Looking for new interior design ideas while having an eye for the past? Enjoy retro design elements but not sure how to start by introducing them into your modern interior space?
With more interior design styles becoming an amalgamation of past, present and future trends, knowing how to introduce retro or nostalgic design styles into your interior space is important for your overall design cohesion. Here are our top tips to consider when adding some retro touches to your next interior design.
Colours
Each era has a colour palette it evokes. The 1950s were synonymous with pastel pinks and reds, while the 1970s were well-known for their tan and technicolour tones.
If you’re looking for a way to introduce nostalgic style into your interior design, consider the colours you are using and the sense of time and place they suggest. Whether you’re using a muted, nostalgic palette or vibrant retro colours, looking to the past will be a constant source of inspiration for colouring your interior.
Consider The Existing Architecture of Your Home
Some eras of interior design were known for features which were unmistakably of that era. Sunken lounge pits, exposed beams, stone mantle pieces - all these features are hallmarks of bygone periods in interior design.
If your space already has some of these features or is typical of the time period in which it was built, think about using these distinctive features as the focal point for your retro design redo.
The Smaller Details
Artefacts and symbols from the past are an easy way to introduce a retro twist to your interior space. If you’ve got a keen eye for detail and love adding a unique flair to your space, add in nostalgic visual elements as show pieces or to compliment your existing period theme.
Something simple like a vintage-style fridge or a traditional record player stereo setup can help to add nostalgic touches to your space and draw attention to the style you are working with.
Textures
You can use decorative, vibrant textures to create a bold statement and harken back to the experimental spirit of retro design styles. Think shag carpeting, smooth vinyl or a funky patterned rug if you want inspiration for retro style textures.
Not only do these textures look visually appealing but they create a sense of warm, cosiness which will compliment the inviting nostalgic feeling you want to convey with your space.
The beauty of retro style is that it can be fun and playful as you experiment with the different features you love about tried-and-tested styles from the past. Rose-tinted nostalgia reminds people of simpler, more carefree times and retro design features can lend your interior design space that same feeling.
Has this article got you thinking about your next interior design renovation idea? Talk to Mal Corboy Design for a complimentary consultation and make your next design idea a reality.
