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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. 

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.

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. 

 

Probably at least once in your life, you were able to receive a greeting card. You may still remember the feeling of receiving it from your crush or even from a friend whom you haven’t since for a long time. Who does not love receiving a greeting card? For many people, it is one of the best gifts to receive on their birthdays or holidays. A thoughtful message scribbled on the card can mean a lot to the one receiving it. Just like the greeting cards, they have a colorful history that many are not aware of. Read on to know more about how it all began. 

How it all began

Little did we know that greeting cards are already in existence since the early Egyptians. During that time, the Egyptians used papyrus scrolls to send letters. This was also the practice of the Chinese who exchanged messages at New Year. Since then, other cultures have created their own version of greeting cards. 

During the 1400s, handmade greeting cards were being sold and exchanged across Europe. The Germans spent more effort in sending greeting cards. They used woodcuts where the design was hand-carved onto it to create a print on paper. In Italy, intricate lace effect filigrees were applied to the cards and were sent on certain occasions, especially Valentine’s Day. The card was expensive and was used only by the wealthy. 

The popularity of greeting cards

The advancement of printing technology has helped a lot in making greeting cards more affordable. In 1843, Sir Henry Cole decided to create the first commercial Christmas card. Being one of the elites in Victorian England, Cole had a very long Christmas list. This prompted him to create a way to reduce time and effort. The cards he created depicted three scenes, a family gathered celebrating Christmas and the charitable acts of clothing the poor and feeding the hungry. There were 1000 copies printed in black and white before being hand painted. However, the price of the cards is still a little bit pricey, especially for the working class. 

Greeting cards these days

Since the 1860s, companies have been mass-producing greeting cards. With the available printing technology, the quantity increased while the price decreased. In the 1930s colored printing was introduced that made the greeting cards even more popular. Today, greeting cards are used all over the world and on every occasion. It was also revealed that the industry is worth around $7.5 billion and the average person sends an average of 55 cards per year. In fact, in Canada alone, there are around 40 million Valentine’s Day cards bought every year.

Christmas is one of the most awaited seasons around the world. It is both a religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. Christians around the world have been celebrating the season with traditions and practices that commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Some of the common traditions include exchanging gifts, decorating with Christmas trees, attending Christmas mass, and sharing meals with families and friends. Decorating the homes with ornaments is likewise practiced. With the thousands of decors available, it is also common for many households to display DIY Christmas decorations. Creating DIY decors unleashes the creativity and imagination of many individuals. 

Christmas decorations around the world

Different countries have their own way of celebrating Christmas as well as the decors displayed. The decorations are any ornamentation used to make the spirit of Christmas felt and experienced by many. Traditionally, the colors used are pine green, snow white, and heart red. Blue and the white color combination are also common as this represents winter. Other decors that are usually displayed are Baby Jesus, Father Christmas, Santa Claus, the star of Bethlehem, snowflakes, snowmen, icicles, penguins, and polar bears. 

DIY Christmas decorations

Make your home vibrant this Christmas season with DIY decorations. These will not only save you money but are also a great way to spend quality time with your family, especially during weekends. Any material can be used and be transformed into something remarkable. DIY Christmas decorations can be used to make your home look festive, from the entryway to the dining room. Christmas color schemes can instantly make your space attractive and captivating. Adding accents to the dining table, like the silver embellished napkin rings and a centerpiece will surely be adored by your family. 

Homemade Christmas decorations to try

Creating homemade Christmas decorations is one of the fun and exciting things that you can do to transform the overall appearance of your home and prep it for the season. Here are some DIY Christmas decorations that you can make and decorate your space:

• Snowman made from plastic cups
• Handmade hoop ornaments
• DIY Christmas tree garlands
• DIY cotton thread snowman
• Painted or filled DIY ball ornaments
• Paper cut-outs buntings

Add a rustic style with wooden Christmas decors

Wood is one of the common materials used in making decors. The good thing about wood is that it can make everything in the interior look natural and comfortable. Reclaimed wood is affordable and yet they give a big impact on the whole appearance of the room when designed properly. In addition to these, wood can give the interior a rustic appearance for a more comfortable and inviting vibe. 

Paper Christmas decorations

Paper Christmas decorations are relatively easy to do and will definitely look great in your home. Especially when they are hanging from your tree. Paper decors are easy to assemble, affordable, and versatile. Paper can be fashioned into Christmas trees, bells, stars, and others. Other materials that you may need to make your own Christmas decorations are paper glue, scissors, pencil, shape template, thread, embroidery floss, and thin ribbon.

Christmas is never complete without a Christmas tree. Even in movies, Christmas trees are so special that decorating them involves all the members of the family. Over the years, the display and decorating of Christmas trees have been practiced around the globe. The trees used can be natural ones or synthetic. Whatever the material used, the sight of Christmas trees will bring the spirit of the holiday season as well as a nostalgic atmosphere. 

A brief history of Christmas trees

In the past, evergreen fir trees have been used to celebrate winter festivals of both the pagans and the Christians. The branches of the tree have been used by the pagans to decorate their homes during the winter solstice. On the other hand, Christians used the tree as a sign of everlasting life with God. the Romans, likewise decorated their temples with evergreen trees during the festival of Saturnalia. 

However, up to these days, the evolution of evergreen trees to Christmas trees is not yet that clear. It was assumed that it started a thousand years ago in Northern Europe wherein cherry or hawthorn plants were used. Some people, though, find it expensive to decorate their homes with trees. They then resolved in making pyramids of wood and decorate them with paper, apples, and candles. 

The first known Christmas tree that was displayed in public was in 1510 in Riga, Latvia. This was erected by men with black hats, danced around it, and then set it on fire. From Germany, Christmas trees were brought and spread to the United Kingdom by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Prince Albert recalled that during his childhood, he celebrated Christmas with a tree. Eventually, he shared this tradition with his wife and in 1848, the London News published the couple with a decorated tree. This image became common and one of the favorites of the people in Great Britain. 

Christmas trees around the globe

Though Christmas is celebrated differently from around the world, Christmas trees are probably one of the most common views seen. 

• In Rio De Janeiro, a 279-foot Christmas tree is seen floating at the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon. The tree was likewise surrounded by fireworks during the launch in November 2004. 
• One of the world’s most recognized Christmas trees has been displayed at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan since 1930. 45, 000 lights are turned on each year and are usually accompanied by live concerts. 
• In the United Kingdom, Christmas is viewed as a time of gratitude. This led to a Christmas tree being displayed in London’s Trafalgar Square. This has been a traditional annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947 as gratitude to England during their help in World War 2.
• In France, the people prefer Christmas trees to be more traditional in appearance such as the one displayed in posh Galeries Lafayette Department Store.
• A Christmas tree made of Lego bricks can also be found in London, UK.
• A Christmas tree that stands at 82-feet can be seen outside the window of the Pope’s room in Vatican City. This tree is a gift from the German state of Bavaria. 
• Since the term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every American president has officiated the lighting ceremony of the National Christmas Tree in Washington DC. 

Green is a color that is considered to be a color for renewal and nature. Adding some green inside your home is a very good thing because of the many benefits that the color gives us. One of the first things that come into our mind when we want to add the color green is with the help of plants. Plants help clean the air and provide more oxygen. Plants can be placed anywhere in your home and they can help spruce up a space. 

Why add green?

Of all the colors in the color wheel, shades of green are probably the favorite of many designers and homeowners. Many believe that color is closely associated with nature and evokes many positive effects on the environment and health. As one of the cool colors, green can help relax the mind and body. The atmosphere is likewise less stressful when you are surrounded by shades of green. 

Adding indoor plants is one of the easiest and fastest ways to bring shades of green to your home. Plants offer lots of benefits to your home and environment. They release oxygen, filter, and purify the air. We all are aware that the level of pollution is rising and that having plants are of great help in reducing air pollutants. 

Adding green with accents

One of the trends in home design is by bringing the outside in. The addition of houseplants or indoor plants can have positive effects on both the environment and health. We all know that plants can reduce the carbon dioxide level from our surroundings thus lowering the greenhouse gases. On the other hand, we also understand that not all individuals have green thumbs. Do not lose hope since you can still add splashes of green with artificial plants or low-maintenance plants and other decorative items. 

Love the green with furniture pieces

You do not have to limit yourself to decorative items and wall paint. You can add shades of green to your home with furniture pieces. These will have more impact and will likewise make your interior look welcoming and relaxing. This may not also mean spending too much and buying new pieces. You can use old ones like a wooden desk and add soothing green shade. As such, working at home will be less stressful. 

Green to your walls

Just like in any other color, shades of green are suited for almost any room in your home. It encourages relaxation and promotes comfort and continuity in your rooms. Time to change those neutral colors and try using a relaxing shade of green. You will see that the effect is wonderful and extraordinary. 

If you are also worried about the expenses, you can always refinish cabinets and paint them with a shade of green. This can be done in the kitchen or the bedroom. The good thing about green is that you can add pops of complementary colors such as red. This color combination can cool down the room and make it more inviting for your friends and relatives. 

Christmas trees are probably the most popular decor that is seen around the world. The history goes back to the use of evergreens in ancient Egypt and Rome. The tradition continued with the Germans and the candlelit trees were brought to the United States in the 1800s. Read on to know more about the Christmas tree and its origins. 

The beginnings of Christmas trees

Even before the spread of Christianity, people have regarded plants and trees that remained green all year to be special. People during ancient times hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows, just like how we hang them these days. 

During winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere, ancient people believed that the sun god had become sick and weak. The solstice is celebrated because this means that the sun god will become well again. The evergreens reminded them of all the other green plants and that summer would return with more blooms. 

The god, Ra, was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. When Ra began to recover from his illness during the winter solstice, the Egyptians filled their homes with a green palm that represents the triumph of life over death.  

The Romans celebrated the solstice with a feast that they called Saturnalia. This was to honor Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture. The solstice is a reminder that the farms would again be green and productive. As such, their homes were decorated with boughs of evergreen. 

German Christmas trees

Records have shown that Christmas trees should be credited to the Germans. During the 16th century, Christians added trees to their homes and decorated them. Many families also created pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles. People also believed that the 16th-century Protestant reformer, Martin Luther, was the first to add lighted candles to a tree. He shared this idea with his family when he erected a tree in the main room and decorated it with lighted candles. 

Christmas trees in America

Christmas trees in America are never known until the 19th-century when the German settlers of Pennsylvania displayed trees. As early as the mid-1700s, German settlers already have community trees that closely resemble the Christmas trees that we know today. However, the Americans did not accept Christmas trees immediately in their culture as they see them as pagan symbols. 

It was in the 1890s that Christmas ornaments arrived from Germany to the United States. This was also the period of the rise of the popularity of Christmas trees. In contrast with the Europeans, American Christmas trees usually are tall and reach from floor to ceiling. By the 20th century, Americans decorated the trees with homemade ornaments along with apples, nuts, and marzipan cookies. The availability of electricity made it possible to use Christmas lights that will make the trees glow. 

Since then, Christmas trees have been mass-produced and made available to the public worldwide. For countries where evergreens are expensive, artificial trees were made available commercially along with Christmas decors and lights. These days, almost everybody has their own Christmas tree in their homes. Others created their own version of the tree with the use of twigs and branches 

Just because your wall is empty and painted with your favorite color, you will never add wall decors to make it look more appealing. Remember that a blank wall can have lots of potentials. Posters can magically transform the overall appearance of your walls. Remember that posters can be displayed in any room. With tons of ideas available, your home will have the look that will be loved by your family and friends. Here we have creative ideas on how to personalize your walls by displaying posters. 

Choose the right place

There are many places in your home where you can display your posters. Above sofas, headboards, or the hallway. Aside from these, you can also decorate shelves or window sills with posters that will personalize your interior. Before hanging them, check out the height since you do not want your posters to be too low or too high. The idea is to hang them at eye level. If you also want to highlight your posters in the room, install LED lighting to illuminate them. 

Pick a theme

Each poster has a theme. Experimenting with them can help you create a theme that will reflect your personality. The theme can also harmonize the room, making it look more appealing and comfortable. The theme can also be changed depending on the season. For instance, create a festive atmosphere with holiday posters and there are different designs that will help you with that. 

The frame that you need

Frames come in different styles and materials. Wooden frames can give your wall a rustic appearance and are safest to use with posters. Why “safest”? Wood can easily blend with any interior design style. In addition to these, wood can help make any room look more comfortable and inviting. 

Color coordination

Though there are many poster designs, you don’t just display any art. Choose posters that will blend with the color scheme that your interior already has. It may be challenging at first, but you can always use the color wheel to know the proper color coordination. There are also creative inspirations that you can refer to decorate your walls. 

Wall gallery

Choose the posters to add to create a beautiful wall gallery. If you want it to be more personalized, display photos of your family in attractive frames. Abstract prints are also perfect to add colors to the room and make it look more fun and exciting. Nature-themed prints are also great for a more relaxing vibe. 

Size matters

The size of the posters is also important to consider to add the desired effect to your rooms. For instance, large prints can give an impression of having large spaces. In addition to these, large prints can also make the wall look big. However, if you do not have large prints, you can still create a wall gallery composed of small or medium-sized prints. Arrange them in a random layout or your preferred arrangement to personalize your walls. 

Balance and harmony

The wall gallery that you have created can also give continuity and flow between different posters since grouping similar designs are one of the popular tricks in interior design. Same frames can also create fluidity and make your wall look more sharp and crisp.