With an austere winter of rationing our energy usage ahead, food costs rising and the possibility of blackouts on the horizon, it makes perfect sense to look back at earlier generations for tips on how to live. And we're not just looking at practical tips here; the aesthetic of our grandparents' generation is seeping into our taste as well. Eiderdowns, woollen blankets, cut glass, silver tableware and pot-pourri, to name a few examples, are all firmly back in fashion and flooding the high street. Here are our pick of the best pieces to shop now.
Blankets, eiderdowns and quilts
Old-fashioned blankets are going very high-end this year, with crocheted cashmere examples making appearances at luxury stores like MatchesFashion and Net-A-Porter. Suitable for austerity they certainly are not, as they can run into the thousands, but a beautifully made lambswool blanket can be a lovely alternative. We love Ben Pentreath's vibrant recolouring of Johnstons of Elgin's archive patterns (we even made a video about them), and the limited-edition blankets they have made are highly covetable.
Quilts and eiderdowns are also having a moment as duvet alternatives, and we love the pretty, old-fashioned feel they can give to a bedroom. Unlike a duvet, you can haul a light eiderdown or a quilt down to the sofa for a little extra warmth - something we could all do with this winter. Give the idea a slightly more up to date spin with block-printed kantha quilts, or go for a classic Liberty fabric your grandma would certainly approve of.
Retro ceramics
Collections of Sunderland lustreware, mochaware, and Staffordshire figurines have been booming lately, with prices soaring on Ebay and other antique marketplaces. You know it's really becoming a trend when people start making modern versions of these antique ceramics.
Pot-pourri and old fashioned scents
No matter the year they were born, you can rely on there being a thick fog of smell hanging in the air of every granny's house. Dusty bowls of pot-pourri, heavy rose scents and enough perfume to fill a bath with–it's as much a feature as needlepoint cushions, but is there a way to bring it into the modern home? Why of course. All you need is a contemporary take on the good old fashion classic. Diptyque do a wonderful rose reed diffuser that's much more youthful than most rose scents.
Decoupage
Originally a form of ‘tomb art’ used to decorate the coffins of loved ones, the practice of decoupage truly became popular in the 12th century. It soon lost its more morbid associations and was seen adorning everything from lanterns to bedside tables, lampshades and more.
With decoupage plates, trays and more available at their various shops, the look is well and truly back. You needn't buy a pre-made piece though, as the process of the craft is a therapeutic and enjoyable thing too. Pick up a kit, find a surface and get going. Granny would be proud.
Matchstrikers
A truly beautiful ‘objet’ in every Granny's house that should almost certainly be resurrected in houses up and down the UK. Why not make something useful, like matchboxes, beautiful too?
Covers for unsightly things
Perhaps a hangover from the days where every surface or object was seen as a vehicle for textiles, tissue box covers were an absolute stalwart in most houses for generations. These days they're much more rarely seen, but there's a new wave of stylish people leading the charge to bring them back, from lampshade connoisseur Alice Palmer to design legend Nina Campbell.
Needlepoint embroidery
Trust Sophie Ashby, interior designer extraordinaire, to bring needlepoint embroidery firmly into the 21st century. Studio Ashby have released a collection of thoroughly modern pieces that are as covetable as they are charitable.
This story originally appeared on our sister publication House & Garden UK.
