Is there any memory more comforting than the one of stepping into your grandmother's home as a child? It had to be one of the coziest places in the world. I can still close my eyes and travel through each room of my grandma's house. I remember every detail vividly...the smell of the pink rose bush by her front door, her collection of porcelain dolls, thimbles and teacups on the shelves, the aroma of her delicious cooking coming from the kitchen, and walking into her well-stocked craft room was always a dream! I would love to stroll through grandma's home one more time, it's one of those things that will forever remain in my memory.

If you would like to experience the comfort of your grandma's home and bring a bit of that charm into your own space, here are 10 ways to decorate with "Grandma Style".

1. MISMATCHED FURNITURE 

Grandma's home is a collection of years and years worth of furniture. Some antique pieces were handed down to them, some were purchased with their first home, and others accumulated over a lifespan. 

You can achieve this eclectic look of furnishing your home too! Not every piece you choose needs to match. When you have that collected look to your furniture, it starts to tell a story. So say yes to those hand-me-down pieces! Hit up garage sales, thrift shops or buy & sell groups!

Find the pieces that speak to you.

Everyone has an era or decade of design they love. If you have fallen for the boho look, you may gravitate towards the groovy lines of the 60's and 70's. Love the classic designs of antique furniture? Then look for those pieces with ornate details. Don't worry about the woods matching or even the condition of the piece. Those scratches and dents add to the story. Love the lines of the piece and not the finish? Then plan a weekend project to stain or paint the piece. If you're not up for the DIY challenge, there are plenty of talented local people who are fantastic at refinishing furniture. Reach out to them on your local social media.

2. ALL THE FLORALS

3. PLANTS, PLANTS AND MORE PLANTS

You can't have grandma style without house plants. You can test out your green thumb with easy to grow plants like pothos, aloe vera and snake plant. Or you can add artificial plants (which are making a comeback!) Either way, adding plants all over your home is a great way to add grandma style to your space.

4. VINTAGE PRINTS

Vintage prints are a huge part of home design right now. Authentic vintage prints or even replicas add a cozy, timeless feel to a display. They make for a great conversation piece and can be a wonderful way to tell your story. You can find pieces at thrift stores or vintage-inspired prints (like the ones we have in our shop). You can use a frame you already own, find some at thrift shops or purchase them framed.

5. FAMILY PHOTOS - GALLERY WALLS

Every grandma has her walls and shelves covered in family photos and a great way to add this to your own home is with gallery walls. I love creating gallery walls because it becomes such a fun way to tell your story! To keep them from being too busy of a design, it's a good idea to stick to a colour palette. Mix and match the material of the frames, but keep the colours similar throughout the design. Here are some examples of gallery walls I have created for our family over the years...

 6. COMFY THROW BLANKETS

Remember curling up on grandma's couch with one of her homemade blankets? Such a cozy feeling! Having throw blankets accessible all over your home is the best way to add instant comfort.

 

7. CUTE THROW PILLOWS

 8. CANDLES WITH FLORAL OR COMFORTING SCENTS

What scents bring you the most comfort and remind you of your grandma's house? For me, it has to be a rose scent or any kind of baking. Whenever I light a candle with a floral scent or delicious baked goods, I'm instantly transported back to grandma's house.

Scents play such a huge role in our memories, so if I can find one that brings me comfort, I love to burn them in my home all year long.

9. COZY LIGHTING

I'll always remember sitting in my grandma's living room, cuddled up on the couch with her while she was knitting. She had these two great big lamps that were turned on every evening. It made her living room so cozy and it's something I now do in my own home. All of our overhead lights are turned off after supper and we cuddle up in our family room with our two lamps on. It's the perfect way to wind down and I love that it reminds me of cozy evenings at grandma's.

10. COLLECTIONS!

(BOOKS, TEACUPS, FIGURINES)

Grandma's love to collect! My grandma loved her collections of porcelain dolls, thimbles and bells. I find myself starting my own collections too. I have several teacups on display in one china cabinet and I have a collection of vintage glass bottles on top of our kitchen cabinets. I find if I keep them to one shelf or cabinet, it helps contain them and not appear cluttered. And it also stops me from going too overboard with accumulating that particular collection! ;-)

There you have it! I hope these ideas give you some inspiration on how to add a bit of "Grandma Style" to your home. 

Feel free to share your own ideas in the comments below or share something that reminds you of your grandma!

Happy decorating!