The Grandmacore meme below popped up online a few months ago. I thought it was funny because if this is granny style, then I’ve always been granny. While some women have adopted Grandmacore as an aesthetic or lifestyle, I’ve never known life any other way. It is just the way I approach home living.
I think naturally living like this is probably connected to being an old soul. It would be interesting to find out if other women who live Grandmacore sense that connection in their life. In any case, long after Grandmacore as a trend fades from the lights, I’ll still be living the same way in my home.
My version is a bit more toned down than what is displayed in this picture. But if you consider the core tenets of Grandmacore, our married life has always been set in some form of Grandmacore. In fact, I’ve leaned Grandmacore my entire life when I think back to what I loved and wanted even when I was younger.
Hallmarks of Grandmacore
So if you’ve never heard of Grandmacore as an aesthetic, decorating style, or lifestyle, here’s a general idea of what you might see and experience in such a home.
Philosophy
- Provides a sanctuary from a fast-paced life, fostering family traditions and a slower, more thoughtful lifestyle
- Embraces nostalgia and warmth, an alternative to minimalism and technology-driven modern trends
- Reflects simplicity and comfort, such as a longing for the warmth and security associated with visiting a beloved grandmother’s home
- Celebrates individuality through meaningful, curated items with personal or generational stories and handcrafted details
- Repurposing things with old-fashioned charm already owned and loved
Atmosphere
- Warm, nostalgic, and inviting atmosphere designed to feel lived-in and well-loved with a strong sense of comfort and personal history
- Cozy, inviting rooms that offer opportunities for togetherness and conversation
- Soft lighting from lamps and candles
- Scents of fresh-baked goods, a fire, lavender, or potpourri
- Sounds of classical music, nostalgic music or radio shows, and older films
Decor
- Floral patterns (including upholstery), lace doilies, crocheted afghans, handmade quilts, and gingham fabrics
- Vintage or antique furniture including heavy, dark-stained solid wood furniture such as roll-top desks, china cabinets, and chairs with needlepoint cushions
- An appreciation for timeless craftsmanship and things that last
- Warm, deep tones such as burgundy and dark green mixed with neutrals and pastels
- Layered fabrics and textures
- Patterned wallpaper
- Lace curtains or heavy drapes
- Porcelain figurines, crystal candy dishes, and china displays
- Embroidered or cross-stitched decor
- Mantle clocks, brass candlesticks, and freshly cut flowers
- Knick-knacks and small collections, such as teacups or thimbles
- Ornate frames with family photos or sentimental artwork
Kitchen & Food
- Vintage kitchenware such as Pyrex bowls in faded colors and cast iron pans
- Home-baked goods, especially bread, pies, and cookies
- Handwritten recipes and cooking traditional comfort foods
- Preserves and homemade jams
- Floral or patterned tea sets
- Vintage china and glassware
Hobbies & Crafts
- Gardening, especially growing flowers and herbs
- Cross stitch, crocheting, knitting, sewing, and other needlework hobbies
- Reading physical books and vintage magazines
- Birdwatching or feeding birds
- Curating your home
- Entertaining friends and family, but only if it adds value to your home and loved ones
Clothing
- Comfortable, timeless, and natural fabric pieces (cotton, wool, and linen)
- Seasonal layering with knitwear, wool sweaters, and classic coats
- Soft cardigans and floral dresses
- Attractive and classic comfortable clothing and shoes
- Aprons of all kinds
- Flannel and cotton nightgowns
- Vintage accessories such as brooches, scarves, and heirloom jewelry
Tweaking Our Grandmacore Home and Life
I’ve been further cozying up our life throughout this calendar year. I’ve shared the different steps I’ve taken in my series about the Cozy Life Reset. Some of the changes I’ve made might not sound necessarily Grandmacore. But if you take another look, they are all directly or indirectly related.
While some people might move toward a Grandmacore lifestyle and think of adding aspects to their life, my focus of late has been on removing everything that has been hindering me and my family in our peaceful Grandmacore-like life. We needed to reset some aspects of life and have been diligently working on them all year.
Since we’ve been guided by simple living principles such as margin and contentment for decades, a lot of Grandmacore is simply how we live. My more recent goal has been rooting out the hindrances that still took time and energy.
One of the other changes I made this summer was slowly getting back into Pinterest. I barely touched it for years, but am enjoying using it again. Click here if you would like to follow my Grandmacore board.
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I wonder if some of this comes from our generation and how we grew up. I love antiques (history behind them) although I don’t have many. I hope to have where I live someday more of this style. The older looking quilts, doilies, etc. Love to cook and bake sometimes. Love that you love this style!
Hi Kris,
It would be interesting to know how Grandmacore adoption falls in each generation.
Okay, I wanted to know so I asked a few AIs. (We all know how accurate they may or may not be.) However, these answers reflect what I’ve anecdotally observed so I’m inclined to think they are on point.
Perplexity Sonar:
There is no publicly available, detailed quantitative data explicitly breaking down Grandmacore aesthetic adoption by generation (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers) from authoritative surveys or academic studies as of mid-2025. However, multiple recent cultural and media analyses provide consistent qualitative insights and anecdotal patterns about which generations are driving or embracing the trend:
Gen Z and Millennials lead the adoption: Grandmacore rose to prominence around 2021, especially on TikTok, and remains popular among younger users who are seeking slower, nostalgic lifestyles in contrast to fast-paced, digital exhaustion and hyper consumerism. These groups embrace Grandmacore’s cozy hobbies like knitting, crocheting, baking, thrift shopping, and nostalgic decor as forms of comfort and resistance to fast fashion and stressful modern life.
Gen Z is often cited as the primary driver on social media platforms, especially TikTok where Grandmacore was first popularized. This generation is described as embracing “old souls” within their youthful identities, turning to traditional crafts and vintage aesthetics as a cultural shift enhanced by pandemic lockdowns.
Millennials participate significantly, particularly millennials with young families or those furnishing apartments/homes on a budget with thrifted or vintage finds. Their adoption is often tied to sustainability values and a desire for meaningful, cozy home environments rather than minimalism.
Gen X involvement is more modest but tangible, often expressed through “empty-nester” redesigns or rekindling traditional crafts as hobbies, but not as a primary cultural driver like younger generations.
Boomers have the smallest visible share of explicit ‘Grandmacore’ adoption, based on social media hashtag activity and trend write-ups. Often their influence is indirect or rooted in being the originators of many aesthetics or objects now rediscovered by younger people.
This qualitative generational pattern is derived from cultural commentary, social media trend tracking, and lifestyle journalism but lacks dedicated large-scale quantitative studies that segment Grandmacore adoption explicitly by generation. Public platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram, which sustain most of this conversation, rarely release detailed demographic data granular enough to confirm this definitively.
For precise adoption percentages or statistically significant generational breakdowns, specialized market research firms or social trend researchers would need to conduct targeted surveys or panels. Currently, most available sources present Grandmacore as a predominantly Gen Z and Millennial-driven cultural aesthetic with limited Gen X and minimal Boomer participation.
ChatGPT:
As of now, there isn’t any comprehensive, publicly available data explicitly analyzing the adoption of the Grandmacore aesthetic by generation, such as Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers. However, you can piece together a general understanding from existing qualitative reports, social media trends, and anecdotal evidence.
Here’s a summary based on available insights:
Gen Z: This group has been at the forefront of the Grandmacore trend, partially due to their extensive use of platforms like TikTok and Instagram where such aesthetics gain visibility. Grandmacore is appealing to Gen Z for its nostalgic return to traditional crafts, cozy home decor, and a slower lifestyle, which contrasts with the fast-paced digital world.
Millennials: Many Millennials are also adopting the Grandmacore aesthetic, often due to its alignment with sustainability and budget-friendly practices, such as thrifting and DIY projects. This generation often appreciates the aesthetic’s cozy, homey feel, seeking comfort and familiarity in their living spaces.
Gen X: While not as prominent, some Gen X members are engaging with Grandmacore, often through renewed interest in hobbies like knitting or gardening that were common in their youth. Their involvement may also be driven by a desire to create a comforting and nostalgic home environment as they reach middle age.
Boomers: This generation shows the least engagement with the Grandmacore trend, as their homes and lifestyles may already reflect the traditional elements that Grandmacore emphasizes. Their interaction may be more passive or as inspiration for younger family members.
Most of the evidence comes from trend analyses, lifestyle articles, and social media observations rather than hard data. If you are looking for detailed generational adoption numbers, targeted research or surveys by market research firms would be necessary to provide precise insights.
This takes me back to the 80’s when Country Living magazine was the bomb. I soaked it all in, although I didn’t embrace all of it or use it in my home. But, sewing, cross-stitching, cooking, some decorating and loved being home with my children (whom I eventually home schooled). The flip side of that is the Victoria magazine (when I discovered that). The early years were fabulous and supplied what the “country” was missing for me. To this day, I still prefer to make things myself for my home, my clothes and cook my own food from scratch.
To be honest, I don’t like the name “Grandmacore”, even being a grandma! This just hails back to a time when things were very much geared to the home and really living there and making and creating with our God-given abilities. I was very influenced by my sister-in-laws when I married (’78), as they decorated exactly like you mentioned and they were all teens and early 20’s!! Funny, right?
Hi Deb,
I loved the early “Victoria” magazines. I have almost a full shelf of the magazine. Many of them are the older ones. There was nothing else like it.
The magazine I loved that fits with this topic was “Taste of Home” when it was still ad-free and owned by Reiman Publications. It always had so many great little stories about real women, farms, etc. It was like a gift to unwrap when it came in the mail! When Reader’s Digest bought it, they ruined it. I have all my copies of “Taste of Home” as well as “Country” and “Country EXTRA.”
So many great magazines from that era.
Sallie
Yes, magazines were great then. I think, if I remember correctly, “Victoria” also had a scent to it.
Sad to say, I didn’t keep any magazines from my earlier years due to moving so much for jobs. If only I could have known what was ahead! I would have kept my favorites.
I am familiar with “Taste” but did not buy any, as I have generous friends who have passed on many magazines through the years. Oh to have some of them again! It is so much better to leaf through a physical magazine or book, at least for me.
My home largely leans that way, but with some industrial, Gothic, French, rustic, etc.
My biggest departure from my grandmas is in avoiding plastics, carpeting, and synthetic fibers. GenX had semi-detraditionalized grandmas.
The slow pace is a challenge, with most of the family home most of the time.
My daughter for Christmas a couple of years ago asked for a cool grandma club, and jokes about having a grandma core, and it cracks me up to see that.