Meet John and Zada Belle, my paternal grandpa and grandma.
A few short years ago I acquired a oil painting portrait of an old man with kind eyes. He reminded me of my grandpa. He wasn't out in the open saying look at me, but neither was my grandpa. I found him in a stack of oil paintings of many portraits by one local artist propped up against other treasures on a creaky wooden floor. This portrait sits in a corner of my living room on a vintage, handmade wooden easel that I purchased at the same time that was tucked away in another dusty but delightful corner.
I glance at him often and smile quietly. My grandpa was a farmer, but when I was old enough to remember him, he had already quit farming and moved into town. I remember his small stature rugged handsomeness, his wood working shop, his quiet manner, and the ticktock of all his clocks that he had carefully set to chime in succession of one another.
Grandpa wasn't stodgy and his wardrobe was suited for two occasions - one set his every day clothing and the other for church on Sunday. The grandmas of the world have had their spotlight in design, think Diane Keaton in Nancy Meyer's Something's Gotta Give set. Now let's give grandpas a seat at the design table.
In 2021, HOLR Magazine defined Grandpa Chic Style as a newer, elevated style of preppy.
I'm just inspired by my grandpa's brown wool sweater, his worn work boots with rawhide laces, his love for handcrafting furniture, his clock collection, the smell of freshly-sawn wood, and his Sunday best - always with a white dress shirt.
Grandpa chic to me is worn, endearing, classic, warm, cozy and a bit moody. It's a design look that is never quite finished. It's not cluttered, but collected, curated.
This isn't a new look, it just has a new name - a look that is understood by many ages. It's individual in that whatever image and memory one draws on to define their grandpa becomes the catalyst through which their design is channeled.
Think rich moody tones, a love for the vintage, even if a reproduction. Think old-school social club. But most of all think welcoming and comfortable because grandpa knew the value of time well spent.
I personally feel that preppy needs to stay at the forefront when designing a grandpa chic space. It needs to be a mix of vintage and modern. After all, grandpas are hip dudes with a lot of stories to tell.
Resources: Ralph Lauren, The Literary Lifestyle, HOLR Magazine, Better Homes & Garden, This Ivy House, Pinterest, The Rousch Household, Carla Astor, Upward Home, Domino Magazine, Little Blue Deer
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