Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Sunday, Apr 26, 2026

10 Things From Your Grandparents' House That Are Back in Style

10 Things From Your Grandparents' House That Are Back in Style

Your grandma is trendier than you might have thought.

While you, like me, might have once looked to your grandparents' house as a stuffy (albeit comforting) space that was anything but on-trend, those chintz and needlepoint-filled interiors might well be worth another look. One scroll through the home section of a modern-day design site will show you just how cool your grandparents' taste actually is.

In 2019, House Beautiful defined the aesthetic of the grandmillenial as a stylish young person with an appreciation for granny chic. Since then, we've only seen more evidence to support this, with everything from 80s patterns to 70s color palettes reappearing in current interiors, products, and pop culture.

So, it just might be time to revisit that old blanket from Nana's which you never thought you'd want in your apartment. After all, as Rudy Saunders, designer at Dorothy Draper & Company, Inc, points out "there’s so much negativity in the world today-who doesn’t want to be surrounded by pretty, happy, comfortable things?" I know I do. Ahead, 10 things from your grandparents' house that are making a comeback.

1 Chintz




A timeless classic, chintz has once again become mainstream, making its resounding return in fabrics, furniture, and serving ware. "For nearly a decade, chintz was commonly associated with being either outdated or stuffy," explains founder of Sophisticated Style, Sophie Phelps. "Now that we've been spending more time at home, homeowners have rediscovered the charm of chintz and how it instantly elevates any room," she says. "Chintz has an air of familiarly and understated elegance that naturally draws you in and puts you at ease. Just look at any space designed by Mario Buatta, the Prince of Chintz!"—or this Dallas beauty by Cathy Kincaid.

2 Floral Wallpaper




The resurgence of chintz isn't limited to fabric: In fact, florals of all sizes are reappearing as sophisticated wallpaper options. With more people turning to wallpaper (as well as peel-and-stick options) as a way to add a touch of personality to their homes, familiar florals are making a major comeback.

3 Needlepoint




As needlepoint pro Rudy Saunders says "Grandmillennial mindset has taken over!" and subsequently, so has the age-old hobby of needlepointing. But don't expect the church kneelers or kitschy throw pillow canvases our grandparents used when looking for modern equivalents. "Needlepoint, just like the rest of the world, has changed a lot!" says Saunders. "Some people do more classic preppy canvases while others are more edgy-no matter your personal taste there is needlepoint out there for you!" Saunders believes that needlepoint, like wicker, always elevates a design "If something can be done in needlepoint, it should be."

Are you convinced yet? If you want to add needlepoint to your own space, Saunders has some ideas. " I think there are two different mindsets to integrate needlepoint into your home." he says. "You can take a minimalist approach or a more maximalist approach." While decking out your home in all things needlepoint might be your style (Saunders is currently working on a tabletop for a vintage cocktail table), smaller canvases like Christmas ornaments and framed phrases are also popular.

4 China Cabinets




While it's easy to gravitate towards mass-produced and often less expensive furniture, it's not exactly the most sustainable way to furnish a home nor do those pieces typically last very long. "Newer furniture is typically made out of engineered wood, which is much lighter than solid wood," explains Laurence Kirby, owner of Chapter Two Vintage. "It's typically held together by glue and other chemicals," she says. "Because old furniture is made from solid wood, it lasts much longer."

Not only is quality a factor, but people want a way to display their tableware in a way that goes beyond letting it collect dust in a cabinet. As designer Ariel Orkin says, "the dichotomy of displaying a modern array of collected dinnerware in an inherited hutch, for example, or vintage plates against a sleek Saarinen table, really play into the give and take that make collecting and layering so exciting." Just take this cabinet in Michael Maher's living room as proof!

5 Pink Tile




While pink tile might give you nightmarish flashbacks to bathrooms of decades past, contemporary takes on pink tiled rooms might make you reconsider why we even abandoned this trend in the first place. Pink subway or zellige tiles (like in this pink shower by ETC.etera Design) are the perfect way of incorporating the retro trend in a subtle, more current way.

6 Ornate Frames




Walking into my grandparents' house felt like walking in to an art museum. From the ceiling to the floor, ornate gold frames lined the walls. It was a stark contrast from the thin wooden frames that filled my Pinterest boards. If the everlasting obsession with Anthropologie's infamous primrose mirror is any indication of the popularity of ornate frames, then it's almost certain that this is a trend that's here to stay. And I, for one, know that my grandmother would be proud of me for swapping my mass produced frames for something with a little more character.

7 Decorative Plates




Forget gallery walls. A decorative plate wall is the statement-making wall decor your grandparents did best. Good art isn't limited to a frame, and your grandmother knew that. "The days of allowing our fine china to gather dust in the cupboard are long gone and homeowners have rediscovered the joys of adding color, pattern and whimsy throughout their homes in a variety of ways," says Phelps. "Decorative plates add that extra dose of beauty into our lives that we all crave," she says. Just look at the effect it has in a bedroom by proud Grandmillennial Clary Bosbyshell here.

8 Colored Glassware




Originally created during the Great Depression due to colored glass being cheaper than clear alternatives, colored glassware (it's often referred to as "depression glass") has made a comeback in a big way. Despite its origins as a lower quality glassware option, modern adaptations have popped up all over Instagram, even being sold in stores like Pottery Barn and Urban Outfitters as a unique take on glassware. So, you might want to hang on to those cups that likely lined your grandparents cabinets.

9 Quilts




"Repurposing family heirlooms is such an incredibly special way to let family history live on through design in your home, and what better way to do that than through your grandmother's beautiful handmade quilt," says Orkin. And if you don't have grandma's original, quilts in retro patterns are widely available.

10 Pintuck Pillows




was scrolling through the home section of Urban Outfitters recently and saw a pillow that vaguely reminded me of something I'd seen so many times before in my grandparents' home. Proudly placed atop my grandparents guest bed was a round, lace, pintuck pillow that looked like it had been around forever (which, let's be honest, it probably had been). While modern versions are much trendier than my grandmother's aged lace variation, the round pillow trend is definitely back.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
News Roundup
Strategic Saudi-Bahrain Causeway Closed Amid Security Concerns as Trump Deadline Approaches
Saudi Arabia Keeps Red Sea Oil Exports Flowing Despite Regional Tensions
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
Saudi Business Leader Abudawood Appointed Chairman of Merit Incentives Group
TotalEnergies Confirms Damage at Saudi Refinery Following Security Incident
Saudi Arabia Launches Early Construction Phase for King Salman Stadium Project
Saudi Shift Away from Longstanding Dollar Oil Framework Gains Attention Amid Iran Conflict
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia Resolve Long-Running Transit Visa Dispute
Saudi Oil Capacity and Pipeline Flows Reduced as Supply Risks Intensify
TotalEnergies Reports Damage to Saudi SATORP Refinery Following Security Incidents
Gulf States Assess Prospects of U.S.-Iran Truce as Regional Stability Efforts Intensify
South Korea Resumes Honey Exports to Saudi Arabia Following Sanitary Approval
Saudi Arabia Carries Out Sentences in Eastern Province Following Security Convictions
Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund Backs King Street’s Regional Credit Strategy
Saudi Arabia Secures World Cup Return as Egypt Celebrates Landmark Qualification
Iran and Saudi Arabia Intensify Diplomatic Engagement Amid Regional Tensions
Russia and Saudi Arabia Open Visa-Free Travel Corridor for Citizens
Saudi Oil Output Capacity Reduced by 600,000 Barrels Per Day Amid Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia Suspends Operations at Select Energy Sites as Precautionary Measure
Saudi Arabia Halts Operations at Multiple Energy Facilities Amid Heightened Tensions
Global Markets Jolt as Iran Signals Ceasefire Breakdown and Rising Regional Tensions
King Street Aligns with Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund to Expand Alternative Investments in Middle East
Attack on Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Petrochemical Hub Raises Global Supply Concerns
Debate Emerges Over Saudi Strategic Decisions as Gulf Cooperation Council Dynamics Come Into Focus
Saudi Arabia Expands Full Workforce Localisation to 69 Professions in Major Labour Reform
Emerging Alliance of Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia Signals New Regional Power Dynamic Amid Iran Conflict
Iran Linked to Strikes Across Gulf States Following Refinery Attack Escalation
Saudi Arabia Voices Concern Over Fragile US–Iran Ceasefire Stability
Starmer Warns Sustained Effort Needed to Ensure US–Iran Ceasefire Holds
Saudi Arabia’s Key East-West Oil Pipeline Targeted Following Ceasefire Announcement
Iran Targets Saudi Arabia’s East-West Oil Pipeline in Escalating Regional Tensions
Trump Warns of Civilizational Stakes as Iran Halts Negotiations
Saudi Companies Expand Remote Work Measures Ahead of Iran-Related Security Concerns
Iran Warns of Strikes on Saudi Energy Infrastructure if US Targets Its Facilities
Iran Urges Civilians to Form Human Shields Around Nuclear Sites as Diplomatic Deadline Approaches
Saudi Arabia Raises Oil Prices to Record Premiums Amid Supply Pressures Linked to Iran Conflict
Key Saudi-Bahrain Causeway Closed Amid Heightened Security Concerns Linked to Iran
Formula One Calendar Gap Explained as Fans Await Next Grand Prix
Growing Strain on the Petrodollar System Comes Into Focus Amid Iran Conflict
Reported Strike on Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Complex Raises Global Energy Supply Concerns
FedEx Introduces New Digital Tool to Streamline Imports into Saudi Arabia
Iran Claims Strike on Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Petrochemical Complex Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Taiwan to Source Oil Shipments from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Ports
Saudi Arabia Evacuates Riyadh Financial District as Precaution Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Balances Ambitious Economic Vision Amid Regional Tensions and Financial Pressures
Budget Saudi Arabia Reports Strong Full-Year 2025 Financial Performance
Saudi Arabia Expands Investment in Capcom With Stake Reaching Six Percent
Saudi Arabia Assesses Significant Economic Impact From Regional Conflict Involving Iran
US Beef Secures Expanded Market Access in Saudi Arabia
×