Boomers' English Country Style is Back! But as Grand Millennial Style
What goes around comes around, right? Sequentially, in the last decade we’ve seen the re-emergence of mid-century style followed by some 1970s Milo Baughman style. So it’s no surprise that 1980s English Country Style is making a comeback. But under a new name: Granny Chic or Grand Millennial Style.
We yuppies of the 1980s embraced the air of aristocracy that Laura Ashley mini-prints and time-worn heirlooms gave us. Now, with environmental consciousness and sustainability in mind, millennials are recycling the looks of their parents and grandparents.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for it. After all, I decorated my 1980s bedroom and youngest daughter’s nursery in Laura Ashley. There’s a difference, however, in decorating with recyclables that should be relegated to trash — or at best, a frat house — versus furnishings that reflect style and taste. Below, I’ll feature the cornerstones of Grand Millennial Style with the work of designers who illustrate it best.
1. Chinoiserie
Does Chinoiserie ever go out of style? NEVER! In Grand Millennial Style, it’s ever present on the walls.
The gorgeous chinoiserie wallpapers in the designs above are a staple of Gracie and de Gournay, but you can get a DIY version via Tempaper.
2. Floral Prints
Think floral prints and English Country Style and two designers immediately come to mind: Sister Parish and Mario Buatta, aka The Prince of Chintz. Some florals Buatta popularized are still available, like this Cabbage Rose pattern from Rose Cummings (below left) and Floral Bouquet by Lee Jofa (below right).
Regarding Sister Parish’s florals . . . they’re still in production and re-imagined thanks to mother-daughter team, Susan Crater and Eliza Crater Harris, granddaughter and great-granddaughter of Sister Parish herself. You can still find Sister Parish’s patterns — like Auchincloss, Eleanora, and Mayfields (left to right below) — on the Sister Parish Design website.
But Harris has created new patterns in her great grandmother’s inimitable style. Here is her fabric, Titania, shown in her own home.
Photo by Maude McEvoy courtesy of House Beautiful
3. Passementerie on Upholstery
No minimalist furnishings here! Grand Millennial upholstery (and chairs, draperies, tablecloths, and pillows) have tassels, fringe and trims to the max.
You can buy a very granny chic tufted velvet sofa complete with trim from Society Social.
4. En Suite Rooms
The French coined the term en suite to describe a single fabric applied to every textiled surface in a room. This style was popularized here in the United States by none other than the author, Edith Wharton, in her classic, “The Decoration of Houses,” published in 1897:
Concerning the difficult question of color, it is safe to say that the fewer the colors used in a room, the more pleasing and restful the result will be. A multiplicity of colors produces the same effect as a number of voices talking at the same time. The voices may not be discordant, but continuous chatter is fatiguing in the long run. Each room should speak with but one voice . . . To attain this result, it is best to use the same color and, if possible, the same material, for curtains and chair-coverings. This produces an impression of unity and gives an air of spaciousness to the room. [emphasis added]
To decorate en suite Grand Millennial style, use the same fabric, and make sure it’s toile, on everything — walls, draperies, upholstery and bedding. Try it on lampshades too (see #5 below).
5. Fancy Lampshades
No plain cylindrical drum shades here! Grand Millennial Style incorporates pleated cone-shaped lampshades. They can be a solid color, but to really push the envelope, use a grand-millennial print.
6. Last, But Not Least, Anything Wicker, Cane or Rattan
In my last post, I wrote about the revival of cane furniture. It makes sense that it’s part of Grand Millennial Style: cane is sustainable and it’s readily available second-hand. Add wicker and rattan to the mix and you’ve hit bingo on granny chic style. Designer Amy Berry shows how it’s done with wicker and florals (not to mention a trellis!) in her design below.
