A return to the outdoors. A return of jovial celebrations. A return of sociable summer days. No word perhaps perfectly summarises the tone of the season than ‘return’. As we look forward to the promise of a brighter future, we can’t help but simultaneously relish the return of all that we’ve missed. Whether it’s quality time with those close to us, adventures abroad, or simply laying outstretched on freshly cut grass in the sunshine, returning to the things we love most is this season’s anthem.
In the world of interior design this is no less true. A retro revival celebrating the colour and charm of the 50s, 60s, and 70s has made its way into the hearts of interior designers and homeowners alike. In the wake of a minimalism-fatigue, the eclectic kaleidoscope of colour, texture, form and function is exactly what our homes are craving.
In this guide to a new modern retro interior style discover how to get your groove back, as well as hallmarks of the trend.
Form
Start seeing your furniture as art. Unlike modern furniture, retro interior design has a focus on abstract forms and unusual shapes. The style embraces whimsical designs and fanciful furnishings for a playful and energetic interior aesthetic. Indulging in bold, curvy shapes and elongated or exaggerated lines creates an authentic 70s feel, adding a touch of fun, personality, and life into our homes.
To ensure the design aesthetic remains fresh and contemporary, introduce singular statement pieces that create a flair of the retro alongside more modern pieces with smooth, angular lines. Combining a kaleidoscope of shape, colour, and texture is classic of the design trend, meaning that introducing a range of styles not only helps to keep the trend contemporary but also remains true to the characteristics of the retro interior aesthetic.
Function
While retro interior styling is all about pattern and colour, it is also completely functional. This design aesthetic is not only focused on distinct style but also entirely usable. Choosing designs that are multi-functional and catered towards improving your everyday.
From sofa beds to smart dining designs, retro spaces embody a sense of casual comfort that can be achieved by indulging in styles that do more for your space.
Colour
Colour is the cornerstone of retro design, favouring energetic and full-bodied hues for a fun and playful ambience. Eclectic and contrasting, choosing colours that satisfyingly clash to create an energetic and vibrant interior experience while not overpowering one another is key to achieving a funky style.
Vivid yellows, electric blues, bright reds and oranges, bold colour patterns are reminiscent of a time of peace and love. Stepping away from all-white minimalism and into a life full of colour and fun-loving dyes, the brightness of the retro interior style seems the perfect antidote to the bleakness and struggle of the past two years.
As well as the bright and the bold, retro interior design also favours a muted colour palette complete with terracotta browns, beiges, mustard yellows, earthy greens, and burnt oranges. Its warm colour scheme helps to create a space that is comforting and inviting, while still maintaining the playful charm of retro design.
Texture
Woven, smooth, boucle. Texture plays a key part in a retro interior design aesthetic. Perhaps the most prominent is the comeback of velvet. Sumptuous, cosy, and luxurious, velvet is a fabric that can be used in small doses for maximum effect.
The same applies to other fabrics such as boucle. Its soft curls enable warmth and achieves the casual comfort that retro interior design celebrates.
Perhaps the most important rule when it comes to using texture for retro interior style is to juxtapose contrasting surfaces. Crushed velvet, boucle fabrics, rattan, shag carpeting, and smooth materials such as plastic, vinyl, or marble – pairing flat, sleek textures with those more organically formed creates a space inspired by the 60s and its eclectic feel.
Accessories
Finally, for the fun part! Put the finishing touch to your retro aesthetic by including antique elements, abstract displays of art and intriguing lighting. Indeed, retro lighting is about shape over function. Unique, mesmerising forms as well as classic old-fashioned features bring your room to life with depth, character, and charm and creating a space to be discovered by your guests.
Accessorising allows you to put your own history throughout the ages into your interiors. Displaying mementos from the past is perhaps the truest way to showcase and reinvent nostalgia to make a house your home while perfecting the latest interior trend.
