Coastal Grandma Chic: The New Aesthetic Explained

First mentioned as Grandmillennial style trend back in 2020, the latest escapist aesthetic to hit the radar is Coastal Grandma Chic. The heir apparent to the Grandmillennial style and offshoot of the Nancy Meyers Chic style, which pays tribute to the films of Nancy Meyers, is now trending on TikTok and social media. Coined by influencer Lex Nicoleta, the overall idea of this soothing aesthetic is to create an elegant, coastal-inspired space for entertaining and relaxing.

The starkest differences between Grandmillennial and Coastal Grandma Chic styles are that while Grandmillennial leans toward a maximalist approach to design with lots of color and pattern, Coastal Grandma Chic is minimalist with neutral, restrained color palettes and minimal pattern details. This is sure to be a high point of this summer’s interior design trends, so here’s an insider’s guide to what Coastal Grandma Chic is and how to design with this style in mind.

The Style Profile

Based on the classic, clean-lined style of middle-aged, wealthier women who live beachside and oceanfront, the profile is a woman who loves to garden, go on walks, drink wine, cook farm-to-table meals for friends
and family, and listen to soft jazz. In fashion, this style revolves around linen and cashmere with subtle colors such as off-whites and sandy beige tones. Think Diane Keaton in Something’s Gotta Give and you’ve hit the style on the nose.

How to Design in Coastal Grandma Chic Style

The design style is crisp and clean with minimal details, lending itself to a calming, peaceful environment. Ideally located by the beach with shingle exterior siding, the interiors play with muted colors such as sky
blues and beiges, as well as minimal prints. Texture is key, and raw materials such as jute, straw and rattan are located throughout the home. Other must-haves for the perfect Coastal Grandma Chic abode are:

• Cozy lighting
• Natural lighting
• Flowing curtains
• Linens
• Neutral colors
• Elegant artwork
• Artisan accessories
• Scattered cushions
• Natural materials
• Fresh flowers
• Lots of plants

The kitchen is the center of entertaining and artful play and includes open shelves, bowls of fruit, Ina Garten cookbooks, a collection of wooden cutting boards, and an heirloom tea kettle on the stove. Overall, though the name may conjure up ideas of doilies and knick knacks, this aesthetic is really about a calming, peaceful environment so elements can be brought into your home to build on this design style even though you may not be beachside.

Photo by DANE DEANER on UNSPLASH

Color Palette Inspirations

To kickstart ideas on color palettes that would work with this aesthetic, here are three moodboards that underscore how a variety of elements can inspire this style.