VERANDA
By Jamie Milan
One of last year’s biggest design trends, coastal grandma, was imbued by serene blues and whites, natural materials, breezy linen and beachy touches. Championed by Nancy Meyers’ interiors as well as home brands such as Serena & Lily, the preppy, TikTok-approved aesthetic seemed to be everywhere. While we love the breezy living vibe of coastal grandma—especially for summer—the change of seasons has us ready for more patterns, depth, and moodiness.
In Etsy's 2023 holiday trends report, they predicted that ‘grandpa chic’ items—or those with rich tones and a sense of history and comfort—would take off during the last few months of the year. This layered look—characterized by saturated colors, brown furniture, rich leather and classic patterns like tartan, houndstooth, plaid and ticking stripes—is inspired by the rugged and wild coasts of the Scottish Highlands.
No space embodies the coastal grandpa aesthetic quite as well as Dornoch Station, a Marine & Lawn property located in the quaint seaside town of Dornoch, Scotland, adjacent to Royal Dornoch Golf Club (a top-three golf course in the world, which only adds to the coastal grandpa vibe, natch). The property was recently named one of our World's Most Beautiful Hotels for 2023 —and it's easy to see why.
When designing Dornoch Station, Krissy Melendez, head of design at AJ Capital Partners, aimed to weave in local tradition and forge a strong sense of place. She says, “We work with historical preservationists on each project to develop our palettes comprised of the deep jewel tones reflected in the local landscape, flora, fauna, and cultural dress.”
For a hotel in the Scottish Highlands, only elements from the coastal grandpa aesthetic would do. Melendez says, “Warm, sumptuous moody lighting complements rich materials to invite and restore its habitants.” She adds, “There is no other feeling more comforting or nostalgic than cozying up in a luscious club chair aside a fireplace after a round of golf. These spaces are built for that exact reminiscing; to reflect on old memories and invite those to make new ones.”