First, we heard about GRANDMILLENIAL style, a décor that millennials (now aged 25 – 40) are embracing based on their grandmother’s traditional style (hence the name grandmillenial) but with a twist – hyper curated and un-cluttered to reflect only the best examples of traditional motifs, eclectically assembled.
Now we have COASTAL GRANDMOTHER. It too makes only the slightest nod to a grandmother’s style –but a very chic coastal-living one at that! Coastal Grandmother is not about age; it’s a way of life – reflected in your wardrobe, your home, garden; it’s about relaxing, slowing down and connecting with nature, cooking for friends from local, farmer market finds, enjoying a picnic or walk on the beach – whether lakeside or ocean-side. The trend, coined by Lex Nicoleta of TikTok, combines everything that gives off chic coastal vibes — from beachy and easy-to-wear clothing to simple relaxed cottages on the water, Ina Garten recipes and Nancy Meyers movies.
What does it look like?
The best visualization of Coastal Grandmother Chic is the movie Something’s Gotta Give; written, directed, and produced by Nancy Meyers, well-known for her rom coms, often centered on women of a certain age. Alternatively, you can see Meyers’ own signature look, profiled in the latest issue of Architectural Digest. The brand Serena & Lily also has great examples of coastal chic.
For your home:
- Throw back the curtains and let in lots of natural sun-drenched light
- Start with a white base, then add color, some pattern, and texture – white walls, kitchen and bathroom, white bedding.
- Make it very cozy and relaxed with a big comfy sofa, slipcovered loosely in white
- Casually toss natural fiber throws and pillows that add coastal texture, pattern, and color (blues, greens, sand). Check out our “coastal modern” pillow collection on rescuedtextiles.com
- Wall art that reflects the natural world is perfect – prints of birds, shells, grasses, beach roses, and hydrangea or oversize colorful modern canvases.
- Decorative items like blue and white ceramics always look great, as does your shell and pebble collection!
- Add stacks of books on open shelves and lots of flowers, fresh or dried, perhaps hydrangea from the garden, and grow your own potted herbs on windowsills.
- Add interest to a predominantly white palette with texture from textiles, baskets, wicker chairs and especially rustic vintage wooden furniture like a kitchen farm table, and of course, milky painted furniture works well.
What to wear?
A coastal grandmother wardrobe is classic, loose, and relaxed, favoring lots of shades of white, and natural fabrics especially linen. The brand Jenni Kayne is a great example of the look. Get ready for the farmer’s market in a flowy linen dress. Or take a walk on the beach with pants/cropped jeans in white, with a button down or T-shirt in blue and white stripes. Add a straw hat and market tote bag. Throw over a natural-fiber summer weight pullover sweater or cardi in cream, beige, or navy. Simple, classic, and easy!
You can see lots of visual inspiration for coastal grandmother chic on our pinterest board!