Familiar smells, the vibrant colors, and crazy patterns: all that assembled the world in the fifties and sixties is back – big time. Suddenly the term “retro” has become common to. You can find a lot of shops windows starting to design in the styles and fabric samples of the fifties, sixties and seventies. Even the fashion show suggesting trends in makeup and hair we could see models with puffy hair (fifties style) and long eyelashes (style of the sixties). Yes! Retro is back!
Even in interior design Formica has become a popular material in many of the houses, couches and chairs as we can see in magazines and design stores while simultaneously bright colors varying from black to red, pistachio green and yellow also goes to the smallest items.
What Is Actually Retro?
The retro-style design primarily refers to design of the years after World War II. Then, as part of the anti-war move people wanted to surround themselves in what will make them smile, from happier diverse examples to vibrant fabrics. Production in those years became masses and different houses had the same items – colored metal kettles, large refrigerators, chairs that become beds, animal or flower prints on fabrics and walls (and that is just the tip of the iceberg).
Why Now?
Answer consists of two entwined reasons. The first is related to the design of houses that was popular in the nineties and the early years of the millennium – the hi-tech cold design, which included a lot of stainless steel and exposed concrete. Eventually people got tired of this design and wanted to go back to the warm and inviting design. The second reason for this retro “rebirth”, is that feeling that makes us cling to the past even if we have not experienced it in a real way, we could always benefit from movies, books and favorite TV series.
So How Will You Design Yourself A Retro-Style House?
Step One – Research:
Look for design magazines focus on design of the fifties and sixties and search sites on the Internet that can help you understand the spirit of the times. Then, try to visit stores that display furniture in this style and check the overall mood of the showrooms – look at the type of lighting used, the shades that have been chosen.
Step Two – Arrangement And Information Processing:
Try to organize yourselves lists that include everything for the period:
- Recommended materials – Formica, fiberglass, Lilinaum, plastic, pine, teak, stainless color, vinyl.
- Popular examples – squares combinations of black and white / red and white / yellow and white, stars, flowers, prints, and related forms.
- The furniture worth purchasing – low oval coffee tables, American diner sofa and Formica kitchen cabinets.
- The colors you should pay attention to – black, white, red, yellow, pistachio green, mint green, pink bubble gum.
- Accessories that no house is complete without them – colorful toasters and kettles, wallpaper and walls, decorated porcelain patterns.
Step Three – Remember That There Are Motives But No Laws:
The main advantage is that, although the retro design has a lot of those motives, but no real rules to design and arrangement of the house itself.
Our Recommendation
Try to get yourself an open space (at least in the kitchen and living room) and fill it with items that make you feel good, from small colored floor tiles to the kitchen Formica and armchairs with stars pattern of. Most importantly – do not be afraid to be bold with your choices, as long as the overall look is something you like and you feel it is not too busy or too wise.
No doubt you’ll managed to create for yourself a definite retro and add to Retro Is Back!