Futuristic furniture became common in the 1960s.
Trends in décor, much as in fashion, often come back around as often as they go out of style. This is helpful to think about when looking for inspiration for your own décor. Retro styles typically cover the 1940s to the 1980s, with earlier decades considered antique.
1950's Diner
This style is common for kitchens as it was inspired by burger and shake restaurants. Colors of the furniture are usually solid red or teal so as not to overwhelm the pattern of the conventional black-and-white checkered flooring. Chairs are typically covered in slick vinyl, sometimes with a subtle sparkle to them. The tables are made of Formica, with clean lines and metal legs. You can recreate this look with a dinette set, a booth or a counter and bar stools. It's often accompanied by a jukebox and fluorescent or tin signs.
1960's Space Age
Possibly inspired by the space race or fascination with UFOs, as well as pop art and the fashion at the time, this style has furniture that looks like it could have been found inside a flying saucer. Furniture was often made from plastic and came in neon colors, which contrasted from stark white walls and flooring. Though the look was minimalist, it seldom contained perpendicular lines, but rather presented curves or angles that were less than 90 degrees. Even windows were often in a rounded style that evoked thoughts of a space ship. Examples of sleek, funky and modular furniture include ball chairs and egg chairs.
1970's Hippie Chic
Nestled in the shag carpets and wood-paneled walls were bean bag chairs and couches upholstered in paisley and plaid fabrics or dark leather. The palette was much darker and muted than the previous decade's dabble with fluorescent colors and psychedelic patterns and included olive green, burnt orange, mustard yellow and dark browns. Mission oak furniture, previous common in the early 1900s, also made a comeback. Accessories from the 60s, such as lava lamps and beaded doorways, continued in popularity.
1980's Opulence
Décor took a nouveau-riche turn with overstuffed chairs and couches, glass-top tables and mirrored walls, possibly partially inspired by the soap opera Dynasty. Hues turned lighter with pastel and cream-colored upholstery, camouflaging into similarly-colored wall-to-wall carpet. Rattan and brass hardware became favorites again. One of the longest-lasting trends from the 80s was convertible furniture, such as sofa beds, reclining chairs and storage benches.
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