This Traditional but Trendy Shade of Blue Is the Pretty, Soothing Hue Your Coastal Grandma Decor Needs

Summertime is here, and the living is easy… especially when you have fresh, on-trend colors woven into your home. With the whole “coastal grandmother” look continuing to go viral (thanks to Diane Keaton and the airy, by-the-sea decor in almost every “Something’s Gotta Give” scene), people are clamoring for hues that look as if they’ve been pulled right from an oceanside cottage. Enter: cornflower blue. 

This traditional yet trendy color’s been around for a while, and it particularly exploded in popularity when the CorningWare company launched its iconic blue “Cornflower” print in the ’50s. The little blue flowers seen on casserole dishes and other serving pieces have become legendary, and their namesake shade is on the rise once again. 

Looking to bring this soothing blue into your space? Start your search with these 10 coastal grandmother-approved items for your home. 

With her classic, cute Draper James brand aesthetic, I can absolutely picture Reese Witherspoon decorating her table with these stylish, classic plaid placemats. Breezy in cornflower blue and white, they’ll make any tabletop look perfectly preppy.

Buy: C&F Home Franklin Placemats in Cornflower, $27.99 from Bed Bath & Beyond for a Set of 4

If you’d like to decorate your home with actual cornflowers but don’t have time to head to a field to pick them, go with this faux alternative instead. These blooms look like the real thing and can either stand alone as a bouquet or be worked into a larger arrangement. 

Buy: Faux Cornflower Stem, $26.00 $19.50 from Anthropologie

Yes, cornflower blue has even made its way onto lighting. With its ceramic cornflower base, this lamp will act as an idyllic centerpiece in the middle of a coastal vignette on console or entry table. This piece is on the pricey side, but at 33 inches high, you’re getting a lot of lamp.

Buy: Carleton Porcelain Table Lamp, $599.00 from Pottery Barn

Perhaps you want to capture the scent of cornflowers in your home while also displaying the popular hue. Look no further than this Otherland cornflower candle, with its soft blue glass and a floral aroma one reviewer called “beautiful and unique.” It’s practically begging to be worked into some bookshelf decor.

Buy: Otherland Crisp Cornflower Scented Candle, $36.00 from Sephora

To really go all out with the cornflower blue trend, consider updating your kitchen backsplash. This large hex tile, which featuring shades of cornflower and white, makes it easy to create a graphic chevron pattern above your stove. You can also arrange the tile in a more nautical strip pattern. 

Buy: SomerTile Porto Capri Hex Niagara 8-5/8″ x 9-7/8″ Porcelain Floor and Wall Tile, $141.49 from Overstock for a Case of 25 Tiles

To nail the coastal grandmother trend (or the grandmillennial trend, for that matter!), look to pillowcases covered in cornflowers. Patterned textiles with cornflower accents look lovely and oh-so vintage. 

Buy: InterestPrint Cornflower Body Pillowcase, $19.99 from Amazon

Maybe you even want your storage bowls to look on trend. In that case, I’ll direct you to this Pyrex glass storage bowl, complete with a cornflower lid. Give your pantry the coastal grandmother treatment with a few of these pieces that are also picnic perfect.

Buy: Pyrex 7201 4-Cup Glass Storage Bowl and 7201-PC 4-Cup Blue Cornflower Plastic Lid, $20.02 from Walmart

To create a patio that feels decidedly coastal (even if it’s your apartment balcony that’s nowhere near the sea), start with a cornflower indoor/outdoor rug. This trellis patterned rug should do just the trick. 

Buy: Aperto Blue Indoor/Outdoor Diamond Trellis Area Rug 5-foot x 8-foot Rug, $251.90 $113.30 from Rugs USA

A teeny-tiny air plant holder that comes with an air plant? And the little pot is cornflower blue? Yes, and yes. 

Buy: Cornflower Blue Ceramic Air Plant Holder & Tillandsia Air Plant, $9.99 from Etsy

This is that celebrated CorningWare pattern I mentioned before. The company is marking its 60th anniversary with its famous cornflower motif, and this time, the design is appearing on the most adorable measuring bowls around.

Buy: Cornflower 4-Pc. Measuring Bowl Set, $33.99 from Macy’s