Seamless Ways To Add The Retro Look To Your Home Decor

by Natasha Unger | January 16, 2024 | 5 mins read

Retro interior design ideas for your home

Looking forward to transforming your home into what it might have looked like many years ago? This retro decor guide can help you get nostalgic and live the past while remaining in the present

When you talk of retro interior design, it is often the influence of trends followed in the 1950s to the 1970s. If you are a keen observer, you may have noticed a different interior design pattern in the photographs that belong to your grandparents. For instance, the furniture had a distinct shape, there were chandeliers to brighten up rooms as well as a lot of vases and lamps, and the use of wood was a part of almost all households.

While modern homes often endorse the latest trends in interior designing, retro interior design can never go out of fashion. It tends to preserve the simplicity yet richness of the era while making your home look striking. Here we will help you adapt the retro style interiors with design ideas that are easy and affordable.

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Opt For Bright Wall Colours For A Splendid Retro Interior Design

Believe it or not, bright colours were trendy when the walls had this distinct hue that hit the eye when you took a look. Bright wall colours are the stepping stone to adopting the retro-style interior design to your modern home. The larger the room, the better it looks. If you have small rooms, paint the walls with light colours and add bright-coloured accessories like upholstery or wall decor. You might want to paint all the rooms in the same manner or simply focus on a particular space of your choice.

A room in retro style interior design with a mix of bright colours walls and classic furniture lend a splendid look.
A room with bright and distinct colours such as orange and blue can give you the retro feel in no time

Pick Vintage Furniture For A Quintessential Retro Interior Design

Furniture from that era had a distinct look to it. Pieces of furniture were made of natural materials such as wood or cane. The permanent furniture pieces such as tables, side tables and cupboards were heavy with intricate designs. These designs spoke for themselves without having to accentuate it with anything else. The movable furniture pieces such as chairs — solid and sturdy — are lightweight with skinny legs. Opting for all of these for your modern home can lend a retro look.

Living room furniture in retro style interior with intricate designs brings modern home a retro look.
You can always distinguish retro furniture from modern ones due to the beauty associated with even the smallest piece of furniture

Choose The Right Lights For A Simple Retro Interior Design

Unlike modern lighting, the retro-style interior design involves the use of focus lights and lights that shone over a wide area. When you opt for retro-style home decor, pick pendant lamps. You can also buy chandeliers that are elegant to look at and light up a wide area effortlessly.

A room with distinct lampshades in vintage retro interior design looks elegant and effortlessly lights up a wide area.
Distinct lamp shades for the ceiling lights lend a retro vibe, especially when other accessories have a retro feel

Opt For Wall Panelling That Complements Retro Interior Design

Back in the day, homes had wooden wall panels or partitions. They were intricately designed to give a royal yet simple feel. You could do that for your home too. This also lends warmth to the room while making it look retro and classy. Hallways or small rooms with vintage retro interior design get to look attractive when there are wall panels. Pick designs of your choice and watch your home go back to the golden era.

Room wall panels in retro interior style with intricate designs and distinct colour give a royal yet simple feel.
Wall panels with intricate designs and distinct colour can speak for themselves with nothing else to tag along
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Put Up Wall Decor That Enhances Retro Interior Design

Most modern homes have photo frames of memories that adorn the walls. The retro-style interior design involving wall decor included putting up large paintings covering the entire wall. You can also club multiple photo frames that include posters of old movies, celebrities, framing gramophone discs of your favourite songs and anything else that is nostalgic. You can also consider dedicating a particular wall that adorns such pieces. With this, your modern home transforms into a place that has the whiff of the times gone by.

Retro-style home decor wall with photo frames, framing gramophone discs and large paintings that adorn the walls.
Retro wall decor can pep up your room while grabbing eyeballs the moment people visit your home

Use Vintage-Looking Upholstery For The Best Retro Interior Design

Chequered patterns on carpets, especially black and white, still give that retro feel. Cushion covers of similar covers give it a picture-perfect look without much effort. Apart from that, you can pick velvet-covered sofas that were trendy back then.

White room with upholstery in vintage look interior design with pattern cushions in black and white.
Chequered carpets if not floors lend a retro look. Add in a few cushions of similar patterns or colours and you get the retro look you have been looking for

While retro interior design is something most modern homes are adopting, this is a trend that doesn’t require much of an effort to get the right looks. So why wait? Let experts help you and watch your home be inspired by the past.

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Natasha Unger is a content writer at DesignCafe

Natasha Unger

Natasha Unger is a content writer by profession with an experience of over 8 years. She has explored multiple industries such as that of animation, real estate, tourism to finally settle for Writing. Her love for books guides her as she comes up with unique content each time.

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