a long time and I got to see a lot of historic homes near the governor’s mansion. I love some of the old style when done well. For instance, I like to see contemporary art with antiques and floral prints.
Yes, contemporary art with this look definitely keeps it from going tooooo granny! Touring old homes always inspires me.
Oh my gosh, thank you for sharing these pictures! I can’t stop staring!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Susie! I was either smiling ear to ear, or else my mouth was hanging open the whole time I was there. So beautiful.
The young girl’s closet & the wallpaper are
Just so elegant! Thank you for sharing these beautiful estate finds 💕
I’m too old to be included but I’m hoping I’ll influence my granddaughter 😂
Yes!!! Brenda, use your influence! 😉
Omg- the bathroom wall paper!!!!
Beautiful home to be sure, but not for our particular lifestyle! With 2 dogs, running a business out of our home, lots of home diy projects and constant outdoor gardening…. I would be to stressed out to sit anywhere (without showering and a change of wardrobe) or by wet dog feet on the rugs. For those that are able to live the elegant and gracious lifestyles of this home’s owners – I get it and appreciate the quality and style of the home and furnishing. We are definitely more down-to-earth types that love the resurgence of the modern farmhouse style.
That house is really beautiful. That staircase! The floors! The wallpaper!
A house in the Grand Millennial style would be far beyond our means, but I mix in some elements and have furniture and decorative items from different periods. People think our small house is beautiful, and it satisfies me aesthetically, so I’m content.
This house is fantastic!! The details are amazing – especially the intricate wallcovering around the curved staircase. This is so beautiful.
I absolutely love love love Grand Millennial style. My daughters are 31 and 25. I dragged them around with me furniture shopping, fabric shopping, swapping decorative items with my sister, moving furniture around and sewing all of my curtains from the time they were born, etc. They finally “get it” and are having such fun decorating their homes and trying to out score the other with their GM finds. Most of the time they look out for each other when shopping and that makes me happy. They are testing my age asking me to help paint and wall paper, but I’m happy to help and teach them.
Your fabulous finds are just that. There are so many places to get treasures from for our homes.
It’s the thrill of the hunt and finding that perfect piece I think for the GM’s! Thank you for sharing!
Wonderful, Dana! Thanks for sharing about how you’ve indoctrinated (haha) the love of all things good and old with your daughters. I continue to work on that with mine, as well. 😉
I think we Millennials have had our taste of IKEA and are over it. Growing up in the 90’s, the trends tended toward tacky, but were still bold. My family always painted rooms the color we wanted to, even if, in hindsight, it was a little on the tacky side. I’ve never shied away from experimenting with color and mixing textures and prints. We live in a 1930 house now, and the previous owners painted everything gray and white. So now, we’re on a mission to restore it using some beautiful colors and find pieces that are as close to 1930-era as possible.
Susan, you are a girl after my own heart! Make it your own and love where you live. 🙂
Stunning! May I ask where the floral drapes are from?