3 min readThe hottest summer lifestyle trend is more than a glass of wine with every meal or gelato after dinner. “Nonnamaxxing” or “Nonnacore” is all about enjoying the simple things in life, and designing our homes to match that sentiment.
This trend is inspired by the slow-paced yet rich quality of life of Sardinia, Italy. It just so happens to be home to one of the world’s five “blue zones” and boasts one of the longest life expectancy rates in the European Union. Clearly, the nonagenarian Nonnas are doing something right. But a healthy lifestyle is about much more than how you spend your time. It's what you eat, how you exercise, how you unwind, and how you curate your home.
“Nonnacore is a return to the kind of home that feeds you in every sense,” designer duo Elizabeth Bennett and Mallory Robins of the Kansas City, Missouri-based interior design firm Kobel + Co say. “It celebrates slower, fuller, more mindful living.”
What does it take to achieve Nonnamaxxing at home? You don’t have to spend hundreds on antiques or rifle through your grandma’s things to decorate your home. Here are simple, expert-approved ways to embody the trend.
Play With Patterns
While Nonnamaxxing doesn’t completely abandon minimalism, it does focus on bringing beauty into every aspect of your home, from pillows to dinner plates. Embracing patterns leans into the aesthetic by adding a level of character, charm, and personally curated flair.
In celebration of the trend, Bennett and Robins expect to see floral prints jump from the ever-common polyester blends onto summery linens, alongside hand-painted, small-batch flatware for an added air of culture and, in the best cases, antique charm.
“The interiors feel collected over time: large vintage florals on casual linen, nostalgic patterns, hand-painted serveware, and antique pieces tucked naturally throughout [the home],” Bennett and Robins say.
Decorate for Joy
Nonamaxxing, meet dopamine decor. This social trend marries character, personality, and functionality, and interior designer Bridget Tiek of the Louisiana-based firm, TIEK BYDAY, could not love that aspect of the trend more.
“ I love a good social media trend and how it translates to the built environment! I see Nonnamaxing translating in a few ways. One would be in the kitchen because this seems to be the heart of the trend—prioritizing eat-in kitchens with cozy little dining corners packed with pattern and personality,” Tiek says. “I love the old school eat-in kitchen concept where your family is crowded in and around you as you cook! I also think the trend lends toward really functional and beautiful items like pot racks above your stove for easy access to all your pots and pans—ideally old world copper!”
If you’re looking to add the Nonna flair without major commitment, Tiek recommends tapping into classic Italian decor trends. Think sunny lemon-print placemats, cherry-red checker print oven mitts, and grafted windowsill olive trees. If it boosts your dopamine, you’re on the right track.
Add a New Color to Your Home’s Palette
What’s an aesthetic without its color palette? Nonnamaxxing calls us to embrace earthy hues. According to Bennett and Robins, crafting the perfect palette to fit the trend should pull us off our social feeds and into our backyards.
“Warm colors pulled from the garden and pantry. Butter yellow, sage, tomato, eggplant, olive, and cream feel especially right, familiar, homey, and wonderfully unexpected when used on cabinetry or trim,” the designer duo says.
Like the trend itself, the color palettes that define Nonnamaxxing are more grounded, joyful, and inspired by how we live, eat, and enjoy everyday life. After all, bringing joy into your everyday life is at the heart of the trend.
“I think the part of Nonnamaxxing that is slightly ironic is that Nonnas reject social media and trends and tend to just do the things that make them happy,” Tiek says. “This would be the MOST ideal part to come out of this—people decorating with things they love just because they love them! We’re always trying to dive deep with clients into their personal interests, what makes them jive, and how we incorporate that into the built environment—resale be damned! Nonnas aren't flipping houses anyway.”
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