There is something classic about retro styles that makes them never really go out of style. Some of the most popular retro styles are the bright, geometric designs of the 1960s, the warm, earthy tones of the 1970s, and the neon brights of the 1980s. These styles add personality, nostalgia, and fun to any space. The best part? You can make your own vintage decor instead of searching for it in old shops or spending a lot of money on real vintage items.
| Retro Style Ideas | Description |
| Choose Your Retro Aesthetic | Select a vintage era and color scheme for consistency. |
| DIY Retro Wall Art & Decor | Create geometric murals, neon signs, and upcycled art. |
| Revamp Furniture & Upholstery | Paint, stencil, or reupholster furniture for retro charm. |
| Handmade Retro Accessories | Craft vinyl clocks, coasters, and personalized frames. |
| Balance Retro with Modern | Mix vintage pieces with contemporary decor for harmony. |
Choosing Your Retro Aesthetic
Choose which age speaks to you the most before you start any do-it-yourself jobs. Are you interested in the bright, 1950s-style diner decor? Or do you like the 70s bohemian style that is funky and free?
Each decade has distinct design elements:
- 1950s: Soft colors, floors with checks, chrome details, and atomic designs.
- 1960s: Psychedelic prints, geometric shapes, and bright primary colors.
- 1970s: earthy colors, shag rugs, macramé, and rattan furniture?
- 1980s: neon colors, hard-to-see patterns in the style of Memphis, and shiny surfaces.
Once you know what theme you want, pick a color scheme that goes with it. This will help your do-it-yourself projects look good all over the room.
DIY Retro Wall Art And Decor
Walls have a big impact on how a room feels, and making your old wall art is an easy way to add a touch of the past right away.
- Geometric Wall Murals: To make a geometric pattern on a feature wall that looks like it came from the 1970s, use painter’s tape and bright colors. Think of squares, rounds, triangles, and other shapes in different colors.
- Upcycled Thrift Store Finds: Use spray paint in bright colors to change the look of old picture frames or wooden panels. For a more realistic look, add old prints or lettering inside.
- DIY Neon Signs: You can make words or shapes that look like neon signs from the 1980s with flexible LED neon strips. These are great for a home bar or game room.
Handmade Retro Textiles And Upholstery
Fabrics can make a room feel nostalgic right away. Textiles, like pillows, chairs, and curtains, are a great way to add retro style to any room.
- Cushion Covers: To make cushion covers, use fabric with retro patterns from the 1970s and 1980s, like big flower prints.
- Reupholstery: Transform an antique chair with vintage-inspired fabric. Adding some bright fabric to a simple wooden stool can make it look very different.
- Macramé Wall Hangings: A macramé wall hanging made from natural fiber rope will give you a hippie vibe from the 1970s. These make any room feel warmer and more interesting.
Vintage-inspired Furniture Makeovers
To get that retro look, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on mid-century modern furniture. Just update what you already have.
- Paint and Distress Furniture: Sand down antique dressers, coffee tables, or cabinets and refinish them in classic vintage colors like mustard yellow, avocado green, or pastel pink. A little weathering can make something look really old.
- Decal and Stenciling: Cover furniture with patterns or drawings that look like they were made in the past. A bold atomic starburst pattern can change the look of a plain nightstand.
- Repurposing Storage Solutions: You can turn old bags into unique storage units or stack them to make a cool side table. You can paint crates and use them as open shelves, too.
DIY Retro Lighting Projects
Lighting is an important part of making a warm and romantic atmosphere. You can make your lighting look old, whether you like the drama of a hanging lamp from the 1970s or the charm of a mid-century modern table lamp.
- DIY Lava Lamp: To make a simple lava lamp at home, put water, oil, and a fizzy pill in a tall glass jar.
- Lampshades Remodeling: Put fabric with bright retro prints like polka dots, abstract shapes, or tropical patterns over plain lamp shades.
- Sputnik Chandelier: Make a sputnik-style chandelier by joining metallic rods and miniature lamps to a central base, perfect for a mid-century contemporary living space.
Kitchen And Dining DIY Retro Accents
You can add small but noticeable retro touches to your kitchen and eating room to give it a retro look.
- Hand-Painted Plates and Mugs: To add retro designs to simple dishes, like atomic boomerangs or 80s squiggles, use clay paints.
- DIY Retro Bar Cart: Spray paint an old cart a bright color like blue or cherry red, and then put vintage-style glasses and drink shakers on it.
- Checkered or flower Tablecloths: You can sew or upcycle fabric into a classic retro tablecloth. For a 1950s diner look, use black-and-white checkered fabric, and for a cozy 1970s feel, use flower fabric.
Retro-inspired Accessories And Final Touches
When you want to get a real old vibe, the little things can make all the difference.
- Vinyl Record Clocks: Put a clock device in the middle of an old vinyl record to make a unique wall clock.
- DIY Coasters: Cut cork boards into fun shapes and paint them with bright colors to make coasters with a retro theme.
- Personalized Photo Frames: Paint old frames bright colors and put black-and-white photos or old prints inside to make them more personal.
Tips For Mixing Diy Retro Crafts With Modern Decor
If you don’t want your room to feel like a museum, you should mix old and modern elements.
- Mix with Modern Furniture: A retro coffee table looks great with a sleek modern sofa, keeping the room from looking old.
- Mix Textures and Materials: For visual contrast, mix shiny old styles with matte modern ones.
- Limit Statement Pieces: Use big, retro crafts as highlights instead of taking over the whole room. This will keep the room looking classic and stylish.
