According to trend watchers, “Coastal Grandmother” style is hitting it big with younger design fans on TikTok and Instagram and its use as a search term on Google has risen over 300% recently. As ever – everything old is new again when it comes to fashion and home design. The early aughts has been influencing fashion quite a bit recently and apparently younger home influencers have become enamored with all things Diane Keaton (Something’s Gotta Give), Meryl Streep (It’s Complicated) and (while not a grandmother) Reese Witherspoon (Home Again). The beach houser in Grace and Frankie is also a big inspiration for this style.
And really, what’s not to love??
Glad you’ve joined us, youngin’s!
Now, I’m not a grandmother (though I am “technically” just old enough to be one) , but coastal design is certainly my style sweet spot and many of my clients have definitely been Coastal Grandmothers. (Please note that this post includes affiliate linked products. Purchases made from these links return a small commission at no additional cost. This goes to help pay for this blog. Thank you!
Unlike “Grandmillennial” style (popular look among a certain young cohort) which is busier and more ornate, Coastal Grandmother is, as would be expected: lighter, brighter and calmer.
Coastal Grandmother style features neutral colors, natural materials and fresh flowers.
Who is the #CoastalGrandmother? According to the 26 year old influencer Californian Lex Nicoleta “A coastal grandmother is “a successful woman who creates a beautiful life for herself” by “embodying elements of coastal living and homemaking,” she told BuzzFeed News.
I was poking around TikTok looking at various videos associated with this style and one young, young woman (did I mention young?) was discussing the difference between Coastal Grandmother and Coastal Chic. Basically, Coastal Chic are younger women who drank wine and the older “Grandmothers” are sipping tea.
That’s not tea in that cup – trust.
So, the ur of Coastal Grandmother Style? It’s obviously the Nancy Myers’ film Something’s Gotta Give. Nancy Myers is no doubt the Queen, First Lady and Doyenne of tasteful, coastal inspired movie inspiration.
The Netflix series Grace and Frankie is another perfect example of this style.
And while not yet a Grammie, Reese Witherspoon embodies this look both in Home Again as well as her own personal brand Draper James
So, if you’re a 20-something – are you on board with Coastal Grandmother style? Or, if you ARE a coastal grandmother – are you just rolling your eyes over the rim of your wine glass?
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Thanks for this Linda! When my very-senior neighbors moved out and put their cane dining chairs out at the curb, I grabbed the armchairs, recovered the seats and painted the brown chairs creamy white. Every time I would pass them in the dining room, I would wonder “is this too old lady”. But now, thanks to you, I realize that all along I had decorated the dining room Coastal Grandmother. (our dining room is adjacent to our blue and white living room where I have the kids’ sailboat kite, from Urban Outfitters, perched on our mantel). Hope you had a wonderful Easter.
Ha! I’m also enamored with coastal grandmother style and I’m sipping wine AND tea over here…depends on the time of day LOL! Love all the inspiring images for this classic. I could happily live on the sets of somethings gotta give or its complicated!