Not Your Grandma’s China Cabinet
Published on March 10, 2022, at 9:44 p.m.
by Madison Traughber
Every good interior designer needs a public relations professional on their team to provide them with advice on how to build and maintain client relationships.
Even the most successful interior designers need to consistently work on building their brand, which requires knowledge of and experience with the media industry.
Interior designers who use good public relations practices also know the importance of a proper PR campaign. A PR campaign is necessary to increase a brand’s credibility and attract new clients. A successful PR campaign involves in-depth planning and dedication.
Interior designers should utilize a proper PR campaign to hone in on one style that is specific to their target audience and to curate their branding to appeal to those consumers. By using this method, interior designers have a distinct style that attracts a certain type of client looking for that specific style. One style that currently has a cult-like following is grandmillennial style.
What is “grandmillennial” style?
One popular interior design style that is receiving a lot of publicity right now is “grandmillennial” design. The term “grandmillennial” was coined in 2019 by House Beautiful. Grandmillennial is a portmanteau of grandma and millennial and is a fresh, youthful twist on classic and traditional style.
Grandmillennial style cultivates a brand image of a vintage-inspired look that depicts “grandma chic” charm. It’s an old and established design style that has been given a refresh by a younger generation of millennials in their 20s and 30s. Think of pieces from your grandmother’s collection that are both timeless and classic, yet surrounded by layers, intricate details and a slightly cluttered feel. From ginger jars to floral wallpaper, grandmillennial style encompasses every element of your grandma’s home, without all of the dust collected over the years.
As a nod to the design of your grandmother’s house, grandmillennial style creates an inviting, warm and comforting space. It’s filled with organic textures of ruffles and pleats, natural materials like rattan and dark wood, and vintage-inspired patterns like toile and floral wallpaper. Of course, grandmillennial home decor wouldn’t be complete without cheeky sayings on needlepoint pillows.
Devoted fans of grandmillennial style often shop for home decor at One Kings Lane or Society Social, tchotchkes at Palm Beach Vintage, and endless needlepoint designs at Lycette Designs. The reason these consumers stick to these brands is that they all have a similar brand image that is curated to the grandmillennial style.
A well-developed PR campaign for interior design relies on shared media via the use of social media platforms. All these companies consistently post on Instagram to attract young millennials who are avid purchasers of grandmillennial-style products.
Young millennials are embracing granny chic style, purchasing unique, standout pieces both for their homes and their closets.
Cult-like following
Grandmillennial style began with home decor, but it has evolved into fashion as well. Stores filled with clothing and accessories that all have the grandmillennial aesthetic draw the attention of young consumers looking to emulate fresh, floral style with a vintage flair.
Influencers like Founder and CEO of the Gal Meets Glam collection Julia Berolzheimer, interior designer Claire McLaughlin and fashion expert Lindy Goodson sell a lifestyle filled with blue and white patterns, floral prints and heirloom-inspired jewelry. These influencers use their personal blogs, Instagram pages and TikTok accounts to share the latest products with a grandmillennial look with their followers.
Lovers of this trend will buy anything promoted as grandmillennial. Stoney Clover Lane’s recent “High Tea” collection was promoted as grandmillennial style and instantly attracted consumers.
Clothing brands like LoveShackFancy have risen in immense popularity for promoting products that are a fresh and youthful spin on vintage classics. LoveShackFancy’s floral frocks have become so popular that the company has taken its classic patterns and developed them into home decor.
Grandmillennial style is an idealistic lifestyle that is promoted by influencers and is trending at home decor and clothing stores. A PR campaign to build the brand image of a company’s grandmillennial style will instantly attract young millennials in their 20s and 30s who are looking for a fresh take on traditional and classic pieces — especially your grandma’s china cabinet.
