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20 Ways You Can Add 1980s Style to Your Decor

By: Lauren Oster

January 08, 2021

The wild, whimsical and sometimes just plain weird decade is sashaying back into the spotlight. Here’s how to time travel in style.

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This stunning vintage white sofa is the one thing I might have tried to run out the door with. The woven upholstery fabric immediately adds an air of sophistication to a wall color that might otherwise come across as juvenile. The sleek curve of the arm that transitions into a fully upholstered leg, housing a floating bench cushion is a work of art with a clear mid-century reference. The only way to address a piece this special is to accent it with sleek black floor lamps, a classic black and white marble coffee table, and graphic drapery fabric by the talented Kelly Wearstler. I really enjoy seeing a successful relationship between the primary colors in the artwork and the tertiary wall color. Angela definitely took risks, but her artistic eye served her well.

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Photo: Tomas Espinoza

Lean Into Curves

This vintage sofa’s silhouette is surprisingly user friendly. The wide upholstered arms are perfect for lounging, and the negative space beneath them gives the piece a light footprint. Treasures like this one can be tricky to find, but secondhand chairs and occasional tables with similar bones turn up (and are worth snapping up) on sites like 1stDibs.

Colorful Wallpaper a Tribute to Client's Personality and Location

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Photo: Stacy Zarin Goldberg. From: Zoe Feldman Design.

Get Into Shapes

Test drive ‘80s geometry with a bold, patterned wallpaper like the one in this chic condo’s entryway. Want extra credit? Use paint to pull tones from that paper into the room, as with the pale pink molding and teal door.

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Photo: Nick Sorenson. From: THELIFESTYLEDCO.

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Why accent your space with a single evocative piece (i.e. an actual boombox) when you can repeat it from floor to ceiling (i.e. this playful wallpaper)?

This entry joyfully foreshadows what's in store for our journey through the Blehm family home. We're immediately introduced to the family's four central themes: a love of art, bold colors, custom solutions and the use of classic black and white. When the foundation is understated, as is this entry's wallpaper, it creates an opportunity to layer on the fun. Angela worked with a local carpenter to design the statement making red lacquered cabinet. The door style was inspired by Angela's favorite ceramic planter and is in perfect harmony with the iron pickets on the staircase to the left. It is clear the paintings and accessories were all intentionally chosen and placed. The relationships between shapes, finishes and even the primary colors create a beautifully balanced entry vignette

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Photo: Tomas Espinoza

Hang a Major Mirror

A piece like the octagonal beauty in this foyer is the perfect way to dip your toe in the ‘80s trend without going full throwback. When you are ready to go Full Throwback, might we suggest a fabulous credenza, like the one here?

20 Ways You Can Add 1980s Style to Your Decor

Lean Into Curves

Get Into Shapes

Select an Icon

Hang a Major Mirror

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