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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. 

Over the years, geometric patterns have been one of the most popular decorative elements and can be used in any design style and blend with different colors. You can see them almost anywhere: in homes, restaurants, and offices around the globe. Geometric shape designs are eye-catching and can brighten up any space. Read on to know more about geometric shapes and how they can transform any living space into something appealing. 

Trendy geometric patterns

Geometric patterns are probably one of the most versatile decorative elements. It can be added to any interior design style. Polyhedrons are some of the famous shapes and can be used in various furniture pieces and their parts. For instance, polyhedrons can be used from table legs to lamps and photo frames. Recently, rhombuses are commonly used in kids’ rooms, floors, and bathroom walls. 

With these on the walls, you can also create a wonderful pattern. This can be achieved with the installation of wallpaper, wall murals, or posters. Among these, the display of posters is the easiest and fastest way to create a trendy wall design. 

Why use geometric patterns

The versatility of geometric patterns makes them ideal in both classical and modern homes. They can easily be incorporated to create any design style that has been popularized in their respective eras. For instance, geometric patterns are ideal if you want to revive the psychedelic look of the 60s or the digital appearance of today. 

Color and shape of geometric patterns

Any color goes well with geometric patterns. The use of bright and cheerful colors like orange, red, yellow, and purple will help create more fun, exciting, and modern vibe. However, warm colors, such as these, must not be overused as they can be an eyesore. In moderation, they can take the center stage and be the focal point of your rooms. 

The use of neutral colors like black and white will help create a sophisticated and elegant look. This combination can also help create a minimalist appearance that likewise offers a comfortable and cozy feel. 

How to incorporate geometric patterns 

Modern decorative shelves come in different shapes, sizes, and materials. Personalize them with a mixture of different shelves to create a room focal point. Geometric shapes can also be incorporated with the installation of partitions and wall panels. These are subtle and understated structures that will not overwhelm your rooms. 

Want to be creative and unleash your artistic side? Paint your walls with a variety of colors and geometric shapes. Prepare the materials you need like a roll of masking tape, paintbrush, and paint color of your choice. With these, you will be able to create a crisp and clean pattern that you and your family will love. 

Geometric patterns on the floor are likewise eye-catching. Squares, hexagons, and zigzag patterns are cool and you can be creative by arranging them in whatever look you want. Rugs and carpets are likewise great to display geometric patterns. There are geometric rugs and carpets available in the market that can transform the appearance of your walls.

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.

A retro style in decorating your home does not only focus on one aspect. It actually encompasses different decades of styles. These have been influenced by several trends and styles from the past. Although the term “retro” refers to something in the past, it actually describes the decor from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. A retro design style has a fun and lively feel that is characterized by bright colors, wild designs, and an overall sense of flair. The retro design style requires a bold approach and likewise requires a certain personality to achieve it. Bring the design style to your home with the elements and inspiration below. 

Furniture

Furniture pieces in retro style have an abstract feel to them. It also seems like every piece is almost fighting to be the focal point of the room. The sofas are usually broad and elongated that are also decorated with multi-colored pillows. The materials used in barstools are usually shiny and metallic along with bright red seats. The retro design style is also complete when Mitt chairs and puzzle-piece ottomans are added.

Colors

Choosing the colors that help achieve the design style is not that hard. You can choose from avocado green, mustard yellow, brown, black, white, and red. The combination of purple and hot pink is great to achieve the style. You can also have mixes of bright orange, green, indigo blue, and yellow. The retro era is also popular for tie-dyed fabrics, checkered patterns, and elaborate paisley prints. 

Textures

Go retro with shag carpeting, smooth plastics, soft vinyl, and crushed velvet. When achieving the style, remember to go bold.

Accents and flooring

When it comes to decorating, there is actually no limit. Add accents and accessories like fuzzy throw rugs, door beads, lava lamps, skate tables, and scoop stools. It is also common to see bold and unusual art and sculptures. These pieces tend to be abstract in nature rather than simple still-life and landscapes. When it comes to flooring choose from natural wood, shag carpeting, and a bold mix of tiles. Placed in a checkerboard pattern. 

Lighting

Get the retro style with floor lamps and lamps with square or tasseled shades. You can also choose a swag multi-colored chandelier that plugs into a wall socket and feature a dangling cord draped from hook to hook. 

Final thoughts

The retro design style is fun and exciting. There’s no doubt about that! It is all about the blending of shapes, textures, and colors. The furniture of the retro era is sturdy, durable, and functional. Achieving the design style is requires attention to detail and it is important to be versatile with the materials and decors available. Remember, anything goes, and do not tone down a retro-style decor.

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 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 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. 

 

With the different events that happened in our lives throughout the year, we are now prepared to face another year. A year that we hope to be full of hope and optimism. Celebrating the New Year is also filled with traditions and beliefs. At least in the Philippines. History tells us that we have been greatly influenced by different cultures, such as the Chinese, Americans, and Spanish. 

The addition of colors is during the New Year’s Eve celebration is also important to many families. Certain colors are believed to bring good luck. Over the years, color psychology has captured the interests of many experts. Studies have shown that colors have significant effects on the mind and body. That is the reason why the colors we add to our rooms are important as these may affect the mood as well as our behavior. When it comes to the New Year celebration, there are some colors that are considered lucky when they are seen around or when we wear them. 

Clean as white

White has many symbolism. It represents innocence, purity, hygiene. It is also associated with religious traditions and certain works of art. 

The bold red

One of the events that have been celebrated for many years is the Lunar New Year. In fact, this has been observed for thousands of years and celebrated in many Asian countries. The color red is used to scare off a hungry beast that was believed to terrorize villages every New year. These days, red is associated with good luck and good fortune by the Chinese and other Asian cultures. 

Purple for prosperity

Purple is associated with wealth and that is the reason why the color is only seen in monarchs in Europe and Asia. The reason is that the original vibrant purple dye that was made in ancient Phoenicia, needed around 250,000 rare sea snails. Do note also that the number of sea snails only produces about an ounce of the dye. This makes the color expensive that only the wealthy people can afford it. 

Cool Blue

One of the cool colors in color psychology. Blue is associated with religious traditions and serenity in art. Blue is also believed to have mystical properties due to its rarity. Make your home look serene with blue for a more peaceful New Year. 

Silver linings

Silver is one of the precious metals in the world. In fact, it was mined more than 5000 years ago. The shiny hue is associated with all the precious opportunities this New Year. 

In touch with nature with green

Studies have shown that the color green leads to better physical and mental health. The reason is that the color is associated with nature. Green also increases positive emotions and vibes. This is why you have to bring the color to your home this year.