When House Beautiful magazine looked at design trends in 2026, it saw a feeling rather than a trend: "What ties it all together is a shift away from homes that perform on cue and toward homes that participate in real life. These are rooms designed for lingering, connecting, and tuning out the noise — both visual and digital. Mood matters more than novelty. Feeling outweighs flash. And when something does earn a place in the room, it’s because it resonates, not because it's trendy." They're grandma homes.
Others are less philosophical. Southern Living talks about "Grandma home decor trends," while Emily Henderson, who's been blogging about interior decoration for a decade, prefers "elevated English cottage style."
However, they're all talking about much the same thing. Namely, a feeling among the fashion-conscious that they want something that reflects their personalities, rather than the bland and somewhat sterile decor choices of the last few decades.
What Are Grandma Home Decor Trends?
In practical terms, the new look means:
- Acres of wallpaper in traditional styles, often inspired by "busy" 19th- and early 20th-century tastes.
- Many fabrics in different patterns ("pattern on pattern") — It's fine, even if less enlightened folk would say they clash.
- Numerous details — "'It’s a lot of embellishment, trim, detail, fringe, ruffles, pleats, and gathers,'" says Southern Living, quoting Alabama designer Ashley Ayers. "Look for ornate florals, checked drapery, and patterned lampshades."
- Furniture and accessories that resonate with the homeowners, as opposed to conforming to current trends.
- Lots of vintage and antique pieces, again chosen because they resonate with the homeowner.
- China on display — Build a collection of fine porcelain and display it on shelves and in cabinets.
- Adventurous lampshades — "Look for classically inspired floral prints, block prints, scalloped edges, tailored stripes, or pleated silk shades finished with contrasting trim," says Southern Living.
- "Softer forms, layered materials, and rooms that feel collected rather than curated are setting the tone," says House Beautiful. "There’s a subtle pull toward familiarity and warmth—not nostalgia for a life we’ve watched on a screen, but for one we’ve actually lived. Spaces feel more personal, more inward-looking, and less interested in proving a point.
- " ... skirted appliances and sofas, fringed bed frames, ruffled dining chairs, and upholstered pieces that puddle fabric right down to the floor," says Elle Decor, discussing interior design trends on TikTok.
- #CabbageCore — Cabbage and lettuce motifs are a hot trend on textiles, tableware, wallpaper, and ceramics, reckons Elle Decor.
Your grandma (or maybe your great- or great-great-grandmother, depending on your age) might well recognize and approve of these trends.
The Decline of the Open Concept?
An open-concept layout is invaluable when one has small children who need constant supervision. Parents can cook, eat, relax and work while never losing sight of their vulnerable kids.
However, once those children grow up, they become less vulnerable and more interested in privacy. And those who have tried to take a work call while their spouse is using a blender will testify that there are downsides to effectively living in an extended kitchen. Many others prefer not to have an audience of critical family and friends while they're struggling to cook for a lunch or dinner party.
Parents with small children make up a crucial segment of developers' target markets, so open-concept living isn't going anywhere in a hurry. But grandma lived with a lounge, dining room and separate kitchen, so it's no surprise that there's a move away from the open plan.
"On TikTok, opposition to open-plan layouts has become a genre unto itself, and the design world has caught up with a more nuanced take: the 'broken floor plan,'" says Elle Decor. "It’s not a full return to closed-off rooms and pocket doors, instead, it’s a hybrid approach—archways, partial walls, changes in elevation, and strategic furniture placement that create defined zones."
Is the Grandma Look Here to Stay?
When interior designer Carla Aston visited a trade show, she was fascinated by the rise of the grandma look, which she calls "Grandma Chic."
"Everyone seems to be craving some old-fashioned love from their grandma, a safe place to go for attention, warm cookies and a dollar or two shoved in your hand when you leave, right? Also, the thrifted, vintage look is very on-the-rise since furniture in general is getting so expensive," wrote Aston.
In fact, Grandma Chic is becoming so popular that furniture manufacturers are rushing to fill the vintage-looking-but-new space. Pretty soon, this authentic, thrifty look could become a lot less authentic and a lot less thrifty.
Indeed, bring in a designer, and a homeowner could end up paying as much for grandma's look as for any other 21st-century trend. And a designer means going back to a look that's curated rather than collected.
None of this means Grandma Chic is a flash in the pan. The more it catches on, the more enduring it's likely to be, even in an ersatz form. However, we doubt that it will have the last word on interior design.
