80S house interior

20 Photos of 1980s Home Décor to Overwhelm You With Nostalgia — Best Life

Anyone who grew up in the '80s can tell you it felt like a different century, not just a different decade. Huey Lewis and the News was topping the charts, Members Only jackets weren't just something people wore at costume parties, and the hair was bigger than ever. One of the most noticeable differences between today and the era of Reaganomics, however, is the aesthetic decisions we made inside our homes.

From glass brick walls to floor-t0-ceiling chintz, the '80s gave rise to countless interior design trends that are little more than a distant memory today.  So, take a trip back in time with us as we explore the home trends anyone who lived through the '80s can't help but feel a little nostalgic for.

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Were they a wall? An interior window? Or just a plain bad idea? No matter what your take is on the glass brick trend, there's no denying that these clear blocks were everywhere in the '80s. For example, here they are in 1989's Look Who's Talking, starring Kirstie Alley and John Travolta.

Despite their popularity in '80s design, glass bricks weren't actually created in that decade—or even that century. The Falconnier Hollow Glass Brick, created in the late 1880s by architect and engineer Gustave Falconnier, was an early model of the '80s glass blocks we know and love (or hate) today.

While they're largely seen in motels today, vertical blinds were a major trend in ultra-modern '80s décor. However, their questionable window coverage—coupled with their frequent breakage—have made them mostly a thing of the past.

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If your home had honey oak cabinets in the '80s, you're far from alone. They were even featured in 1985's Teen Wolf, pictured here.

For many designers, the trend will forever be an emblem of the decade's style. "Those orangey oak cabinets that were so overused in '80s," says HGTV star Tyler Wisler. "They just reek of acid-washed jeans, big perms, and Sweatin' to the Oldies."

It may have been called Memphis Design, but the colorful geometric patterns that adorned '80s homes—and Saved by the Bell's The Max—actually came from Italy. The inspiration for its name was lifted from "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" off Bob Dylan's 1966 album Blonde on Blonde. And despite the popularity and proliferation of their products, Memphis Group—the folks behind those rainbow accents—only worked as a collective for seven years.

Taking a page from the Art Deco trends of the early 20th century, clear furniture was back in a big way in the 1980s. Thanks to the increasing popularity of Lucite during this decade, the clear furniture trend took on new life.

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While virtually any floral bedding was a hit at the time, Laura Ashley's frilly, girly collection was particularly popular among the era's more fashionable home designers.

The stuffy aesthetic took over the bedrooms of countless young women during the '80s. For example, here's Kim Basinger sulking on a very floral bedspread in 1988's My Stepmother Is an Alien.

"Just as America went avocado green in the '70s, it turned mauve in the '80s," note Leatrice Eiseman and Keith Recker in Pantone: The Twentieth Century in Color.

This mauve movement can be largely attributed to artist Georgia O'Keeffe's death in 1986. Following her passing, much of her work became widely popular and brought "the mauve-inflected tones of desert earth, adobe, and high Sierra sunsets" into the spotlight, Eiseman and Recker note.

Love wasn't just in the air in the 1980s—it was built right into our homes. While the heart-shaped hot tub was invented in 1968 by Morris Wilkins, owner of the Cove Haven Resort in Lakeville, Pennsylvania, its popularity continued to soar in the 1980s, becoming a fixture in hotels and homes alike.

IMDB/Universal Pictures

Chintz—i.e., multicolored floral patterns—was everywhere from beds to lampshades to drapes to walls in the 1980s. Here it is featured in 1984's Sixteen Candles, starring Molly Ringwald.

The popularity of the trend is attributed to celebrity interior decorator Mario Buatta, whose use of the fabric earned him the nickname "The Prince of Chintz." However, even Buatta knew his fascination with English-inspired décor was a bit out of step with his Staten Island upbringing. "I know a lot of this is affectation," he told the New York Times. "I know I'm not an English country gentleman. I'm basically a tradesman who goes in the front door instead of the back."

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Taking a page from the French monarchy, stylish '80s homes had curtains so heavy they could crush a person, just like these pink ones in the 1984 movie Bachelor Party.

A two-panel set was hardly sufficient to cover windows in an '80s homes—truly stylish spaces also had matching valances and ornate tiebacks, too.

Even if you didn't have a particularly green thumb, odds are you still had quite the garden in the 1980s—albeit an entirely indoor one. Ferns, ficuses, and hanging spider plants were as ubiquitous in living rooms during this decade as flat screens today.

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If you wanted to really highlight your walls in the '80s, two-dimensional art just wouldn't cut it. Instead, '80s homes had walls decked out in elaborate metal sculptures, like birds flying over marshes and bouquets of flowers.

IMDB/Warner Bros.

If you grew up in the 1980s, odds are you had wall-to-wall carpeting in at least one room in your house. And if you or your parents were strict adherents to the era's interior design trends, the carpeting you had was teal, too—just like the Griswolds' in 1989's National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

IMDB/Paramount Pictures

Though lace curtains aren't the most practical, they blended in well with the girly frills and florals of the '80s. They were the perfect addition to Andie's room in the 1986 teen classic Pretty in Pink, pictured here.

The delicate fabric first entered the U.S. textile scene in the early 1900s, back when European culture had a strong influence on everything American.

IMDB/Warner Bros.

While modern kitchens today may be home to granite counters and stainless steel appliances, back in the 1980s, it was all about lacquer cabinetry and countertops. The shinier, the better—just like the kitchen in the 1986 movie Cobra, starring Sylvester Stallone.

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In the '80s, tropical prints were just as ubiquitous on walls, curtains, and bedsheets as they were on people's garments. On Golden Girls, Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan)—pictured here—was clearly a fan.

IMDB/Weintraub Entertainment Group

From pinks and purples to soft blues and sea foam greens, pastels were all the rage amongst homeowners and interior designers in the '80s. For the pastel enthusiast, it wasn't unheard of to paint the entire house a subtle shade of light purple; for someone who just wanted to dabble in color, a simple throw pillow in light azure would suffice. But in 1989's Troop Beverly Hills, Phyllis Nefler (Shelley DuVall) clearly went for the former.

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Brass was the metal of choice in '80s homes, with everything from bathroom fixtures to kitchen cabinets adorned in the goldish metal, as you can see here from The Cosby Show.

However, not only do brass fixtures date a home, the ones used in the '80s rarely made it to the end of the decade intact. "The brass was rarely solid brass. It was plated, and it betrayed itself in four years or so," interior designer John Saladino told the New York Times.

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Long before there were iPhones, there were novelty phones, a staple in virtually every '80s teen's bedroom, like DJ Tanner's (Candace Cameron Bure) lip version here on Full House.

What was the point of calling your friends if you couldn't hand the receiver back to Snoopy or Mickey when you were done?

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While the TVs were definitely smaller, the entertainment centers of the '80s were so large they could practically qualify as aircraft carriers. And if you miss the 1980s, check out these 30 Facts That Will Overwhelm You With 1980s Nostalgia.

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1980's Home Decor Trends Everyone Remembers

Homes + Decor

Where did you put your CD rack?

By Megan Deem

July 14, 2017

The 1980s saw the rise of Reganomics and the birth of yuppies (and guppies and buppies…). America’s youth learned to Just Say No when it wasn’t watching MTV (Madonna! Michael Jackson! Milli Vanilli!) or the films of John Hughes. Television shows such as Dallas (Who shot JR?) and Falcon Crest were but one source of interior design inspiration. Here are some other gems of the decade:

An interior view of an ornate bedroom with two double beds, gilt accented furniture, and a large window with a city view, circa 1980. (Photo by Frederic Lewis/Getty Images)Frederic Lewis

Curtain Call There are drapes, and then there are drapes—floor-sweeping window coverings featuring all the bells and whistles, such as valances and swag and jabot. Guess which kind Alexis Carrington Colby Dexter Rowan had?

Country Living Even city dwellers could dream they were sleeping in pastoral England, thanks to Laura Ashley’s matching floral bedding with enough coordinated sheets, duvets, pillowcases, shams, dust ruffles, and throw pillows to fill your white enamel frame bed a thousand times over.

Big Audio Dynamite Turn it up to 11 on stereo speakers the approximate size of a Yugo—and about as easy to park.

Jonathan Gelber

Rack ‘Em Up And for listening on your state-of-the-art stereo? Why, your carefully curated CD collection, of course! Displayed for easy access on one—of usually many—stand-alone racks.

Interior 80s Photo - Inhomes Online Magazine

Interior 80s Photo - Inhomes Online Magazine (6 Votes)

The interior of the 80s resembles a bright flash: the unexpected appearance of such an experiment in the interior did not last long. Many thought that the house is still a place for rest and relaxation, and the bright and geometric interior of the 80s excites hearts and sets up for an active pastime. Some are also devoted to such an interior, especially those people who can create their activities within the home. A good example and personification of the 80s is the interior of the famous American artist Tim Biskup (Tim Biskup). nine0005

If you are familiar with the work of Tim Biscop, you will immediately understand that the interior of his apartment and the works that he creates are like an inseparable whole. Take a look at his apartment and find with us the distinctive features of the interior of the 80s:

1. many cheerful shades of turquoise, yellow, orange.

2. stripes, rhombuses, peas, squares - solid geometry, all this also applies to the 80s!

3. furniture - with deep, comfortable seats, wide armrests, and inconspicuous legs. nine0005

4. lampshades on high legs.

5. Wood-paneled or brightly colored wallpaper with geometric patterns.

6. large portraits and paintings everywhere.

If you want to bring the atmosphere of the 80s into your apartment, it will be enough to add a couple of the above elements and your apartment will sparkle in a new way! Successful experiments! nine0005

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Color palette

Interior styles

Is style relevant today and who prefers it?

It cannot be said that retro interior design is the most popular and relevant, but it is in demand both in the design of apartments and country houses.

The farther time moves away from the 50s - 80s, the more valuable the things of that time become, more interesting legends about the events of past decades appear, some secrets are revealed, and some remain mysteries. People want to plunge into the atmosphere of that time, and this can be done by creating the appropriate environment at home. nine0005

For many, retro is crazy rock'n'roll, Elvis Presley, Bilts, Marilyn Monroe, dudes and a kaleidoscope of bright colors. Retro style in a modern interior allows you to realize the spirit of those times that have firmly gone down in history.

Most often, creative and romantic natures, as well as connoisseurs of antiquity, like retro.

A bit of history

The retro style in the interior was born in the early 50s of the 20th century. This was the period when the world was recovering from the Second World War. People, tired of the dullness of the war period, saw the future in iridescent colors, which was reflected in trends in home improvement. nine0005

After the war, factories began to actively produce furniture and building materials with a rich color palette and attractive designs. People began to pay more attention to the design of their lives, filling them with coziness and comfort.

Retro interior became popular quite quickly. Despite the emergence of other styles, it did not lose its relevance, and every decade it changed a little. Its popularity lasted from the 50s to the early 80s of the 20th century.

It is customary to call things and furnishings of this period retro. nine0005

50s to early 80s retro features

The style is playful, bold and colorful. During this period, automotive production with chrome parts was especially actively developing. This solution has become popular in the interior, combined with a bright color palette.

Furniture and coverings were most often plain and without patterns. The forms of furniture are simple and geometrically correct, the seats of upholstered furniture are massive and dense. The furnishings are rational and not overloaded with details. nine0005

Rationality in the interiors of houses in retro style has diminished. The upholstery and finishing materials are floral print influenced by the hippie subculture. The color palette has become more diverse. Contrasts and bold color combinations began to be applied.

Retro furniture in the interior of the 60s has not changed much, but along with it, designers began to produce interior items of non-standard shapes, for example, streamlined or rather thin and high legs. nine0005

Vivid color palettes have been replaced by discreet, natural and warm tones (beige, gold, silver, brown). Popular intricate decor and optical illusions. The forms of furniture have become more diverse, and the seats have become softer.

Coffee tables, sideboards and bar compartments in the walls are relevant in interior design in the retro style of the 70s.

80s (beginning)

This period is characterized by a return to rationalism. The colors are natural and restrained. Patterns have become simpler and easier to understand. Popular furniture of that time - low walls with legs, dressing table, sideboards, laconic coffee tables. The shapes of the furniture are regular and symmetrical. nine0005

Retro and vintage - what's the difference?

Retro and vintage have a lot in common, but there are also differences. Directions arose in different periods of time. Vintage, as an interior style, originated at the end of the last century, while retro - back in the 50s.

It is customary to call vintage items from the pre-war period, and retro items from the 50s - early 80s. The retro furnishings are entirely composed of elements of the chosen period, while vintage items are subtly blended into a modern base. nine0005

Vintage is a classic with natural, calm, often faded colors, while retro can include modern, art deco. The retro color scheme is more diverse - bright colors, bold contrasts.

More details about the vintage style we talked about in the article "Vintage in the interior".

Details and decorative elements

Retro style in the interior of the apartment will effectively complement decorative elements. Unlike vintage items, they are much easier to get. The older generation often keeps the characteristic attributes of that time. They can also be purchased at flea markets. nine0005

The list of retro decors is quite large, we will list only the most popular items:

Chintz and cotton tablecloths in checks, stripes or polka dots.
Rotary telephones.
Crockery with decor characteristic of the selected period.
Floor lamps with high legs and lampshades.
Wall carpets.
Images of celebrities from the selected period.
Vinyl records.
Black and white TV, radio and other equipment of that period. nine0042

Furniture is most often placed along the perimeter of the walls, leaving the center of the room free.

In the interior of the retro living room there is a list of typical items: a low wall with legs, one part of which is crystal, and the other part is a book library, a regular-shaped sofa (often with rectangular pillows), a TV cabinet with high legs, a floor lamp. One of the walls is complemented by a carpet with geometric shapes. nine0005

Bedroom

Rationalism and classics reign in the interior of the retro bedroom: a regular-shaped double bed, on the sides of which there are two bedside tables on legs. A floor lamp with a lampshade gently diffuses the light. A rocking chair or an easy chair, characteristic of retro, can complement the decor.

Kitchen

A retro-style sideboard with porcelain and crockery will effectively emphasize the interior of a retro kitchen.