f you have been keeping up with the latest Tik Tok trends, you may have noticed a sudden upsurge in flowy white clothing and coastal living a la Nancy Meyers, aka “coastal grandmother”. For that, we have 26-year-old Lex Nicoleta to thank. If you haven’t heard of her, a quick perusal through her TikTok will guide you through all of the essential steps to living out your favorite character in a Nancy Meyers’ movie.
Meryl Streep epitomizes “coastal grandmother” in this shot from her role as Jane Adler in "It's Complicated".
The “coastal grandmother” aesthetic is centered around the concept of a relaxed, yet chic lifestyle reminiscent of Ina Garten or Martha Stewart.
As a self-described Martha Stewart aficionado and a young mom and wife in the 80s, I have a ton of fondness and appreciation for the art of cooking, gardening, and entertaining. But, wait there’s more for the coastal grandmother wannabes! In interior design, it features classic lines and soft palettes mixed in with textures like seagrass and natural wood. And, apparently coastal grandma aesthetic also relates to personal style. Picture the coastal grandmother uniform consisting of many neutrals all in natural fibers (I’m looking at you, soft linens and cottons) layered together. I can only speak for myself when I say that I am all about the feel of these fabrics and lots of layers - I never met a scarf I didn’t want to wrap around my neck! But I am not sure that I qualify as a coastal grandma.
For one thing, while I love the design style as exemplified in Nancy Meyers movies, it’s all a bit neutral for me. I like “dove white” as much as the next person, but like to weave in colors that add a bit of pop and sizzle. They may be “coastal grandmother'' adjacent, but I’m not quite sure that I hit the nail on the head.
The family room from our Cliffbrook project definitely feels coastal grandmother adjacent, but with more of a KMD twist.
The iconic family room featured in "Something's Gotta Give".
As far as cooking and gardening are concerned, I’d definitely fit the bill. There's nothing I like more than cooking, especially for friends and family. So, entertaining in an elegant and unfussy way is something that I have been doing for decades now! As far as gardening is concerned, it's been a minute since I got my hands dirty on a regular basis. The sweltering Texas heat doesn’t quite lend itself as well to a green thumb, but I have to confess that my love of gardening at this point remains unrequited until I can dig in, figuratively and literally at the Curated Cottage.
This brings me to style and fashion choices. Ever since I let my hair go white/silver/gray, I have been slowly but surely editing my wardrobe to better suit my new do. Swapping bolder colors with pale blues, lilacs, and the occasional pale pinks, navies, gorgeous warm grays etc. Even if they are lighter than what I’ve been known to wear in the past, these hues are still “bold” by coastal grandmother standards.
All this to say, there are certainly arguments to be made against my being a coastal grandmother. However, there are four VERY strong arguments that might suggest that I do indeed fit the archetype.
An affinity for antiques and anything with patina? OK, guilty as charged. My love for painted antique furniture is real and lasting, as is my love for any furnishing that feels welcoming and cozy. And classic lines with natural textures like seagrass and natural wood? I adore the serenity that spaces with these elements invite, so yes, the KMD aesthetic might have a touch of coastal grandmother.
From our booth at Round Top this past Spring.
White! I have thought having an English ironstone collection was the height of chic for as long as I can remember. And then I discovered French and Dutch pottery, all in beautiful shades of cream, white, and even gray. While I so appreciate the character of vintage and antique pottery, I also love the handmade pottery that I see from Farmhouse Pottery or from Carron as well. There is something about the way that the white allows the detail and the patina of each piece to shine that is so lovely.
A charming array of white plates layered along the plate rack from our Robledo project.
The fabulous dining room featured in Erica Berry's Southhampton home. We are particularly smitten with that exquisite plate rack.
A shot of a similar dining room we did for a client - no plate rack but slipcovers and soft sunny hues abound.
Beyond pottery, I have been an ardent believer that a white linen slipcover was the be-all and end-all for many decades now. I find myself to be too busy to throw my slip covers in the washing machine the way that one is supposed to do and I am probably too persnickety to allow a wrinkled white linen slipcover to live in my home for more than an hour or two. But I do love the look of it even if it isn’t necessarily successful for my own home.
And though the Texas climate may hinder my gardening attempts, that doesn’t mean that I give up on it all together. My container gardening game is getting better all the time and our new home is going to feature many many wonderful containers filled with flowers, herbs, and potentially even a fruit tree or two. I think that might put me back in contention for a coastal grandma vibe.
One of my favorite vignettes from my space at the Hamptons Shophouse in 2019 featured lots of gorgeous flowers alongside my gardening tools and antique terracotta pots…swoon!
And last but not least coastal grandmothers live on the coast! Whether it’s a coast of a lake the coast of an ocean or the shore of a river these women are enjoying their best life with use of the water and access to all the flora and Fana that that provides. While I live in one of the most landlocked cities that you can find, the colors of water are endlessly inspiring to me whether that’s a murky deep green blue or a crystal clear pale aqua, the colors of the water and the soil or sand that border it as well as the vegetation that thrives there are colors that speak to my soul. I don’t believe that will ever change no matter where I live but I do believe it qualifies me at the very least to be an honorary coastal grandmother.
The soft serenity of the palette in this master bedroom gives the sense of being on the coast of Nantucket, despite actually being right here in Dallas! We love how whispers of blue balance out the creamy whites.
Wondering if you might be a coastal grandmother too? Ask yourself, “Do I enjoy an oatmeal-colored cashmere sweater? Do I dabble in the occasional weekend croissant baking or elaborate salad making? Is my ideal Saturday evening a night out on the town, or a glass of Chardonnay by the fire?”
If you answered yes to any of these, I see a Nancy Meyers' movie fest in our future.
