10 Ways to Make Classic Design Work in Your Home

Call it grandmillennial, granny chic, GrandpaCore, traditional design or old school, there is no denying charm-filled classic design details like wicker, florals and formal table settings are back in style.

By: Meredith Rosenberg

Related To:

Shop This Look

Photo By: Schumacher

Photo By: Francesco Lagnese

Photo By: Melanie Acevedo

Photo By: William Waldron

Photo By: Max Kim-Bee

Photo By: Melanie Acevedo

Photo By: Francesco Lagnese

Charming Style

You may have heard the term coastal grandma making the rounds, largely defined by a certain laid-back, feminine style. And now grandmillennial design is having a moment. Emma Bazilian, who coined the term grandmillennial, and Stephanie Diaz have just debuted their new book, Charm School: The Schumacher Guide to Traditional Decorating for Today. For Emma, grandmillennial design is about borrowing traditional elements from the past and making them feel less formal and more fun. "You don't want a room to look like a museum," she advises.

So what defines traditional, or classic, decor? Helpfully, Charm School breaks down the core elements, from chintz and florals, wicker and rattan to slipcovers and scallops. Think, more is more, mix and match all you want, and there are no hard-and-fast rules.

Sister Parish, Albert Hadley and Mario Buatta are some of the design legends who embodied traditional style, although it's key to remember that even these classic adherents sought to mix the old with the new.

Just like grandmillennial style is an homage to an earlier era, so is the book. Both are intended to understand the traditional foundation in order to give it new life.

Learn More: What is the Coastal Grandma TikTok Trend and How to Get the Look

Traditional Design Features Tell a Story

Few elements better define classic decorating than chintz and florals. Emma touches upon the long history of chintz in her book, noting how the designs go back thousands of years to the Indian and Pakistani regions. (Chintz is actually a derivative of chint, meaning speckled or spotted in Hindi, Emma writes.) Though this look can be divisive — go too heavy on the chintz and florals and you teeter into straight-up grandma territory — an updated take involves using bold floral wallpaper in the living room, a look that used to be relegated to dining rooms.

There are even easier ways to ease into this design. Emma advises, "Rather than decorating like your grandmother's living room, add a few pieces you inherited from her: maybe some needlepoint pillows or a Queen Anne chair, and mixing that with brighter colors and newer things that you picked up."

Chintz and Florals

There are endless ways to make chintz and florals work in your home. In this entryway, the floral wallpaper in a muted tone allows the modern artwork to grab all the attention. (Although the wallpaper takes a backseat here, it first gained fame when set designer Hobe Erwin created it for Gone With the Wind.) For a modern twist, this design comes in brighter colors, allowing it to take more of a starring role. In fact, Emma notes how some wallpaper companies are reviving archival designs in a way that makes them feel new.

A wallpaper backdrop, or really any vertical space, is also a great way to display collections, another key element of traditional design. "If you can hang something on the wall, hang it on the wall," Emma suggests. Besides saving space, "it's also a great way to create an art moment." Another tip? "If you're not going to be able to paint or wallpaper, just covering a wall in plates or vintage prints creates the feeling of a pattern on the wall without actually wallpapering," she adds.

Vintage and Antiques

No self-respecting adherent to this style would forego vintage pieces and antique collectibles. Odds are you already own inherited items, such as the kind of heavy walnut or mahogany furniture that dominated homes before manufactured pieces entered the picture. Or perhaps you have kept sentimental mementos, like a jadeite glass collection that belonged to your grandparents. Instead of languishing in storage, these items can seamlessly blend in with your newer belongings.

And no worries if you lack these items — create a classic look with some strategic second-hand shopping. Emma and Stephanie observe how FaceBoook Marketplace is the current go-to for many (including themselves) to source era-specific elements. Craigslist, estate sales, consignment stores, flea markets and antique shops are additional places to find old treasures.

In this picture, designer Jenny Holladay repurposed her great-grandmother's George III end tables in a bedroom, complemented by a simple, stylish lamp with a custom lampshade.

Wicker and Rattan

Wicker and rattan have become interchangeable terms over time, but as Emma clarifies in the book, they are not the same thing. Rattan is a material originating from palm plants mostly native to Southeast Asia, whereas wicker is an ancient weaving method that commonly uses rattan. Today, these materials and pieces are often dismissed, banished to function as outdoor furniture at best. But rattan's durability makes it an attractive indoor option that lends an earthy element, as seen with this chair and circular rug. "I have a new appreciation for wicker," says Stephanie, who shares how the world of traditional decorating was largely unknown to her before embarking on her book project.

Checks and Stripes

You may have noticed that stripes have already made an appearance in some rooms, since the beauty of classic decor is that you can include as many seemingly disparate details as you wish. Stripes with leopard print? Sure. Checks with a bold floral pattern? Go for it. This bathroom is an accessible way to try the look, with a low-commitment checkered shower curtain and contrasting striped towel in a similar tone. If you're ready to really commit to the look, nothing says traditional-meets-modern design like an inviting clawfoot tub in an attractive green color.

The beauty of implementing classic elements is that drastic change isn't necessary. Emma observes how traditional designers strategically used small details to transform a space, from adding a scallop design to a lampshade to outlining moldings with fabric trim. "It's really fascinating to see how [designers would] bring a lot of character to smaller pieces and infuse every little bit of the space with personality," she says.

Treillage

Treillage is an ornamental look meant to resemble an outdoor trellis, traditionally used to tame climbing plants. Similar to rattan and wicker, it's become normal to equate this look with outdoor decor, even though treillage has been employed indoors for centuries. In this example, designer Celerie Kemble enhanced lattice walls at the Mayflower Inn to make them pop. The trellis effect can also be used in bathrooms, can turn up on cabinet doors or ornament a ceiling. Luckily, there's no need to hire a contractor for this look; start by adding wallpaper or decorative paint for a trompe l'oeil illusion.

Setting a Classic Tablescape

Setting a traditional table, even a small one, is one of the lowest barriers to entry into the world of classic design. Dust off those special occasion dishes you've tucked away, air out that tablecloth you received as a gift and never used, gather up a handful of pretty votives that are spread about your home, and you're in business. Even if you're starting from scratch, all of these items can be found secondhand and relatively cheap. (Tip: Join your local Buy Nothing group on Facebook for free finds.) It's perfectly acceptable, if not preferred, to arrange an eclectic assortment of dishware, silverware and decor, as long as the overall effect is pleasing to you. "Don't overthink it and don't worry about everything matching or everything working together," advises Emma. Add some flowers, then relax and enjoy the compliments.

Balancing Classic and Contemporary Styles

After sharing examples of how classic design works in traditional settings, Charm School would be remiss not to demonstrate how classic details work in a more modern-to-classic ratio. In this dining room, modern art and a midcentury Saarinen table balance the room's more traditional elements. It goes to show how a few well-chosen classic pieces, including a floral tablecloth and striped sofa, seamlessly transition without the room losing its modern feel.

Adhering to traditional decor tenets, "I think the most interesting rooms that we see are ones where there's something a little bit off about them that makes them imperfect," says Emma.

Updating a Classic Room

It doesn't require much effort to infuse a classic living room with some contemporary flair. Simple touches such as an abstract artwork, moss green sofas and strong red trim prevent this space from feeling like an old TV show.

And just like you can use slipcovers to create a traditional look, the same is true for modernizing sofas or chairs with the perfect slipcover update.

Take Your Time Going Classic

Indian textiles, a simple color scheme and a midcentury-style table help this kitchen nook feel more grandmillennial than grandparent.

Ready to try going a bit old school in your home? Take it from Emma and Stephanie. "Don't buy something just because you want to fill a space," Stephanie says. "Make sure that everything feels special to you ... even though it takes time," she adds. Along those lines, Emma's biggest piece of advice is to invest in the best quality items for your budget, ideally secondhand. "The whole point of this is that these pieces are supposed to be timeless," Emma says.

10 Ways to Make Classic Design Work in Your Home

Related To:

Shop This Look

Charming Style

Traditional Design Features Tell a Story

Chintz and Florals

Vintage and Antiques

Wicker and Rattan

Checks and Stripes

Treillage

Setting a Classic Tablescape

Balancing Classic and Contemporary Styles

Updating a Classic Room

Take Your Time Going Classic

17 Ways to Design a Home for Work and Play 17 Photos

10 Ways to Make Your Home Worth More

10 MORE Ways to Make Your Home Worth More

10 Ways to Make Your House Worth More 10 Photos

10 Ways to Get California-Cool Style in Your Home 11 Photos

Traditional Design: 15 Ways to Give Your Home Timeless Style 15 Photos

Related Pages