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I don’t remember watching the Gilmore Girls pilot when it aired 25 years ago, in 2000. I was just six years old at the time. But my older sister and I went on to watch the entire show together, performing the dueted theme song and debating our Team Jess and Team Logan beliefs.
Now, a whole quarter century since this beloved TV show first aired, many aspects of the show seem dated. One thing that hasn’t gone out of style? The cosy, cluttered yet oh-so considered decor of Lorelai and Rory’s home.
While the Gilmore Girls production designer Rachel Kamerman created these interiors in a short timeframe, my biggest piece of advice would be not to rush your own home. The beauty of the Gilmore Girls house, to me, is how realistic it feels. Every room looks like it was lovingly filled with furniture and decorative objects over time. Go slow and stay true to your own sense of style and the pieces you truly love.
Read on for our five top tips for incorporating Gilmore Girls style into your home (plus a few gorgeous pieces to shop so you can start your collection now).
Gilmore Girls style tip #1: antiques
Secondhand furniture has so many benefits. Unless you’re buying an appraised antique, secondhand pieces are generally cheaper than brand new items. They’re often constructed using high quality materials (after all, they’ve already proved they can stand the test of time before they start a new life in your home). And they add a grounded feel to your interiors.
In the Gilmore Girls home, timber antiques add character. From the rocking chair, to the quaint little wheelbarrow filled with textiles and soft furnishings, items delight while also serving practical purposes. They create that ideal mix of form and function; beautifying while also serving your needs (in this case, seating and storage).
Want to start hunting for secondhand treasures? If you live in Sydney, try these stores, otherwise start frequenting your local markets (including virtual ones like Facebook Marketplace).
Gilmore Girls style tip #2: warm colours
The internet can be ruthless when it comes to neutral palettes. “Millenial grey”, “sad beige” and all-white interiors have all faced a lot of derision online in recent years. The Gilmore Girls house manages to blend neutrals with pops of soft colour, creating a warm interior that adds to the cosy vibe.
Yellows, creams and soft, sage greens mix with warm whites to create this calming palette. In Lorelai’s kitchen, yellow tiles form a splashback, topped with a serene green tiled dado. The white O’Keefe & Merritt antique gas stove breaks up the colour, as does the white tablecloth.
In the earlier seasons of Gilmore Girls, Lorelai and Rory have a small, circular dining table but in the later seasons this is replaced with a yellow, rectangular dining table and matching yellow chairs.
Gilmore Girls style tip #3: curated clutter
The Gilmore Girls house perfectly fits in with the midimalism trend. It’s somewhere between the pared-back neutrals of minimalist homes and the over the top, more is more attitude of maximalist styles. There’s clutter, but it’s curated and considered.
Display the items you love but not every item. Embrace mis-matched pieces but implement a consistent colour palette so that these items look harmonious together. Mix older furniture with new items to create an overall sense of timelessness instead of a room that feels like it’s stuck in one particular time period.
Gilmore Girls style tip #4: soft lighting
All homes need a mix of ambient, accent and task lighting. Lamps can provide all three. They are ambient, of course but they also aid with tasks, such as reading. Lamps feature in every room of the Gilmore Girls house. To replicate the look, try a lamp base made from timber or brass and a lamp shade with an empire shape. Tiffany lamps also feature heavily throughout the decor of Lorelai’s Dragonfly Inn.
And don’t forget wall sconces! They are positioned near doorways and thoroughfares in the living room.
Gilmore Girls style tip #5: books and magazines
Lorelai has a varied collection of magazines and newspapers strewn throughout her home. They appear on the kitchen table and coffee table and are often placed beside her, either on top of her bed or on her lap. Now, more than ever, print media provides a delightful piece of decor (as well as an interesting read). If you’re in the market for a physical magazine, dare I suggest a Home Beautiful subscription?
And don’t forget books! As Rory Gilmore knows, no room is complete without a bookshelf filled with beloved stories and tomes you can’t wait to explore. Whether you have custom joinery or a freestanding bookshelf, there are endless organisation and styling ideas to help you fill those shelves.
Shop the look
‘Darvin’ stripe armchair in Light Tan
$349.99 (was $369.99), Temple & Webster.
Bastion oak dining chair in Natural
$199 (was $249), Early Settler.
Bridgerton ‘Fit For A Queen’ rug in Soft Rose
$679, Ruggable.
‘Maeve Jacquard’ blue quilt cover separates
$209.99/Queen, Adairs.
‘Armand’ 4-door library shelving unit in White,
$1,999 (was $3,299), Early Settler.
‘Summer Harvest’ wallpaper in Claret/Olive
$231/per roll, Wallpaper Direct.
La Verde 3 door Queen Anne sofa table in Mahogany
$519, Temple & Webster.
‘Mikkie’ 12-piece dinner set in Green,
$101.97 (was $169.95), Myer.
Patterned cotton tablecloth in Pink/Floral,
$39.99, H&M.
‘Catalina’ table lamp in Rose and Linen
$139.99, Adairs.
