What Millennials Want

When you think current, do you think of clean white lines, sans-serif fonts, and Bauhaus architecture?

Isn’t this what millennials want?

Our research says no. Millennials sure don’t.

Millennials are very disarming to people of our generation. They are running around, going to college and killing the diamond industry. They’re buying iPhones, tweeting, and only shopping at Whole Foods. They have weird slang and shop at stores like Urban Outfitters (which is surprisingly granola for a supposedly urban store).

But wait! I didn’t mean to scare you. Come out from under your desk.

The simple truth is that millennials are people, just like you and (who would’ve guessed?). The only difference is that they grew up in a different time.

For the first 20 years of their life, millennials grew up in a world that was always talking about the things they missed out on. They missed out on the gold and pastel, big-hair days of the eighties. The jokes about Monica Lewinsky and pretzels making you thirsty went right over their heads. By the time they started really experiencing art and design, it was all Steve Jobs, all the way.

And now they’re sick of it…So now they have two issues: they missed out on the past, and they’re tired of the present. What else to do but rewind?

This is the kind of interior millennials love: dark wood, vintage furniture, Gold Frames.

maximalism at its finest in this large scale wallpaper.

Probably just about the most 80’s interior: pastel, mauve, metals.

That’s where we are today. Millennials are embracing everything the generations above them are still sick of.

Hair is getting bigger, “millennial pink” and “aged gold” are all the rage, Seinfeld is popular again, for some reason.

For older generations, this is old hat. We grew up with this stuff! For millennials its brand new.

What do millennials want? Everything you’re tired of.

Serif fonts? Yep. Hung art? You bet. Dark interiors? Bingo.

Minimalism is out! Maximalism is in!

If you want to go after millennials, offer what you had and they can never have. If you want to be new, go old. If you want to be fresh, go stale.

It might seem tired to you, but to millennials, it’s the golden ticket.

Just go talk to one, for pete’s sake!

Check out our pinterest board Millennials Dig This for more inspiration.