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This post is all about the 10 best grandmillennial home decor DIY projects for your granny chic style.
This page includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally vet.
What is Grandmillennial Home Decor?
Think all the good things about your grandma’s house – that is Grandmillennial design! Grandmillennial home decor is definitely the design trend of the century (at least for those of us in the South…). Grandmillennial decorating style, also known as “granny chic” or “new traditionalist,” blends old with new, incorporates florals and frills, and layers textures. It incorporates traditional design elements with
Elements of grandmillennial style include:
- Florals
- Blue and white porcelain
- Frills (lace, ruffles, fringe)
- Needlepoint and embroidery
- Monograms
- Fine China
- Chinoiserie
- Antiques
- Boxwoods
- Gold and brass hardware
- Ginger Jars
- Wicker and rattan furniture
- Pastels
True grandmillennial style incorporates all these pieces by layering textures and prints to create a cozy, inviting feel to your home. You can add as much or as little of the features above to your home. I love a good grandmillennial moment in my home, but it isn’t my full home design style.
Some of my favorite stores to shop for grandmillennial decor and furniture are One Kings Lane, Ballard Designs, Anthropologie, and Etsy. Grandmillennial decor and furniture can be pricey, so I’ve curated my top 10 best, affordable DIYs for your grandmillennial style home.
Grandmillennial Home Decor DIY Projects
Granny chic style doesn’t have to be expensive! Here are my 10 best DIY projects to affordably incorporate grandmillennial decor into your home.
1. Needlepoint
Needlepoint and cross-stitch are fun ways to add art elements to your walls and decor. Handmade elements add a nostalgic sense to this design style. The possibilities with what you can create are endless, so use your creativity here! I love framing these or making them into pillows to add to my grandmillennial home decor.
Cross-stitching is just that – you cross pieces of thread over each other to make an X.
You can get a cross-stitch kit to get you started. You can buy them at places like Amazon (like this kit here) or Etsy (YHCrossStitchDesigns has some cute prints). Just make sure a kit you purchase comes with an embroidery loop (you can also purchase from Amazon).
2. Pleated Lampshade
Talk about granny chic! Pleated lampshades are a fun way to add pops of color to your grandmillennial style living room, grandmillennial nursery, and more!
Farmhouse on Boone has a really easy tutorial to make your own pleated lampshade. Etsy has some really beautiful, inexpensive floral fabrics that you can purchase. Cut the fabric into strips and then glue it around the shade.
3. Rattan Furniture Flip
Cane, rattan, and wicker are back! Wicker and rattan furniture, reminiscent of classic sunrooms, is often used in grandmillennial decor.
An easy hack to transform your current furniture is to add cane or rattan webbing to it like I did in my refinished nightstand DIY.
The absolute best place to find wicker and rattan furniture is on Facebook Marketplace. Most of the time you can just clean it up, and it’s beautiful! Or you can totally transform a piece of furniture like I did to achieve the look you want.
4. Tea Set Candles
Mismatched fine china, vintage glassware, and various collectibles are common in grandmillennial style. Why not add a fun element to display these pieces by pouring candles into tea cups and glassware?! This is an eclectic way to show off your
My favorite place to look for vintage collectibles for making candles is at thrift stores and Goodwill. And you can purchase a candle-making kit on Amazon, Hobby Lobby, or Michael’s. It’s a relatively easy and affordable craft for your grandmillennial kitchen or dining room decor, and they also make great gifts!
5. Replace Hardware
Grandmillennial decorating styles include brass and gold metals throughout, including on hardware, furniture, and fixtures. An easy way to add touches of brass and gold is to change out your cabinet hardware.
My brushed brass kitchen hardware that is shown in the picture above is from Amazon (purchase here). It’s held up extremely well. They go perfectly with my brushed brass kitchen pendant lights (also from Amazon).
Don’t be afraid to mix metals in your home too! My rule of thumb is to stick with 2 metals in one space and to keep the finishes the same. So brushed nickel and brushed brass, for example, or chrome and gold, as another example.
6. Chinoiserie Decoupage
Decoupaging is a great grandmillennial craft for all ages! This DIY technique can be added to any decor, but since I live near the ocean, I like it on shells for a grandmillennial coastal look.
To achieve this look, simply paint the shells white and then using Modge Podge, glue a cocktail napkin to the inside of the shell. Once dry, cut off the excess napkin and then add another layer of Modge Podge to seal the napkin. Paint the rim of the shell with gold leaf paint. And that’s it! I love mixing these chinoiserie shells with my blue and white porcelain.
I often look for fun cocktail napkins to use while I am at places like TJMaxx and Home Goods. The ones I used for the above picture are from Amazon (purchase here).
7. Wallpaper
Grandmillennial style embraces bold and vibrant wallpaper, often a floral design. Wallpaper can be used as an accent wall or throughout the room. If you’re just starting to style with grandmillennial design, maybe start with a peel-and-stick wallpaper instead of traditional paste wallpaper.
8. Picture Frame Molding
Picture frame molding is another traditional design element included in grandmillennial style. Adding molding to a statement wall or around a room creates texture and interest. Bonus points if it’s painted in moody or pastel colors!
To add picture frame molding, you can use trim and a brad nailer to attach it to the wall. If you’re not into power tools, you can purchase stick-on panel molding (like this kit from Lowe’s), which is also paintable. My tip here is to plan out your wall using painter’s tape before attaching it!
9. DIY Pillows
If you sew, creating ruffle pillows is a great way to affordably add some grandmillennial decor to your living or bedroom. Rosery Apparel has a good tutorial on how to make ruffle cushions.
Or if you’re not into sewing, check out this no-sew ruffle tutorial by Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom.
To lean into your grandmillennial style, I recommend pastels and florals in the pillows that you make!
10. DIY Intaglio Art
Intaglios have a rich history dating back to ancient times, and they add nice a classy touch to your decor. Intaglio artwork is expensive ($400 for a set of 6 from Ballard Designs).
By combining vintage picture frames, you can make your own intaglio art! Etsy has a great selection of unique intaglios that fit your style (how cute are these botanical intaglios from YSFIntaglioart on Etsy?!).
11. Upholstered Headboard
Upholstering a headboard with floral fabric is a great way to add a statement to your grandmillennial bedroom. HGTV has an easy tutorial on how to make an upholstered headboard with plywood and foam batting. You can also easily reupholster an existing headboard by stapling upholstery fabric around it.
Is grandmillennial design style for you?
Grandmillennial design is a playful and nostalgic approach to styling your home. It combines traditional and contemporary pieces that create a cozy and timeless feel. You can add a few grandmillennial pieces or go all in on grandmillennial.
I am starting to love incorporating it into my home and have done many of these DIYs to get the grandmillennial look for less! I’ve always had a soft spot for classic and sentimental pieces. It just feels like home to me!
Let me know in the comments if you incorporate grandmillennial style into your home using these DIY tips!
This post was all about the best 11 DIY Grandmillennial Home Decor Projects.
This page includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally vet.
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