If you read the title of this blog post and asked yourself, “what’s a grandmillennial?” then let me quickly fill you in… Our millennial culture meets the bygone era of our grandparents’ generation. It’s a term that was coined by House Beautiful editor Emma Bazilian in September 2019. Her article, that defined a subset of millennial culture who might have previously be labeled “granny chic,” struck a massive chord with the internet. It became a hugely popular story and now the term ‘grandmillennial’ is a household term. Emma revealed grandmillennials to be “Ranging in age from mid-20s to late-30s. Grandmillennials have an affinity for design trends considered by mainstream culture to be ‘stuffy’ or ‘outdated’ – Laura Ashley prints, ruffles, embroidered linens.”
I personally can say that I read her story and thought, “Oh my gosh! That’s it! That’s me!”
In my mind, grandmillennials are a deeply nostalgic group with a vast appreciation for the past and for the culture of our parents’ and grandparents’ generations. If a fabric would most likely be found as a table linen or a drapery, then I am most likely wearing it on my body in dress form. So to me, our wedding china was the most exciting gift we received (step aside food processor!). I learned to needlepoint so I could finish some of my late grandmother’s unfinished works.
To me, this is grandmillennial.
As Emma’s article skyrocketed to internet fame, it spurred a spin-off story from One Kings Lane. A few of my lovely friends are featured in each article. In Emma’s story, my friend Nan Philip was quoted as saying “What I love about an old-school, layered—some might say cluttered—aesthetic is that it actually lets you show your personality. When someone walks into my apartment, I want them to get a sense of who I am and what I collect and where I’ve traveled, not just that I’m on-trend.” Nan has an undeniable enthusiasm for life that completely comes out through her grandmillennial style.
In the One Kings Lane story, my lovely friend Becky Boyle noted that “Taking fringe, trim, chinoiserie, drapery, skirts on furniture, slipcovers, wallpaper—all of that–and updating them to be convenient for today’s 30-year-old” is what grandmillennial style is all about. Becky has an impeccable eye as seen through her inspired interior design projects! Both Nan and Becky are incredibly kind and as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside, which I think is part of what it means to be a grandmillennial.
So, with that long breakdown of grandmillennial culture, I hope you enjoy my Gift Guide: Gifts for the Grandmillennial below! Tell me, do you think you’re a grandmillennial? I’d love to hear from y’all!
Gift Guide: Gifts for the Grandmillennial
01Herend Holiday Bunny
Nothing says Grandmillennial quite like a luxury hand-painted porcelain Herend bunny. In fact, a holiday bunny might be the most quintessential Grandmillennial Christmas gift! Our wedding China is Herend (as is my parents) so I’ve always been partial to the Hungarian porcelain company.
Grandmillenials are no stranger to John Derian decoupage pieces. If you’re new to John Derian, their decoupage is handmade in New York using reproduced imagery from John Derian’s vast collection of antique and vintage prints. John Derian also has an incredible selection of Christmas ornaments as well as an ever-changing assortment of vintage and antique imports, bed and table linens, stationery, plate-ware, lighting, and more… aka Grandmillennial paradise.
The elegance of 1960s Palm Beach comes alive with this pale pink teapot done in collaboration with the estate of Dodie Thayer. What grandmillennial wouldn’t want to spend the winter drinking tea from this teapot?
Pair your lettuce ware teapot with these lovely cups and saucers. Grandmillennials love to entertain whether that be with large dinner parties or with one girlfriend for an evening cup of tea. These are beautiful to display on open kitchen shelving too.
These hand painted carafes and tumblers are absolutely beautiful. There are handfuls of differently painted motifs (florals, fruits, etc.). Each design is uniquely gorgeous and makes for such a special gift. The carafes and tumblers are lovely with water for a bedside table. They are hand painted in Great Britain but the company ships worldwide.
Grandmillennials have an appreciation for the simple things in life. That’s why something as little as a tissue box can bring quite a bit of joy! These Madre x Liberty London excusing tissue boxes are so adorable. They come in 12 variations.
A lingerie bag is a perfect example of something I love to own and something I actually use (yup, every single time I travel!) but that I don’t want to spend money on myself. That’s why it makes for a perfect gift (my current one was a gift from my sister-in-law!). P.S. it can also double as a shoe bag.
Matouk makes the most luxurious bedding. We absolutely LOVE this Matouk bedding that we have in our master bedroom! Christmas is a wonderful time to gift a loved one bedding because it’s nice to start the year with a refresh.
If you’re gifting a grandmillennial that you know really loves setting a table and/or entertaining, then a sure bet gift is a set of block print napkins! There is no easier way to add a pop of color to a table.
These place mats scream grandmillennial because of their beautiful scalloped edges. They are chic and versatile for grandmillennials to use during impromptu and planned gatherings!
This set of four hand-woven coasters, in individual flower-inspired designs, has a lovely casual, organic appeal. These are Ideal for everyday use or to bring a touch of coastal design to entertaining… a great grandmillennial stocking stuffer!
Spoiler alert, grandmillennials are wicker devotees. These wicker scalloped frames come in three different size options and are a sure bet when it comes to gifting. Did I mention that grandmillennials loved a good scalloped edge?!
I love gifting experiential gifts or gifts that encourage memory making. This blue and white stripe picnic basket is just that! Gift this to the grandmillennial who would rather put together her own cheese board in a park then rely on someone else to do it.
Dogwood Hill is an incredible source for beautiful paper goods. They have every type of stationery you’d ever want! Grandmillennials understand the power of a handwritten note so this is a thoughtful gift. You can order sets of between 10 – 500 cards (even just 10 cards is a great gift)!
In my opinion, this is a perfect gift! If you aren’t familiar with Inslee, then please trust me and give her a follow on Instagram (@inslee). She is an incredibly talented artist. Her calendar is sure to brighten any desk it graces in 2021.
Nine Fair was a happy Instagram discovery for me a few years ago. Edwin and I gifted our best friends a board as a wedding gift a few years ago and we also received a board for Christmas in 2018. I’m telling you, if you have a bit of a budget to spend on your favorite Grandmillennial, then this should be at the top of your list.
Grandmillennials love to add special touches whenever possible. So these playing cards are a wonderful stocking stuffer. Over The Moon has a handful of cheery decks of cards for destinations like Charleston and Nantucket. Pop these in a stocking!
Lycette Designs is a Palm Beach based needlepoint shop run by fellow grandmillennial, Jessica. In true grandmillennial fashion, She named her shop after her great grandmother. Jessica has a super fun selection of needlepoint designs including a great selection of cheeky sayings!
Grandmillennials love learning, have a real appreciation for culture and history’s effect on it, and find joy in sitting down with a beautiful magazine. That’s why gifting a southern grandmillennial a subscription to Garden & Gun magazine is a fantastic gift. I honestly think there isn’t a more well done magazine available now than Garden & Gun!
I love The Stylish Life book series (there is also skiing, yachting, golf, and equestrian) so I definitely recommend one of these as a gift for a coffee table lover. They look fantastic on any shelf, built-in, or table.
22Living Floral: Entertaining and Decorating with Flowers Coffee Table Book
Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Flower Magazine, Margot Shaw, wrote this beautiful book for those who appreciate the beauty and everyday luxury of flowers. I had the great pleasure of meeting Margot at a book signing for Living Floral and really flipped for her eye, attention to detail, and expertise. This book is packed with gorgeous photography!
23Rattan: A World of Elegance and Charm Coffee Table Book
Grandmillennials love a good rattan accent or piece of furniture. So, this new coffee table book, dedicated to all things rattan, would fit in beautifully on any grandmillennial’s bedside table or living room built-in.
Mark Sikes released his second coffee table book this year to much fanfare. I have it so I can tell you with absolute certainty, it is beautiful! The title of the book couldn’t be more fitting. Blue and white lovers in particular will love it!
Nothing brightens a room like a bundle of fresh flowers. I love the idea of gifting someone you love a beautiful bouquet of the prettiest roses in the world (yes, Grace Rose Farm has the prettiest roses!). What’s not to love!? They have lots of different rose variations to choose from and they are affordable too!
A reader shared this with me and I thought it was so beautiful and so grandmillennial that I absolutely had to add it to my guide! Elegantly designed, the Hannah Bergen Heirloom Kit holds everything you will need to record and save your family heirloom stories… so special. This gift provides a beautiful connection between our grandmillennial generation and the generations of our older and past family members.
I had the privilege of meeting Molly when she had a pop-up in Charleston I instantly fell just as in love with her as I already was with her designs. She has a timeless and energetic aesthetic, anchored in color & femininity (which is so grandmillennial!). The pomander print of this silk shirtdress was uniquely handpainted by Molly’s team making it the perfect piece to gift or wear this holiday season!
Between Le Lion’s lovely sweater designs and wonderful mission as a company, there’s nothing not to love! As an alternative to fast-fashion (which grandmillennials appreciate!), Le Lion was born out of a passion for personalization reminiscent of a bygone era and the desire to reestablish what it means to dress with individual sparkle. Yes!
Hill House Home believes a life well-lived begins in bed. As such, they make beautiful luxe bedding, bath, loungewear, and baby designs. We have their bath towels and love them. Plus, Rowan has some of their onesies and they are adorable. I’m a HUGE devotee of their wildly popular Nap Dresses though. A nap dress is a perfect gift for grandmillennials this year because we’re all spending a bit more time at home (but we still want to look cute!).
I love my Stubbs & Wootton loafers so very much. I am a total loafers person so customizable loafers is something I get very excited about. Stubbs & Wootton also offers gift cards, which is a gift I’d be thrilled to receive!
Paravel was started by wanderlust-ers Indré Rockefeller and Andy Krantz with the goal of designing travel bags durable enough to stand up to overhead bins yet beautiful enough to stand out on the streets (without the designer markups). Gift a piece of Paravel luggage or a Paravel bag to your fave grandmillennial on the go and I promise she will be overjoyed!
Say hello to the cutest toiletry case! My heart flutters for the beautiful block print pattern combined with the bright berry zipper. The case is great because it has a hook for storage and is designed with water-resistant poly canvas, which is a cinch to wipe clean.
The iconic L.L. Bean tote doesn’t really need any explanation. Simply put, these totes have been handcrafted in Maine since the 1940s and solving the bag needs of women ever since. Add a monogram and you’re good to go! I have one that I use as my diaper bag!
This bag is personal obsession of mine. I just think it’s fantastic! It fits two tennis racquets and it has a roomy interior so it fits shoes, clothes, gear or whatever you need. It comes in multiple color and stripe options too!
I love this so much! I’m not a Millennial, I’m actually of the tiny little “Oregan Trail Generation” sandwiched between Millennial and Gen X. But I relate 1000%. Give me all the old fabrics, heirlooms, hand written letters – the older, gentler ways. Thank you for sharing so many lovely and thoughtful suggestions. As I was reading it I was thinking you might appreciate a gift I received last year and it would fit perfectly with your list. It is the Hannah Bergen Heirloom Kit.
Hi Marisa! Thank you so much for reading and loving my guide! You are so sweet! Yes to everything – the older, gentler ways! I just checked out the Hannah Bergen Heirloom Kit and I absolutely love it. What a thoughtful gift. I will be ordering! Thank you for recommending it! Thanks again for reading! xx
I love EVERYTHING on this list, Jillian!
Am I too old to be a grandmillenial?!
Love you!
Thank you!! You can be a grandmillennial too!! Love you!! xx
OH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS!!! This is so up my alley! I will definitely be passing it along to my hubby for ideas! 😘😘
awwww yay thank you so much!! Haha I’m doing the same – I’d love one of everything! 🙂 Thanks for the love!!!
This list is fabulous – spot on!! I want everything! xx
Thank you so much Laura!! Way too kind! I’m so glad you love the guide! Makes my day to hear that! xx
I love this so much! I’m not a Millennial, I’m actually of the tiny little “Oregan Trail Generation” sandwiched between Millennial and Gen X. But I relate 1000%. Give me all the old fabrics, heirlooms, hand written letters – the older, gentler ways. Thank you for sharing so many lovely and thoughtful suggestions. As I was reading it I was thinking you might appreciate a gift I received last year and it would fit perfectly with your list. It is the Hannah Bergen Heirloom Kit.
Hi Marisa! Thank you so much for reading and loving my guide! You are so sweet! Yes to everything – the older, gentler ways! I just checked out the Hannah Bergen Heirloom Kit and I absolutely love it. What a thoughtful gift. I will be ordering! Thank you for recommending it! Thanks again for reading! xx
I had NO IDEA I was a grandmillennial! This list truly speaks to me. I am sharing with my husband – one of everything, please!
Hahaha yay!! I’m so glad you love the post and so glad it speaks to you! I want one of everything too! Thank you for reading!! Happy holidays!! xx