How Granny Chic Is Replacing Interior Design Trends

Just like our clothes, our homes can go in and out of style as trends come and go, but fashions will often come full circle. Of course, not every interior design style is guaranteed to come back into fashion, but many will over time. Take, for example, granny chic. 

Granny chic is inspired by older trends and styles, the type of which you might see in your grandparents' homes, or perhaps in houses you remember from your childhood. Also called grandmillennial, as it's often adopted by people in the millennial age range, it's quite cozy and homely in comparison to more minimalist or colder designs you might have seen in recent years (via Inspired).

Whereas exposed brick and solid colors have been popular in recent years, granny chic is bringing floral wallpaper back in fashion alongside antique items, pleated lampshades, and delicate, precious china (via Insider; House Beautiful) — not to mention old bits and pieces you might be able to repurpose. But why is it becoming so popular?

Speaking to Insider, interior designer Heather Goerzen described the granny chic style as evoking "comfort, nostalgia, and tradition," while House Beautiful links the trend to the rise in popularity of activities like needlepoint and other pastimes often associated with older people among those in their twenties and thirties. 

As interior designer Ariel Okin explained to House Beautiful, "A 'grandmillennial' is really a 'New Traditionalist' — someone who has an appreciation for the past ... It's someone who references the work of legendary designers like Billy Baldwin and Nancy Lancaster and Albert Hadley, who realizes the staying power of good, well-edited design while putting their own fresh spin on it to make it feel updated and unique."

It's a trend that's quite versatile, allowing people to express themselves, with all sorts of items and patterns available. You can pick up granny chic bargains at thrift stores, and don't have to spend an extortionate amount; it's easy to see why these styles might be becoming more popular again.