How To Achieve the Coastal Grandmother Aesthetic

Have you heard about the new interiors trend that has been going viral on Tiktok? It’s called the “coastal grandmother” aesthetic (coined by TikTok-er @lexnicoleta) and it’s being embraced by Gen-Z and millennials that are looking to inject some cosy, chic and familiar comfort into their living spaces.

The look is based on recreating the aesthetically pleasing lives of "coastal grandmothers” that are often portrayed by actresses like Diane Keyton and Meryl Streep in films such as Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated or the TV show Grace and Frankie. Very similar to many of the female leads from Nancy Meyer’s films, these aspirational lives are filled with farmers markets, glasses of white wine on the veranda and relaxing walks along the beach with the wind flowing through your linen shirt (where do we sign up?).

Key to achieving the look is having the right living space, so we have pulled together some of our top tips to help to transform your space into a classic coastal grandmother home.

When you think coastal you might be instantly transported to an oasis of blue tones, but the colour palette for the coastal grandma aesthetic is actually a lot more neutral with touches of warmth. Think ecrus, old whites, creams and light beiges for the best base colours for any room, with pops of colour being added by beautiful, fresh blooms or vintage-style knick-knacks.

The aesthetic is all about creating an inviting area for friends and family to be able to drop in and feel comfortable and at ease. There’s nothing better than sinking into a sofa filled with sumptuous cushions and throws, and these are a great, quick way to add some coastal grandmother vibes to your living room. You don’t want it to feel too prim, so embrace different cushion sizes, styles and colours to perfect that casual and warm look.

Kitchens are the heart of the home for any coastal grandma, but forget your minimalist tendencies, this kitchen style is all about the room feeling lived-in. Think utensil jars out of the side, hung pots and pans, cookbooks out and bowls of fresh produce on the counter space. Bonus points if you’re luckily enough to have a kitchen island, if so these should be used for relaxed meals with friends as you chat over a bottle of white wine.

A loose linen shirt is key to the sartorial look of the coastal grandmother aesthetic, but so is using the breathable material for your bedding. Linen bedding brings a relaxed and homey vibe to any bedroom and is the perfect coastal companion as it is super breathable and cool for those hot summer nights by the sea.

Even if you don’t have a salty coastal breeze flowing through your windows, you can recreate the look of a coastal grandma home with relaxed curtains in neutral shades or subtle patterns. Allowing a bit of extra length to the curtain so it gathers on the floor adds to the relaxed vibe you want to aim for. The scene you want to achieve is having the windows slightly open, with the breeze romantically brushing past the curtains as you soak in the view.

A perfect coastal grandmother activity is going out to collect fresh flowers for your home. If you’re not lucky enough to be gathering them from your own garden, you could browse a local flower market, visit a pick your own or even pop to your local shop. Hydrangeas are the flower of the moment and have been a favourite of coastal grandmas for decades – blues, pinks, purples and whites all make wonderful colour choices. You can style them alone or with complementary white roses and lush foliage.

A sense of cosiness and calm is brought to many a coastal grandma’s home with an abundance of lamps. On side tables, windowsills, above fireplaces – basically wherever you have the space, pop a lamp there. It means that as the natural light starts to dim, you can create the perfect backdrop to read or chat with friends with a glass of wine (pastimes loved by many coastal grandmas). Don’t let a lack of plug sockets curb your lamp loving moment, simply pop a wireless spotlight under the lampshade and light up the room to your hearts content (plus they can be charged via USB, handy huh?).

The coastal grandma aesthetic is the perfect reason to embrace natural materials, such as wicker, rattan and real wood, throughout the house. An easy way to do this is to use wicker or rattan baskets for storage, whether is tucking away loose books and remotes or making the basket a feature by stuffing it with comfy cushions or draping blankets inside (or we’ve even seen some full of bright blooms) they’ll make a perfect addition to your space. You can also keep your eyes peeled at your local market or reselling sites where you might be able to snap up a perfectly preloved solid wood piece. Real wood side tables or bureaus make the ideal place for your knick-knacks or even all those lamps you’ll be styling.

Will you be trying out the coastal grandmother aesthetic for your home?