The Unexpected Design Trend Behind Kendall Jenner’s Warm, Elegant Kitchen (Hint, It’s All About Marble, Wood, and Surprising Pops of Color)

What do you get when you combine modern pieces with antiques, neutrals with splashes of pattern, and warm textures with classic chintz? According to interior designers on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok, the answer is ‘grandma chic.’

Always one to be ahead of the latest trends, Kendall Jenner has tapped into the grandma chic aesthetic in her new, custom-built mountain getaway. The Wyoming home was created as a city escape for friends and family to gather and relax, and her stunning open-plan kitchen truly embodies that 'heart of the home' feeling. Her stylish kitchen ideas balance heritage details like antique plates and copper dishes with modern luxuries, including marble countertops and a wooden island.

In the Open Door tour of the home, Kendall explains: ‘I worked with Heidi Caillier on this house, and I feel like one of the first things I said to her was I really wanted, like, Grandma chic. I wanted the kind of explosion of patterns and fabrics and textures.’

Recreate Kendall’s Look at Home:

So what exactly does Kendall’s favored interior design trend encompass? According to design experts, it’s a mix of old and new. Jennifer Ebert, Homes & Gardens' Digital Editor, says: 'Grandma chic is an artful fusion of time-worn elegance and contemporary maximalism. It brings together rich wood panelling, romantic floral wallpapers, tartan textiles, antique-inspired artworks, and classic checkerboard tiles, all layered to evoke a sense of nostalgia infused with character, warmth, and unmistakable individuality.'

Kendall’s stylish kitchen strikes this balance perfectly. Though it incorporates elements of the cottagecore style seen throughout the home, it also feels incredibly modern. This is due to Kendall’s choice of white walls and simple Calcutta kitchen countertops.

She muses: ‘For a while, we were playing with so many ideas. Is it a color? Is it yellow? In the end, I kind of sat with it, and I was like, there's so much going on in the house that I want it to feel a little bit more neutral. So, we used the floors and the range and the details like the little curtains at the bottom of the sink and all those things as the pops of color. And I'm really happy with how it turned out.’

The modern quality of Kendall’s kitchen is also bolstered by its open plan design. This seamless flow feels contemporary, even when paired with antique wood and granny chic details.

Kendall states: ‘We wanted a really open space, hence it’s kind of connected to the family room. When building the house and kind of figuring out how we were going to get the most light, this skylight came up and I thought “how perfect in a place that snows.” The trees come through really beautifully and I think it creates such nice light in here. So that was a really genius idea on the architect and designer’s part.’

The model’s kitchen space shows that ‘granny chic’ doesn’t need to be over-the-top or super kitschy. Instead, this eclectic style borrows elements from a variety of aesthetics and can be rounded out with sleek, modern design. Surprising pops of color are just enough to take it to the next level.

For more 'granny chic' decorating inspiration, we explore 6 timeless pieces from your Grandma's kitchen you're going to want to keep – these kitchen classics will never date.