It’s fair to say that we all love little nostalgia when doing up a room. Having a cheeky nod to the past when we decorate is something I adore. From pastels in the bedroom to 60s style wallpaper in the living room, here are some of the retro décor trends I’ve seen recently that you should keep an eye out for.
Retro Décor Trend 1: Tropical plants
Have you been binge-watching Stranger Things over the last month like I have? With all the craziness going on in that show, it’s the attention to detail with all the littles 80s things like I love to notice when watching; from the old-style Coca Cola cans to the Burger King bags (I still remember whenever Wimpy was on the high street!).
One of the fanciest details from the show has been one of the main characters, Hopper, wearing a tropical Hawaiian shirt with greens and flamingo/ pastel pink. I didn’t know about it until just this week, but apparently big tropical plants are back in style again, with shops like H&M and the interior section of Urban Outfitters stocking the old-style tropical plants again.
Yes, you can harken back to the days of having to dust down plastic plants with large palm-like potted plants. Ikea has a nice range in just now, with both real and fake plants depending on how much of a gardener you fancy yourself to be.
Retro Décor Trend 2: Cast Iron Radiators
I remember being in school during the colder months and sitting by big old cast iron radiators that would rattle and hum all day long, hanging in there for years already, to get the classroom warm.
And while it was the easiest way to fall asleep in class (big uniform+ warm radiator on a winter’s morning is a terrible combination) the humble old-style radiator has had a resurgence in recent years, and I love seeing them.
This type of radiator is now very stylish if you own a commercial business that wants features to stand out or have converted a room to have exposed brick on the walls – apparently white radiators look terrible against the reddish brick. Cast iron radiators aren’t expensive either. In fact, you can get a good bit off a radiator if you play your cards right when Trade Radiators re-launch their website. If you use the offer code LAUNCH2019 on their site, you could get up to 20% off a new radiator with a vintage lacquered metal finish.
Retro Décor Trend 3: 60s Psychedelic Walls
It seems people are slowly coming around to the world of wallpaper again. For years it was cast aside as we wanted rooms to look as minimal as possible, but now fancy wallpaper is the thing to have in your living room or bathroom, especially if you love 60s vibes.
Laura Ashley is in full swing with the look with motif style wallpapers that take a step back in time, especially their duck egg feather and Paisley print (remember Paisley?) patterned rolls.
Because it is a little luxury now to splash out on a nice wallpaper from just one wall, spending £20-£30 for a roll isn’t too bad, and I do recommend going for quality over quantity – just don’t go for dark reds and roses.
Retro Décor Trend 4: Intense Bathroom Tiles
If you read my recent post about tips to get a luxury bathroom on the cheap, I did make a point about upgrading outdated elements of the room. That doesn’t mean you can’t get retro with it.
In the same way feature walls are now the big thing in living rooms, picking one side of the room to tile with vibrant colour is all the rage. I’m talking about the likes of orange, mustard and lime green. Tile Mountain has a nice selection of Metro wall tiles that take those old colours we’d see as kids during bath time and have updated them for the 2000s.
Retro Décor Trend 5: Cherry in the kitchen
Any dive into 50s interior designs makes you realise quickly that it did look little bland in most rooms, except for the kitchen.
Fans of Americana will know that Coca Cola, specifically the vibrant cherry red colour, was plastered over everything to give that iconic diner look. From kitchens chairs to tabletops to kitchen mixers and tiles, if you have a completely white kitchen, then a splash of red is a great retro look.
I would avoid doing things like hanging up old vintage signs on the walls to avoid a cheap diner look, but something like a cherry red fridge from brands such as Bush, Montpelier and Gorenje offer a much cheaper alternative to SMEG (you’re looking at £400 compared to the £1000 range) that add pop.
Fancy some more interior ideas?
Read my post on how to create a WOW factor in your home or how to revamp your bathroom.
*Collaborative post
I love the cherry red colour in the kitchen, I'd definitely love that in my own.
ReplyDeleteMy parents collected many Coca-Cola accessories like glasses, canisters etc. They were a great way to brighten up the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing old trends popping back up. The cherry red in the kitchen (or any pops or bright colours) look fab and I love the tropical plants too!
ReplyDeleteOh that psyadelic wall covering you sahred there is sjust stunning. Not sure Id be brave enough to have something similar in my own home though. Mich x
ReplyDeleteThe 80s aren't over where we live as we still have a Wimpy on our High Street!
ReplyDeleteOoo some fab ideas here for sure. I am loving those funky tiles xx
ReplyDeleteOh really! I didn't know that tropical plants are back in fashion. Back in the day we had plenty of tropical plants at my parents house. Oh and I am yet to watch Stranger Things.
ReplyDeleteI love plants in my home but intense tiles definitely have a hold on me. Lovely ideas
ReplyDelete