Every 20 to 30 years, the world of design tends to come flooding back to the market, but of course, in a much better way. Be it colours, home decor or fashion, the retro trend has always been a diverse mix of new forms along with old styles or old finishes.
Right from the 70s’ psychedelic prints to the 50’s appeal of bubbly forms and gigantic light fixtures, retro is one such style that makes a comeback in a huge way!
Simply take a sneak peek into any interior designing pages on Instagram and you’ll come across a lot of designs involving hints of retro style. Well, that’s only because classic stuff, such as hanging chairs, vintage globes and teak consoles add character in contemporary homes. If truth be told, having a combination of enhancing designs from various eras as a feature is a trick used by most of expert interior designers.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean you’ve got to dry out your pockets completely in order to add hints of retro style to your room. In fact, designing your house with the help of few vintage pieces, reproductions and hand-me-downs bought from the nearby market would be more than enough for you to give your space that much-needed modish oomph without burning a hole in your pockets.
To help you with it, in this article we’ve put together some retro style ideas that you can make use of whilst decorating your space.
Go for bold colours and patterns
Adding a retro style to your house basically means bringing bold colours and patterns together. If you’re someone who loves huge patterns, then try them out on your walls using paint, murals or wallpapers. For a similar sort of effect all through your furniture, go for bold fabrics and coordinate them with textiles like window treatments and rugs.
More importantly, do not go overboard when it comes to using bold colours and patterns, as throwing in too many colours would only make your house look unorganised and unwelcoming.
Add slight hints of retro items
If you wish to add hints of retro style in a subtle manner, then it is best to make use of geometric patterns and smaller prints. Also, rather than going for colours that are really bold, update the interior of your house using pastel colours and muted variants of bold.
You could even add hints of patterns here and there and opt for neutral colours when it comes to designing your flooring, walls and furnishings. Simply mix and match patterns along with solids in order to play down bold retro style.
Place retro furnishings with a stylish finish
Circular and curvilinear are considered as two classic features of every retro furnishing. Even more, when these are paired up with wood, lacquer and modern leather finished furniture, they give the entire house a completely gorgeous look.
Simply go through garage sales, vintage stores and online classifieds ads, and get old furniture repurposed into something really new. You could even swap that old-fashioned fabric with a funky and brand new coloured one. Shop through various furniture stores and purchase retro style furnishing lines, which must be brand new although they look old.
Also, to balance out the entire retro look, you can get a sleek, designer radiator installed as it’ll not only enhance the design of your interior, but also help you create a cosy environment. If you really want to have a room that is both cosy and retro, consider moving up – jotting down loft conversion ideas is one way to achieve extra room in your home.
Opt for simple and sleek items
If you’re someone who’s more into modern minimalism, then retro items with simple lines and curves would be the right thing to choose. Avoid cramping your room with loads of bulky furniture, since this way you can ensure that the focal points of the room are able to grab the attention of your guests.
In order to modernise your interior on an instant basis, opt for a dining set suggestive of retro style which is embellished with dramatic lightings. Always leave detailed and complicated wood work from some other style, as retro is more about enjoying free forms that are both appealing natural.
If you really love the retro look for your interiors, put these tips to use and bring your house to life! Read retro magazines and books, take a look at various designers work and get inspired by it. add hints of retro wherever possible and you’ll surely be amazed to see how easily you’re able to forget the era you’ve been living in!
