How to Master the Viral Grandmacore Aesthetic, According to Designers

For some reason, many people’s vision of grandma’s house tends to consist of the same key features: charming knick knacks, cozy throws, antique glassware and other personality-filled decor.

Grandma’s house is eclectic yet traditional, cluttered yet collected and beyond anything else — authentically her own. With over 50,000 posts under the hashtag “Grandmacore,” TikTok users are embracing design features that take them back to the good old days at grandma’s.

“I totally get the grandmacore appeal. It’s cozy, personal and a big ol’ hug in decor form. It’s trending because people are craving just that — comfort and a sense of story in their space, especially after years of minimalism’s cold, gray and beige reign,” says Kristina Lawrence of Kristina Lawrence Interior Design.

While many of us have fond memories of grandma’s house and seek to recreate the warm, inviting vibe she so gracefully mastered, the “grandmacore aesthetic” is about more than just breaking out a few antiques and throwing some doilies on the table — it can actually be quite tricky to pull off without proper guidance.

We spoke to a few interior designers for insight on the trend, including how to nail it while sticking to your own preferred interior design style.

“The grandmacore aesthetic draws inspiration from the cozy, traditional style often associated with, well, grandmas,” says Meghan Jay of Meghan Jay Design. “It emphasizes a nostalgic, layered look through the use of vintage pieces and mixed patterns. The result is a warm, slightly cluttered charm that feels both familiar and cozy.”

Think embroidered pillows, tchotchkes and bold wallpaper. Grandmacore is all about building character within a home. “In a time when we’re all being encouraged to lean into individuality, grandmacore is a style that wholeheartedly celebrates you,” says Madison Shoemaker of Inside Stories.

Retro design trends have been making a comeback for quite some time now. Vintage glassware, decorative molding and antique decor are just a few of the ways homeowners are welcoming design elements of years past back into their homes. But grandmacore is a bit more complex.

While incorporating trends from earlier decades is certainly part of grandmacore, there’s another important aspect to the trend — expressing yourself through home design. “Grandmacore invites you to leave out the family photos, display that quirky flea market find and embrace pieces that don’t necessarily ‘match’ but mean something to you,” says Shoemaker.

In other words, there’s no particular design feature or piece of decor you should display to achieve the grandmacore aesthetic. It’s more of a concept, one where you can display whatever adds a piece of who you are to a space, and that’s what people love so much about it.

Before you start digging out all your vintage finds and family heirlooms to scatter throughout the house, take a few pieces of practical advice from pro designers.

✔️ Find the sweet spot: “Grandmacore subscribes to the ‘more-is-more’ mindset, but eventually you can hit the point of ‘too much.’ Try mixing in a few simpler pieces with clean lines and solid patterns,” says Shoemaker.

✔️ Allow for breathing room: “Be sure to create moments where the eye can rest. For example, an armchair in a subtle, tone-on-tone tweed can provide a calming backdrop for a brighter pillow and ottoman,” says Jay.

✔️ Prioritize meaningful pieces: “To decorate grandmacore-style without going full antique store explosion, pick a few meaningful heirlooms with history to them, add some warm textures like lace or velvet, throw in some beautifully patina’d metals and wood and stick to a muted, nature-inspired palette,” says Lawrence.

✔️ Don’t be afraid to mix and match: “The key is to layer textures and prints freely and bring in texture through a mix of hard materials — especially rich, warm wood tones,” says Jay.

Source: Home Ideas - goodhousekeeping.com