Home Design Trends Through the Decades

Just like fashion has shifted and changed over the years, so, too, have home design trends. From paisley-print sofas to deep shag rugs, there’s plenty to look back on as you strive to make your home more beautiful and welcoming in the new year. To pay homage to the industry of home design as a whole, here are the top home design trends throughout the decades.

The 1950s

The 1950s were a time of Formica, bright colors, and pastel wall paint. The home was the hub of family life, since so many people were newly reunited after wartime. The center of the Baby Boom, the 1950s home was a place of functionality, color, and social gatherings.

The 1960s

Contrary to the more buttoned-up decade before them, the 1960s sought to challenge “traditional” homes and make a statement about individuality through things like bright colors, mismatched patterns, psychedelic wallpaper, funky furniture (bean bag chairs are a prime example), and floral patterns. Revered among interior designers for their bold style choices, homeowners in the 1960s couldn’t and didn’t want to separate their home from their personality.

The 1970s

In the 1970s, things got a bit more buttoned-up again. While the psychedelic patterns still lurked in the background, people turned, en masse, to shag carpet, tweed sofas, wood walls, and earth tones. Rec rooms became the norm and mossy green appliances – from refrigerators to stoves – started popping up everywhere!

The 1980s

The 1980s saw a resurgence of color, like the 1960s, but slightly more subdued. While floral came back into vogue once more, it wasn’t as psychedelic as two decades prior. Colors tended toward pastels, and black became a popular accent and border color within the home. Appliances typically came in beige or tan, and family rooms became the focus of the household.

The 1990s

The 1990s were a decade of minimalism and open space began to become popular. Families gathered on sectional sofas and media rooms became the must-have in most households. Kitchens of this decade were large and expansive, with small trinkets and decorative items to showcase the inhabitants’ personalities and passions.

The 2000s

In the early 2000s, everything was beginning to become about technology. Screens became thinner, open space within the house became more important, and stainless steel appliances replaced chunkier, colored versions in the households of decades past. Technology also started to show up in nontraditional rooms: television screens in the kitchen and bathroom, for example.

Modern Home Design Trends

Today, design trends draw on many of the staples from these decades, although they’ve become sleeker and more elegant. While open space is still important, designers now punctuate it with natural elements like wood and metal. Retro pieces are popular in small amounts and patterns, florals, and colored appliances are often used to provide extra pop for a room.

The Future of Design

While the future of design remains to be seen, it’s safe to say that it will continue to draw inspiration from the places and spaces of times past.