How To Use Retro Decor In Your Home

Retro style is always on trend in interior design. If you’re not familiar with the term, retro just means using a style from the past and giving a modern twist. A lot of modern decor is focused around minimalist designs which are great, but they can be a bit uninspiring. If you dig some of the styles from bygone eras, you can easily incorporate them into your home decor.  Here are some great tips to help you add a retro vibe to your home decor.

How To Use Retro Decor In Your Home

​Pick Your Period
Retro is a broad term that describes any decor style from the past, so the first step is to pick the period that you want to emulate. When you’re choosing a retro style, think about which era best represents your personality. The whole point of this is to put some of your own personality into the decor. That’s why it’s so important that you find a period that reflects you as a person.

Unsure of what decade best represents you?  Check out this quiz from Buzzfeed:

Which Decade Do I Belong In?

Rhoda Morgenstern's whole apartment was a mood.

Do Your Research
Authenticity is vital when you’re creating a retro style so you need to do some research before you start investing in retro items for your home. The easiest way to start your research?  Give it a Goog!   Search the web for pieces from the era that strikes your fancy, and check out the results. You can also watch films from the era(s) that interest you most to get a feel for the kind of decor that was popular at the time.
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Victrola Navigator 8-in-1 Classic Bluetooth Record Player with USB Encoding and 3-speed Turntable, amazon.com

Phonograph Turntable Wireless Speaker, with Aux-in, FM Radio & USB Port for Flash Drive, amazon.com

​Buy Appropriate Items
Now that you know what you’re looking for, you can start investing in retro decor pieces for your home. For example, if you find the 1950s was a swell decade, you can pick up a professionally restored soda machine and other great period pieces that are ideal for that decade's vibe. When you’re shopping for furniture, check out antique shops, flea markets and swap meets.  You can get some pretty nifty pieces for a song.​

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You May Also Like:

• Classic American Style: How To Create A Retro Kitchen Vibe
• Four Rustic Interior Decor Ideas You'll Love

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Blend Modern With Retro
While there are a lot of great retro pieces that would look great in your home, they may not exactly be the most functional. That’s why you'll no doubt have to blend modern styles with retro. For example, an old 1950’s TV looks cool, but you’re certainly not going to be able to pick up any channels on it. As a general rule, go modern with anything functional, and mix in retro when it comes to furniture and accessories. Of course, there are also some great modern products that have a retro feel to them, like Unique Retro appliances, which gives you that perfect retro decor vibe without having to sacrifice modern convenience.

​If you still want to add non-functioning retro pieces into your home, such as old televisions and stereos, consider converting them into something useful like an aquarium, terrarium or even a bar cart!

​Check out these printables from the36thavenue.com.   They're completely free, and express a super cool retro vibe.  They're the ginchiest!

Click to print!
Free printables courtesy of the36thavenue.com

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We hope these quick tips helped give you an idea on how to incorporate retro decor into your home.  What's your retro decor style?  Let us know in the comments below.

 Shop For Your Retro Home:​

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