This post will be Comparing Design Grandmillennial and Chinoiserie Chic Design Styles.

Buckle up buttercup!

This MAIN DISH of design style information comes with a SIDE of spelling lesson.

Grandmillennial and Chinoiserie Chic Design Styles

Besides both words being parlous spelling, what are the differences between Grandmillennial and Chinoiserie Chic Design Styles?

Great question.

The styles share quite a few design elements.

Quick History Lesson: Chinoiserie Chic and Grandmillennial Designs

Chinoiserie Design Style has been around for centuries. Grandmillennial Style showed up in the design world as a definitive style only a few years back.

A Look at Chinoiserie Chic Design Style

Chinoiserie Style Decor and Design is a favorite for many. You can read a detailed post on the elements of Chinoiserie Chic Style and a short history about the style on this post, Spring Style for the Chinoiserie Home.

Find more sources for the entry way by tapping the Shop My Home Tab above, and scrolling to the heading Shop My Entry Way – or Tap HERE and scroll to heading.

You’ll also find this series of posts I wrote in 2020 to be educational on Chinoiserie’s design elements: Chinoiserie Chic Main Bedroom Makeover: The Reveal. Be sure to check out the six part series for lots more ideas.

You can find more sources for the Chinoiserie Main Bedroom Here, or you can tap the Shop My Home Tab above and scroll down to find Shop My Bedroom.

This post contains affiliate links. You can read more detail here: Advertising/disclosure/photo policies

What Is Grandmillennial Style?

The term was coined by Emma Bazilian back in 2019 in a House Beautiful article. She describes the style as “a resurgence to the traditionally classic styles of old. Grand referring I believe to Grandmother, and millennial to the 30 something year old’s social research identity.

“Raised during the mass market furniture explosion, they (the millennials) are rebelling against the monochromatic catalog looks that they were raised with and are looking to earlier generations for inspiration.”

Well then…

I may just be the Original Gal of the Grandmillennials, The OG of the GMs. Truly, I feel like the current design movement gave my style a name.

How Do You Describe Grandmillennial Style

The style is lady-like, traditional, somewhat formal, and fully embraces southern hospitality. Grandmillennial likens to a time when families passed down heirloom furniture pieces, and when artists spent time and talent sewing, embroidering, needle pointing, and monogramming home decor soft goods, and when coffee and tea were served with the saucer, poured from the finest porcelain carafe or a shiny silver tea set.

If your a fan of Grandmillennial style, but heirlooms were not been passed down to you, fear not! You can “find” a quality piece of furniture or fine decor item at an estate sale, or antique mall, or occasionally at a thrift store.

AND…

If you want someone to tag along with you, I’m your OG!

Now, you may have to refinish or paint, or add new fabric to “save” a fabulous find, however the bones of early and mid 20th century furniture are usually sturdy, detailed and graceful. We can continue to heap them on a land fills, or use them to create a beautiful home. You can search paint here on the blog and find furniture I’ve painted the past decade.

Frankly and with appropriate humility, the Grandmillennial’s found my style and I feel validated.

Grandmillennial and Chinoiserie Chic Design Styles

By this point in this post you’ve certainly noticed overlapping of the two styles. To grossly over simplify for you, elements of Chinoiserie are almost always included in a Grandmillennial Styled home. However, there are many more elements in a Grandmillennial’s home that wouldn’t be found if a home were strictly styled with Chinoiserie.

IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF GRANDMILLENNIAL STYLE

Here are a few decor favorites of grandmillennials

• Blue and white – wallpaper, home decor, tableware, and more
• Needlepoint pillows
• Chinoiserie furniture pieces and decor
• All things monogrammed
• Fringe and Trims
• Vintage brass items
• Embroidered linens
• Ornate chandeliers
• Collections — WE LOVE to COLLECT (china, silver, staffordshire dogs, crystal stemware, brass….)
• Pleated lampshades
• Rattan, bamboo & wicker
• Toile, chintz & plaid
• Brown wood furniture, like walnut, cherry, burlwood & mahogany
• Boxwood topiaries
• …

Grandmillennial Style By Room

Here are some spaces, and vignettes where Grandmillennial Style is prevalent in my home. See how many of the above list you can spot in each room.

Grandmillennial Living Room

Possibly the most colorful and eclectic room in my home, the Living Room is simply for show! We do not use this room, EVER. That freed me to go for beauty over utility, and boy does that make for a whimsical space.

You can find additional sources for shopping my living room HERE, or by taping the Shop My Home tab above and scrolling down to My Grandmillennial Living Room – 2022

White Kitchen with Grandmillennial Style Decor

A refresh took place in our kitchen a couple of years ago. Overall, we wanted the space to be light and bright. The elements used to decorate the space tie it to the rest of my Grandmillennial home.

You will find additional sources for the Kitchen HERE or tap the Shop My Home tab above and scroll to the Kitchen

Grandmillennial Dining Room

The dining room in my home may be the purest example of Grandmillennial Style. At one time or another, every element from the extensive Grandmillennial list can be found in the room.

Grandmillennial Tablescapes

I love creating Tablescapes and Grandmillennial Style settings and decor can yield some spectacular results! Bone china is now filling thrift store shelves. A quick trip through your local thrift store and you will find the perfect set or two or five.

The above is one of the first formal tablescapes I created for the blog/Instagram. Boy, I’ve added color in these spaces in the past six years, right?

It’s an enormous commitment to source vintage/antique china for you. Because you find these treasures sometimes one at a time, they are typically snapped up quickly. Tap HERE are some sources for many of the pieces I use to set the table. Scroll down to find your favorite.

I’ve compiled some of my favorite tablescapes in this post: Ten Simple Everyday Table Setting Ideas

Grandmillennial Guest Room

Created with the comforts of the guest in mind, this space has only a few nods to my favorite Grandmillennial Style. An extensive look at this space and the adjoining bathroom is coming soon to the blog.

You will find more sources for my Grandmillennial Guest Room Here.

Grandmillennial Christmas Decor

It only stands to reason that a Grandmillennial’s Christmas decorating would also pull from the long list above and incorporate the elements into decorating for the holidays.

You’ll find so many Grandmillennial Christmas Decor Ideas on these posts as well: Grandmillennial Christmas in the Kitchen 7 Simple Ideas for Creating a Perfect Pastel Christmas A Colorful Grandmillennial Christmas Tour

Grandmillennial’s Designers, Bloggers, and Influencers I Admire

The following are designers who have been inspiring me on the blogging and social media journey of the past seven years. They have become social media friends, if we must specify friendship. These Icons did not simply jump on a design trend bandwagon, they embodied Grandmillennial Design long before it started gaining popularity among others. Their homes are exquisite examples of the style, and provide inspiration for so many. Please search them out in Instagram, Pinterest, or whatever media you use to find inspiration.

Lance Jackson – Parker Kennedy Living

Lance Jackson is one-half of the design team extraordinaire, Parker Kennedy Living based in Georgia. That I have a couple of photos from my home living on his Instagram Feed, is beyond affirming. Not only is Lance one of the nicest humans I’ve met in the social media world, his talent is unmatched.

WE ALL are inspired by his work, and the renovations he is doing while living in his home, a 1920s former home of the Governor of Georgia. “The Governor’s Mansion” has it’s own Instagram account where you see tons of behind the scenes snaps and videos.

Be sure to check out his PKL The Cellar on Instagram to find the VERY BEST vintage pieces for purchase. I’ve curated several pieces from them, and can vouch for the quality service and impeccable pieces.

Here are a few of my favorite designs of Parker Kennedy Living.

Paige Minear – The Pink Clutch

Paige is a delightful influencer and the author of one of my favorite blogs The Pink Clutch. Paige’s picture could live beside the term “southern charm”. Her beautiful home in Georgia is filled with Grandmillennial Style.

Paige sells beautiful vintage and antique pieces on Instagram under the account named Shop Pink Clutch.

Lydia Menzies – Lydia Menzies Celebrates

Lydia Menzies is not only one of the kindest humans I’ve met on social media (you’ll notice kind, caring, nice…. are necessary characteristics in the phenomenal talents I share in my space), she is also an entertaining expert and coaches “supper club” groups!

From her website: “The Supper Club is Lydia’s way to stay connected to each of you and to share a mutual love of creative table settings, delicious meals, special guests, memorable traditions and experiences with friends and family.”

Here are some of my favorite spaces and vignettes by Lydia:

KariAnne Wood – Thistlewood Farms

To say I’ve been mentored by the best isn’t a stretch! A few years ago, I signed up for a Masterclass for Bloggers and this beautiful lady, KariAnne, author of Thistlewood Farms blog and a social media giant, over delivered as the master of “masterclass”. When I say she is a marketing genius, and even a social media marketing genius, I’m not stretching the truth! I FULLY recommend her courses.

Although she would likely place herself in the farmhouse category of home style, there are definitely Grandmillennial aspects that are prevalent in her home. And frankly, if I’m doing a list of my favorites, it HAS to include her.

Her 100 year old home in Texas, which happens to also be her childhood home, is filled with Grandmillennial ideas that are sure to inspire you.

Camila Pavone – Effortless Style Interiors

My last example today is also a mix of design styles, with Grandmillennial touches sprinkled throughout her design. Camila Pavone lives and works in Long Island, New York, proving that Grandmillennial Style is not just for southern homes.

Camila Pavone describes her style : ” my design style is traditional with a twist. I love blending high- and low-end pieces by mixing thrift store and designer finds. I love interiors that feature classic pieces with unexpected bits of happiness and whimsy!”

Thank you to the above list of designers for allowing me to include you here. We sure do love our color, wouldn’t you say!

And, thank YOUfor being here!

Enjoy Today!

Love y’all,

Lori Nell

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