Erin Napier Is the Queen of 'Grandmillennial Style'

Move over, minimalism. There’s a “new” design style favored by millennials and Erin Napier happens to reflect it perfectly.

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February 03, 2020

By: Ashlyn Kittrell

Related To:

A New Old Trend

Dubbed “Grandmillennial” style by House Beautiful, this new decor trend is heaven for millennials that would gladly accept their grandparents’ castoffs to decorate their entire home. Their piece on the rise of Grandmillennial style goes on to quip that "devotees love wicker, chintz and needlepoint—but don't call them stuffy."

While she may not be as over the top as some of the other fans of the look, Erin Napier uses just the right amount of old-school features in her home designs for us to consider her #grandmillennialgoals. If you think you might be a grandmillennial, get ideas to copy the look for yourself.

Erin Napier Is an Early Adopter of the Grandmillennial Trend

The Easiest Updates

It may be hard to completely undo drastic layout changes or even wall colors, but you can easily update your space by adding vintage touches. Think etched vases, tapestry pillows, patterned curtains and antique frames. Erin's eye for detail takes her historic renovations to the next level.

Erin Napier Is an Early Adopter of the Grandmillennial Trend

Rethink Your Furniture

A hallmark of grandmillennial style is real wood funiture and actually liveable couches. You read that right: No more particle board or stark square cushions. Hunt in thrift stores for antique chairs and tables if you're on a tight budget.

See More Photos: Home Town: The Littlest House in Laurel

Not Your Grandma's Rug

But it probably could be! Grandmillennial style incorporates actual vintage items, so this oval braided rug fits in perfectly underneath Ben Napier's handmade kitchen island. We're willing to bet that someone in your family has a very similar rug in storage.

Perfectly Mismatched

Have you inherited most of your furniture from various relatives? Don't worry, the eclectic mix is perfectly in style. Choose a few vintage pieces that reflect your own tastes and your mismatched collection will feel even homier.

Home Town: A House Too Big to Move?

Period Pieces

One of the coolest parts about utilizing the grandmillennial decor concept is that the furniture is actually old. Rather than modern interpretations with cheaper materials, the best pieces to rock the style were likely built by hand — and definitely built to last.

Real Dining Rooms

Are you offended by open-concept? Then the grandmillennial trend is right up your alley. Formal dining spaces are about to see a major reboot, especially in markets where houses and apartments are a little bit larger. If you don't have the space, mimic the feeling with actual place settings and a dedicated dining space, even if that happens to be your kitchen counter.

Rich and Bold Colors

White wall fatigue is real. Going for a deeper hue gives any space a certain grandmillennial glow. The darker colors add to the overall cozy feel of the trend.

More Patterns, Please

Specifically, look for tapestry prints, florals, toile, gingham, and other ornate prints. To get the grandmillennial look, matchy-matchy is no longer a faux pas. However, mixed patterns look just as fab and make the style a bit more modern.

Put a Basket on It

If you don't want to commit to the full look with wicker furniture, you can follow in Erin's footsteps and nod to the look with woven baskets as wall art.

See More Photos: Home Town: The Littlest House in Laurel

Bring Back Your Knick-Knacks

They may have previously not made it through the decluttering craze, but it's time to start collecting pretty things again. Vases, candlesticks, vintage books: The sky is the limit. Sure, the only purpose they serve is to look nice, but that's a welcome departure from utilitarian minimalism. Take a lead from some of Erin's favorite movie sets to get that lived-in look.

See More Photos: Home Town: A Forever Home and a Fine Southern Porch

Crown Molding + Chair Covers

Consider this the advanced level of grandmillennial style. Crown molding may not be standard in a lot of modern architecture, but if you want a dramatic update that gets you closer to the historical styles, it's a worthy expense. Can't afford that but really want to commit? We suggest upping the ante and aquainting yourself with chair covers for a totally grandma-chic vibe.

Dark Wood Sets the Tone

When treasure hunting at antique stores, furniture with a darker finish quickly distinguishes the grandmillennial look from the lighter wood of midcentury modern reproductions that have dominated the decade.

See More Photos: Home Town: A Bright, Elegant Cottage and a Long-Awaited Homecoming

Glassware Galor

Whether you go for a monochrome look or a rainbow effect, collecting glassware is the perfect introduction to vintage style.

Jonesin' for Jadeite

This mint green hue is about to be everywhere. As a bonus, it plays nicely with vintage jadeite dishes and other vintage elements. Consider this as an accent color for cabinets or trim, or keep your eyes peeled for actual jadeite dish sets when you're at antique stores.

Timeless Bedframes

Platform beds were all the rage for the past few years (just scroll through Instagram!), but search for iron or brass bedframes for a dash of grandmillennial style in the bedroom.

Wallpaper Is Cool Again

Fun, printed wallpaper has been a well-documented trend for a while now. Erin and Ben definitely know their way around a classic roll, but we like to think of it as the trend that tipped the scales in favor of traditional styles this past year.

The Best Backdrop

If you're not ready to wallpaper a whole room, it makes the perfect backdrop for bathroom vanities. But we're willing to bet that once you go grandmillennial in a small space, you'll want to rethink your whole home.

Caned Furniture + Accents

It may escape notice to the untrained eye, but the arched shelf that Erin included in the staging of this bathroom reno is the icing on the cake for any grandmillennial.

Don't Forget the Porch Swing

How much more iconic does it get?

Shop This Look

Photo By: Todd Douglas/ Getty Images

Photo By: Laura Good

Photo By: Todd Douglas/ Verbatim

Photo By: Laura Good

Photo By: Todd Douglas/ Getty Images

Photo By: Laura Good

Photo By: Todd Douglas/ Getty Images

Photo By: Laura Good

Photo By: Laura Good,Laura Good,Laura Good

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Erin Napier Is the Queen of 'Grandmillennial Style'

Related To:

A New Old Trend

The Easiest Updates

Rethink Your Furniture

Not Your Grandma's Rug

Perfectly Mismatched

Period Pieces

Real Dining Rooms

Rich and Bold Colors

More Patterns, Please

Put a Basket on It

Bring Back Your Knick-Knacks

Crown Molding + Chair Covers

Dark Wood Sets the Tone

Glassware Galor

Jonesin' for Jadeite

Timeless Bedframes

Wallpaper Is Cool Again

The Best Backdrop

Caned Furniture + Accents

Don't Forget the Porch Swing

Shop This Look

Erin Napier Is an Early Adopter of the Grandmillennial Trend