Why the 80s Style Keeps Coming Back

Memphis art checkered and triangle poster in interior

It is a fact that the 80s design style is making a comeback. Many of us have witnessed the highlights of the decade and there are many good words to describe them. Technology may not be that advanced at that time, but life was enigmatic. Kids then were more engaged with physical activities. Music and films were also phenomenal. Of course, the styles then were remarkable. Though there are things that should be left behind, the 80s design style defies that catch-phrase. It keeps coming back and there are many good reasons why. 

History of the style of the 80s

It is no joke when you hear that the 80s design is synonymous with “bad taste”. In fact, there are many queer styles that emerged during the decade. But, just like any other thing, the 80s gave birth to extraordinary creativity and freedom of design. Although it is a period of experimentation and trials and errors, we can learn so much from the 80s. 

To make things more fun and exciting, the 80s design cradled some of the very diverse movements. For instance, the 80s design style was greatly influenced by art deco. The interior is seen with lots of mirrors, while the color palette is filled with soft colors and pastels. Furniture pieces were bold and heavy and can be overwhelming at first glance. 

The 80s also became popular because of Shabby Chic design style. Old items underwent upcycling to add a touch of elegance and sophistication. It is also common to see chintzes, antique chandeliers, skirted furniture, and creamy colors in the 80s. Though these were popular decades ago, they still remain famous up to this day. 

The most striking of all is the Memphis design since it is about the use of colors, patterns, and others. Many find this style bizarre, but it has elements that make it appealing and stimulating. 

How to achieve the 80s style

If you think that achieving the 80s design style is challenging and complicated, think again. You may already have some items needed to look like the 80s. Huge rooms, carpeted bathrooms, psychedelic colors, geometric patterns, and more. Some of these may have gone too soon but there are those that still hit the trend these days. 

The color scheme of the 80s

The color wheel plays an important role in interior design. When talking about the colors of the 80s, just think about the wildest and boldest color combination that you can imagine. At first, the dominant colors are pastels along with black and white, teal, and coral. The Memphis design introduced color blocking with primary colors

Patterns and graphic design

Geometric patterns are common in the 80s design style. Other styles that are recognizable are animal prints and doodles. Be sure that these are colorful and funky.

Color blocking

Color blocking is the mixing of two to three bold and contradictory colors. As a result, bold statements are created. 

Mix and match

80s interior design style is not about being subtle and classic. It is about decorating your home to your heart’s content. Sometimes decorating the interior means matching the patterns on your furniture, rugs, dress, and others. Think about being unusual and bold. 

Happy decorating!

Styles That You Have Loved In The 80s

Memphis art white sun in turqouise poster in interior

Take a walk down memory lane and see how beautiful the styles that are popular even in films are. You probably have used them in your home for years until other trends have come along. These days, the styles of the 80s are making a comeback and are being used in many homes, offices, restaurants, and other establishments. Read on to know more about the styles that many people have loved over the years. 

Chintz

Chintz is a printed cotton fabric with a glazed finish and multicolored patterns. It was originally used for upholstery, curtains, and clothing. These days, chintz refers to the floral patterns seen in fabric and other decorative materials, such as wallpaper. It is common to see designs and patterns such as nature, flowers, and leaves. 

Pastels

Pastel colors belong to a pale family of colors that are described to have high value and low saturation. The colors of this family are considered to be soothing. The most commonly used pastels are pink, mauve, baby blue, mint green, peach, periwinkle, and lavender. 

Country Style

Country interior style is any design that appears casual and cozy. The overall appearance eludes the feeling of simple country life. It includes color palettes that are bright along with pastel colors. In addition to these, the colors should also be able to blend perfectly with other design elements like vintage wares and second-hand accessories.

Verdigris

Verdigris is a green or bluish patina that forms on copper, brass, or bronze surfaces that is exposed to air for long periods of time. It consists mainly of copper sulfate. 

Open Kitchens

The open kitchen is a remarkable design for homes that are small. The absence of barriers or doors allows spaces to flow into each other. This design makes the home look more spacious than it is. The good thing about open kitchen design is that it also keeps the family in touch by integrating meal preparation with nearby activities like watching television in the family room. 

Memphis-Inspired Design

The Memphis Design is one of the most popular styles ever created. It is known for the use of bright neon, primary and pastel colors, geometric shapes, and bold, repetitive patterns, such as black and white stripes. 

Preppy

Preppy interior design showcases genteel mix patterns. Plaid is the traditional pattern of preppy style, but not the only one. Think about stripes, houndstooth, herringbone, and gingham checks mix to create a curated look that is anything but stuffy. 

Shabby Chic

Shabby Chic is defined as having a soft, relaxed, romantic style that appears cozy and inviting. The design style usually is related to females, On the other hand, masculine shabby chic appears to be rusty, along with deeper or richer colors. Other decorative items that may be used to achieve the design style are rustic furniture, unfinished wood, denim, burlap, sailcloth, and homespun. 

Japanese Zen

Soothing and spiritual, Japanese-inspired design was a popular trend in the 80s. Zen refers to meditation and has become a popular principle for interior designers. The design style focuses on creating balance, harmony, and feelings of relaxation through a minimalist approach. 

Give Your Home A Touch Of The 80s

Memphis art turquoise checkered poster in interior

There are so many things that can be said about the 80s. This decade of new wave likewise gave birth to amazing decor trends. Although the 80s design style has retro elements, it is still employed in many homes and establishments. From brightly colored furniture pieces to geometric patterns on your walls. These decor elements will surely complete your day and make you feel like you are back in time again.

Use lucite in your rooms

Lucite is a clear, thick plastic that works great in rooms where you want to avoid adding too many textures and clutter. This is a decor trend that started in the 80s and never went away. 

Pops of neon for a funky appeal

The 1980s is never complete without the images of neon lights and bright colors. The incorporation of neon lights in prints can simply add a retro design to your room. Display neon-themed posters to add accent to your walls. Whether in the bedroom or living room, neon prints will surely be a trendy 80s design that you will adore. 

Go for brass

Brass is another material that was popular during the said decade. It is bold and loud and when used in furniture the material can give a fun and whimsical feel. 

Consider Memphis style

Memphis design was a movement that started in Milan, Italy in 1981. It is characterized by all things colorful, abstract, and loud. Achieve the design style in your rooms with abstract art, abstract-inspired throws, and bold colors throughout the textiles. 

Pastels for a fun-looking interior

The great thing about the 80s is that the design trends were contrasting. Pastel is a great alternative if you are not into neon and bold colors. Pastel colors make a lovely interior. Consider using pastels in the children’s room for a cool and interesting ambiance. 

Palm everywhere

Tropical prints were loved in the 80s, as well as tropical plants. Add a retro style in your rooms with tropical prints, especially with palm trees or leaves. As such, you will be adding a summer vibe to your home. 

Rounded accessories

Want to add a touch of 80s in your rooms? Add rounded decorative items such as vases, mugs, and candle holders. Match them with pastel colors and bring the retro feel to your home.

How To Add Neon To Your Home

Neon hello sign with marble background poster in interior

Neon colors have been popular in the 70s and 80s. The colors may rarely be used these days, yet they have a lot of potentials when it comes to creating beautiful spaces. In fact, there are many ways you can use neon to complete the appearance of any room. However, unlike the regular colors, you need to be careful so as not to overdo it. Remember that anything in excess is bad. Too many neon colors in the room may be an eyesore

Neon colors to complement plain walls

Bare white or gray walls are boring. Decorating them with neon serves as an accent without being too loud for the eyes. Display neon posters or paint a small corner with neon-colored paint. The doors may also be colored with neon to serve as a room focal point. 

Spruce up the room

In contrast with what many people think but neon colors can blend well with both light and dark-colored interiors. For example, rooms in hues of gray, black, brown can be decorated with bright neon to add a little drama.

Neon furniture pieces

Blank white walls can be treated like a blank canvas to create your art. As such, you can add furniture pieces in light pastel colors. You may also add other decorative items in neon colors, like vases, throws, and lampstands. However, too much neon-colored furniture can be painful to the eyes. Three pieces of neon furniture pieces will do. 

Neon-colored wall

Choose a wall in your room and paint it neon. This may be challenging but the effects will be monumental. This will give any room a fun and adventurous vibe. Just be reminded not to color your bedroom with neon colors. You can do this in the living room or dining room walls. Finish the room appearance with black and white furniture items, and voila!

Final thoughts

Seems like adding neon colors to your home may be challenging. Yes, it may be but beautifying your home with neon colors will have a unique and interesting effect that cannot be seen in other decors. Remember that the appearance of your home is a reflection of who and what you are. Therefore the decors and colors should be carefully chosen to create an eye-catching home interior.

Roaring Colors – The 80s Design Style

Feeling nostalgic? Worry no more as the1980s interior design style will spice up your room. We have seen the style and have loved them. In fact, you saw the style in various films, such as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Back To The Future. Think about natural materials, geometric patterns, and bold colors.

The 1980s is one of the most interesting decades in America at least. The economy was booming, technology was having remarkable advances, women entering the workforce, pop culture idols, and others. Those who lived and witnessed the decade will surely say that they had the best time of their life. Want to have that retro effect in your home? Here are some of the monumental design trends that have changed the lives of many individuals. 

Memphis Design

The first thing that comes to your mind when it comes to the 80s design style are bright colors, bold shapes, squiggly lines, and funky furniture. These characteristics are what Memphis design is all about. The style was conceptualized by the Memphis Design Group. The group was composed of designers from Milan, Italy, and was established in the early 80s. With the characteristics from the previous decade, the group started creating bold and colorful furniture pieces and home decor designs. The help of pop culture made the Memphis design popular among homeowners and designers. 

Walls made of glass-blocks

The 80s design style is never complete without glass-block walls. These are sometimes used as a substitute for traditional windows or shower walls. Oftentimes, this type of wall is used to let in more natural light. The use of this material is energy-efficient, appealing, and practical. Glass-blocks may be old but are still used in many homes and establishments. 

Tropical prints

The love for plants did not just start recently. It can be traced back to the 80s and even before that. Tropical prints became a major trend in the 80s and can be seen anywhere. In addition to these, homeowners loved to add indoor plants as well as faux plants. Not only that they give medical and ecological benefits, but also to the aesthetics of the house. 

Lucite furniture

Lucite and acrylic plaster were first developed in the 1920s and 1930s. They somehow became famous in the 60s and 70s. However, it was in the 80s that clear furniture became popular. Instead of using glass furniture of the 1920s, you can easily achieve the 80s design with plastic or Lucite furniture. Many of them are affordable and trendy that will help you achieve the 80s style. 

Pastel colors

Pastel room design was likewise popular during the 1980s. This includes shades of soft pinks, purples, and seafoam green. Small amounts of pastel colors or even covering the whole room can make a difference. 

Floral prints

It was all about florals during the 80s. You can see them everywhere: bedding, sofa, upholstery, accent decor, wallpaper, posters, and even clothing. Along with ruffles, the combination makes fantastic home decor. The decor was also heavily used in Shabby Chic design.

Achieve the Memphis Design Style In Your Home

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If you were born during the 1980s or 1990s, then you may be familiar with the Memphis design movement. The design style is characterized to be bright, geometric, and heavily stylized. It may not be for everyone but the Memphis design style has a timeless appearance that serves as an inspiration for other styles. Memphis design style is one of the hottest looks in home interior these days. Read on to learn more about it and see if it suits your taste.

The features of Memphis design style

Since time immemorial, art and interior design have harmonized with each other. Although, the traits may be confusing as they can also be seen in other styles. There are still unique characteristics that are loved by homeowners and designers. Here are the key elements that you will find interesting.

  • Mixed patterns – the design style is heavy on patterns and the most common are geometric shapes with whimsical organic forms (squiggles or spirals). The pattern can be added to wallpaper, furniture upholstery, and other items like planters. 
  • Vivid colors – the colors are bright and electric. The colors are balanced against a monochromatic background such as white and black. The vivid colors can be yellow, hot pink, aquamarine, purple, and cherry red. 

Achieve the style with these cool ideas

Getting the style in your home is not that difficult as many have assumed. With the materials that we have today, there will be a lot of ways to be successful with your project.

  • Patterned wallpaper – achieving the patterns and colors with the use of paint and brush may be challenging. However, there is an easy way to add them to your walls and this is through the use of patterned wallpapers. Before installing the wallpaper, try to obtain a test sample and see if the design blends in your home. 
  • Terrazzo flooring – this type of flooring features irregular fragments of different materials like glass, marble, and others. These are combined together and set with a smooth, polished glaze. Terrazzo flooring is a perfect decor that will complement the Memphis design style. 
  • Lots of accessories – add accessories to your rooms with planters, coffee mugs, throws, curtains, dinnerware, lampshades, and storage bins. These will surely make a cool toom interior and help you achieve the Memphis look. 

Final thoughts

The Memphis interior design style is all about making everything bold and dashing. The truth is that there is no strict rule when it comes to adding materials and other decorative items. Open your mind and try to be experimental. For instance, you can pair pastels and neons or add shapes that will suit your preference. Remember that the objective is to create a playful-looking room interior. Another interesting thing about the Memphis style is that you can easily incorporate other styles. Add a modern touch with trendy wall decors such as posters to give your room a fresh appearance. 

If you are worried about the expenses, there are always creative ways to still be successful. Try to search online for good deals. These items may not be brand new but they will make everything look perfect especially with good quality materials.

The Memphis Design Style

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The Memphis interior design is making its comeback and becoming more popular than before. The design style started in the 80s and has evolved ever since. A design movement that began in 1981, it has influenced many artists and most works are featured in local and international publications. 

What is the Memphis design style?

The Memphis style is one of the most popular and prominent styles in the world. It is known for the use of neon, primary and pastel colors, geometric shapes, and bold, repetitive patterns. You cannot deny that the elements and beauty that the design style has, influenced many people and other design styles. 

The origin of Memphis design style

Memphis design movement started in 1981 in Milan, Italy. It was founded by Designer Ettore Sottsass along with other 22 designers and architects. The group was inspired by the song of Bob Dylan, “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again”, which was played repeatedly during the first meeting of the group. 

After the meeting, the group went on to create furniture, fabric, patterns, ceramics, and other products. The products have the traits of Postmodern style blended with styles of the 50s kitsch, Art Deco, and Pop Art. 

Though the use of clashing colors and bad taste has challenged the universally accepted design standards during those times. However, these days, we can safely say that the designs created by the Memphis Group were groundbreaking. These ideas opened up the minds of many experts and have influenced other design styles. 

How is it making its comeback? 

Memphis design started to come back in 2005 in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) exhibited a survey of the designs of Sottsass one year before he died. After his death, more individuals and experts became interested in the Memphis style. It influenced high fashion houses Missoni, Karl Lagerfield, and Christian Dior. 

In 2014, one of the founding members of the group, Nathalie Du Pasquier, designed a collection of patterns for American Apparel. In 2016, the brand Supreme released products that were designed by Alessandro Mendini who appeared in the first Memphis show. 

While it is popular in many designer clothes, the elements and traits were used and seen in various films and TV shows. Examples of which are Saved by the Bell and Pee Wee’s Playhouse. The style was likewise seen in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice. 

Characteristics of the style

Here are the key characteristics of the Memphis design style:

  • Use of bright colors in unorthodox combinations.
  • Loud, brash, spirited, playful, uninhibited.
  • It was designed to provoke an emotional response. 
  • Bold, clashing patterns.
  • Black and white graphics.
  • Use of simple geometric shapes. 
  • Rounded edges and curves.
  • Use of squiggles. 
  • Materials such as terrazzo and plastic laminated in different finishes. 
  • Out of the ordinary shapes in place of conventional ones. 

The 80s Design – Going Back In Style

Orange Color abstract shapes poster

The 1980s interior design can be described as complex as it consists of metallic accents, prominent angles, and curves. The good thing about it is it can easily be integrated into other design styles. From bright colors to flat designs and numerous geometric figures, the 1980’s design can boost modern interior.

The modern appearance of the 80s reflected the “less is more” approach together with the minimalist spaces that highlight the clean-lined furniture. The surfaces characterized to be reflective was achieved with the use of mirror, chrome, and glass. These were used to visually enlarge the room. Gray was usually seen on the walls wherein other colors such as white could easily be combined. White was likewise popular during the decade together with contemporary lighting fixtures.

The events in the 80s

The decade was marked by socioeconomic change due to advances in technology. It is also a period of moving away from the planned economy and gearing towards laissez-faire capitalism. Many believed that this change in the global economy is attributed to the “Reagan Boom” in which there was a drastic increase in job employment and economic expansion in the United States.

Multinational manufacturing companies relocated to various countries such as Thailand, Mexico, South Korea, China, and Japan, providing these countries with economic growth and a decrease in the unemployment rate. 

This is also the decade of the end of the Cold War between the United States and the USSR that almost escalated to the use of nuclear weapons in both countries. The collapse of Soviet communism also happened during the decade, wherein the United Kingdom and the United States started a trend in international trade that would eventually be used in the succeeding decades. 

With these developments in the developed countries, the developing countries on the other hand are having financial crises and an increase of debt from the International Bank and the World Bank is evidently observed. 

The AIDS epidemic was recognized during the decade as well as global warming which has started to become a problem. 

Designing your home the 80s way

Designs that were popular in the 80s are making their come back these days and it is not difficult to integrate them into other designs. Try to adopt these ideas and create a comfortable and nostalgic vibe in your home. 

  • Chintz – a printed multicolored cotton fabric with a glazed finish, used as curtains and upholstery.
  • Pastel colors – soft pastels were commonly used in the 80’s interior decoration. The application of white in generous amounts could intensity the soft colors of the pastel.
  • Country style – the design refers to the aesthetic that represents rural farmhouse-like design. This has gained popularity due to the simplicity it projects. Pastel and bright colors will blend well with the country-style design. Materials used in this style include rocks, wood, and other natural elements.
  • Verdigris – blue-green tarnish on certain metals after they were left outdoors for a long period of time. Metals such as bronze, copper, and brass get verdigris due to exposure to moisture and air. 
  • Memphis-inspired Design – this design was made popular by Memphis Milano in which includes bright looks and bold geometric patterns. 
  • Open kitchens – the purpose of the open kitchen is to avoid the isolation of the person who is using the kitchen from the actions simultaneously happening in the other rooms such as the living room and the dining area.
  • Shabby chic design – white and antique in appearance coupled with sofas covered with quilted comforters and simple grommets. 
  • Japanese Zen – Zen is known for its simplicity and spiritual appearance with the use of elements such as pebbles arranged neatly in certain areas.