Kylie Has Determined Her Style.....And Didn't Realize There Was Such A Thing?!
Kylie here this week! I’ve been decorating my house for a while now….a designer is never finished. Shocker, right? I always thought I just gravitated to large prints, old-world vintage looks, eclectic pieces…..I do have an eye (I would hope so! or I wouldn’t be doing this!), but I always just thought I mixed weird things together.
But as I was going through instagram last weekend, and I came upon an eye-catching post. They mentioned this “new” trend (or shall I say, upcycled trend) called “Granny Chic”. There’s a whole following of people my age getting on board with the styles of the 30’s and 40’s. (Vogue even named this style - that’s right, people, I’m Vogue!) I was intrigued because it was the picture that caught my eye - big bold chinoiserie prints, Asian ginger jars, chintz patterns, upholstered vintage sofas, mahogany furniture.
And then I about choked. WHAT?! Is this a thing?! Is it real?! And then I realized, not only is it a real thing, but there is definitely a generational niche that I’m proud to be a part of!
Let me start by saying, I had NO idea I was heading in that direction. I hate uber-modern (sorry, there’s definitely a need for it with some clients and I respect those who love it. As my 6-year old says at dinner, “Don’t yuck someone’s yum!”). But it’s just not me. What I didn’t realize is how classic I really am.
What Is Granny Chic?
Let’s start with a few basic items that define this style (each one, your grandma would be proud of!).
Floral patterns
Upholster everything…and we mean EVERYTHING. Bonus if you match your upholstery to your drapery and wallpaper!
More specifically, with a floral printed fabric – Note: Different flower motifs can and SHOULD be used on items within the same room. Grandma would agree.
Mahogany is the new wood. Embrace those old dining tables!
Can I get a candelabra wall sconce?! I think I can!
Display your chinaware! Be proud of it! All those teacups!
You can never have enough throw pillows. It’s true. Don’t listen to your husbands. (Sorry, Brian)
Tory Burch’s Library - Wowza!
Tory Burch’s Living Room - I’m drooling right now.
The Early Signs That I Had A Granny-Chic Obsession
I’ve always loved toile patterns. You know, short for Toile de Jouy, “a type of printed calico with a characteristic floral, figure, or landscape design on a light background, typically used for upholstery or curtains.” (dictionary.com) You can even almost picture your great-grandma’s house with this hanging on her windows in long, luscious drapery panels. Amiright?!
(both images above from Schumacher)
In fact, I wallpapered my entryway with a beautiful toile by Thibaut - Willow Wood. My husband isn’t a fan, but that’s what you get for living with an obsessive interior designer. (In my defense, I still can’t turn on my own TV, but that’s what I get for living with a software architect who programmed everything to be custom.) Check out the entry below - say hi to my daughter, Edna! (OMG, I just realized my kids’ names are Granny Chic!!!! MIND. BLOWN.)
I also had luckily found a beautiful vintage mirror at Furniture Consignment Gallery - it was such a gem and I was so lucky to be there at the right time.
And I love oil paintings. Oh how I wish I had an old vintage oil painting of my grandfather that I could hang up. But alas, our families don’t have those kinds of treasures. So instead, I went a little on the cheeky side and started collecting some “odd” oil paintings - how about a dog dressed like a soldier? Yes. That was my answer to my grandparents not being cool enough.
The Final Straw
Then I saw a 1930’s antique Empire sofa that was up for sale on Facebook Marketplace. A young woman was getting rid of it as it had been in her family for years. It was covered in a very old, unattractive fabric and the wood was worn and chipped. She didn’t have time or the resources to figure out how to reupholster it. So she just wanted it out of her house.
BOOM. That’s where I swooped in. I saw it. And I fell in love.
Let me digress for a minute and say that one of my favorite classes during my college years (Go Michigan State Spartans!) was History of Interior Design. I loved the historical aspects of furniture-making and the style evolutions through-out the years. In fact, I almost went to get my Masters in Historical Design (that’s another story for another day).
But because of that love of history, I had to know more about this style of sofa. The American Empire style was a French-inspired Neoclassical style of American furniture. Popularity of this style was at it’s peak from about 1800-1830. This sofa was created in the early 20th century based on this popular style. Some of the motifs that were signature of this style included animal claw feet (check!) and ornamental motifs such as sheaves of grain (check, check!) that implied prosperity (thank you, Napoleon for that inspiration!)
Ok, ok, back to my story. So you get it. I LOVED the sofa. Couldn’t pass it up. So I snatched it up. I had no idea what upholstery I’d put on it yet, but I knew it could be stunning. There it goes, into the truck!
OMG the fabric!!! Look at how worn the wood was!!!!
Ok, so everyone knows by now that I’m a mom of two little ones, so I knew the upholstery had to be something functional. So after exhaustive research, I finally decided on Thibaut’s Sylvan Leaves. See below for the full repeat pattern. Isn’t it beautiful? Be still, my heart…. (Designers are so weird, I know.)
I also decided to add a contrast welt to my new sofa. You know what a contrast welt is? Have no fear - it’s the cord or rope that is along a cushion to elevate the look. A self-welt is a welt made of the same fabric, but a contrast welt is a welt that is, obviously, contrasting :-D So I chose a really beautiful Paprika-colored fabric from Pindler.
Our upholsterer, Lubella Upholstery, out of Framingham is amazing at what he does. They are ARTISTS. In fact, the owner was stroking the top of the furniture longingly, saying, “I adore working on these types of pieces.” My friends, THAT is the passion you want. That is someone who LOVES what they do. I think he has a Granny Chic style too….
I saw the sofa under construction after he had stripped the wood down to it’s unfinished state. I saw the old upholstery torn off. He also reinforced the original structure. Oh my!
He refinished the wood back to it’s original mahogany glory. And then one day he called and said it was ready!!! Can you feel my excitement?! My husband would roll his eyes right about now…..
This is Crouton. She enjoys her perch.
The sofa was delivered and immediately made the space. It was stunning. I had acquired two comfortable swivel chairs that I adore - the kids love them because they can spin them (now my eyes are rolling) and they’re the perfect color. Perhaps someday I will reupholster them, but for now, I’m ok with them as is!
My “Granny Chic” Living Room - A Progress Shot
One thing that was nagging me, was the paint color in my living room. It was originally Pale Oak (OC-20 by Ben Moore). But something just wasn’t working. The space was too heavy. So what to do?
After originally presenting my husband with a bright coral color, I think he was a bit hesitant to let me paint again. His response was, “No way.” (Although there might have been an expletive in there….I can’t remember.) But I ended up choosing a dark (almost black!) color by Farrow & Ball called “Mahogany” (appropriate, eh?) The black elevated the space to the next level. Suddenly, it was a rich, old-world space just asking for more oil paintings to be hung. It’s comfortable. My husband loves it because it has a masculine side (I think he was worried when he saw the floral sofa come in…..)
Check out the difference (you guys, I have kids. Ignore the toys, books and stuff. Give me a break….)
Before - Pale Oak on the walls
After - F&B Mahogany on the walls.
Am I done with the space? Absolutely not. That’s what designers do, we obsess. The side table doesn’t work. I need a rug. But I’m holding out for a perfect antique vintage rug, and I’d rather save my money until I can spend on a beautiful one! So it’s still a work in progress.
My DIY Streak
In another post, I’ll get into my DIY habits…another story for another day. Yes, I did my own wainscoting (#girlpower!). I wallpapered my entryway all by myself - that’s a tough one to tackle. But I did it! I painted my own sideboard, my own dining chairs. I’m certainly not as good as Mary (you should see her paint jobs!) but I’m trying. And you have to make your own mistakes, right? That’s the only way I’ll learn!
Comment below - do you have a Granny Chic side?! Join the club :-D
Want more inspiration? Check out these great articles by TheGlamPad and Domino.