Retro Home Improvement Tips

Thinking of revamping your home decoration (with a limited budget) but not sure where to start? Retro home decor is a great way to add a unique twist to your home. While vintage may seem old school, retro touches in home improvements are making a big comeback in 2022. From pastel-painted furniture to kitschy ornaments, retro home decor trends can add a lot of character and charm to a room.

 

There are endless ways to incorporate retro home decorating styles into your home. What's more, it can be relatively inexpensive to create. So if you're looking for a new way to spruce up your home, retro home decor trends are an ideal choice and we provide some cost-effective design tips in this post.

Retro and vintage refer mostly to the decades from the 1950s to the 1980s and there are particular trends associated with each decade that you can easily incorporate into your home.

 

1950's

People were starting to embrace the idea of living simply and without clutter, and they wanted their homes to reflect that lifestyle.  The modern design emphasized minimalism and focused on clean lines, geometric patterns, open spaces, Scandinavian simplicity, and functionality. China cabinets with lace doilies were replaced with streamlined furniture made of chrome and steel with glass tops instead. Pastel hues were popular thanks to their bright and cheerful appearance.

Recreate the look: spray paint your kitchen appliances in pastel shades or choose budget-friendly pastel tiles instead, upcycle second-hand Scandi pieces, lacquer table and chair edges to recreate chrome topped look 

 

1960's

The Swinging 60s designs reflected some of the events in popular culture including the first moonwalk and hippy festival Woodstock. Home decor trends included the use of space-age patterns, bold psychedelic colors, tie-dye patterns, and artisan wall decorations and accessories. Laid back and cool was the name of the game.

Recreate the look: reproduction lava lamps, get creative and make your macrame wall-hangings, fringed pillows, beanbags, and pop art prints 

1970's

The era of relaxed boho chic with a renewed interest in nature (coinciding with the oil crisis). Typical home decor included shag carpeting, oilcloth, rattan furniture, linoleum, fake wood paneling, geometric wallpaper, and an Autumnal brown/orange color scheme. In contrast, it was also the groovy disco period with plush mirrored fabrics, transparent plastic décor, and shiny chrome adding a sheen to the overall dull color palette in vogue at the time.

Recreate the look: if a geometric feature wall seems too daunting, how about some framed geometric prints, muted earth tone accessories, upcycled rattan furniture, disco ball lights

 

The 1980's

Home decor in the 1980s could be characterized by Laura Ashley's chintzy, comforting floral prints. A return to maximalism with an abundance of sumptuous fabrics complete with ruffles. The color and vibrancy of previous eras were reintroduced and Dynasty’s ostentatiousness had reached the middle classes.

Recreate the look: Repurposed floral patterned cushions and curtains, paint your gilt-edged accessories, dollar store battery-operated neon signs

 

Mix and Match

You can, of course, use a little artistic license and combine styles from different eras to create a general vintage vibe rather than focusing on a specific era (and create cohesiveness through matching color tonal shades).

Remember, you don't have to spend a fortune to recreate an authentic retro feel. Some great vintage treasures can be unearthed in flea markets, thrift stores, or yard sales or why not try your hand at some vintage upcycling and learn new skills in the bargain.

Home styling is a reflection of who we are and, like ourselves, should be constantly refining and reinventing itself. If you're feeling creative, maybe you could combine several eras in one project – pastel-colored, gilt-edged Scandi furniture, anyone?