These '80s Home Décor Trends Are Back—Here's How to Try Them in Your Space (2024)

Clustercore Is Trending—and It's the Perfect Decorating Style for Collectors

Preppy, Luxe Maximalism

Dramatically swagged curtains, prints galore, power reds, layers of Laura Ashley florals, and plenty of ornamentation were fixtures of '80s decor—and William Georgis of Georgis & Mirgorodsky, a New York-based architecture and interior design firm, is all in. He incorporated all of these maximalist details (with an '80s spin) when designing this richly patterned '80s-style living room, which references decade-defining details with a global, on-trend touch. "It's over-the-top decorating, that's for sure," says Georgis.

Ruffles

At her beloved Brooklyn shop The Six Bells, style arbiter Audrey Gelman is selling the kind of '80s decor that furnished many homes in that era, including farmhouse animal motifs, spongeware pottery, ruffled pillows, and baskets galore. "I'm an '80s baby and there's something about '80s country that makes me feel safe and at home," says Gelman whose childhood bedroom was wall-to-wall Laura Ashley.

Want to bring instant '80s style into your space? Gelman recommends bringing in ruffles. "There's a ruffle revival happening, and you're seeing it show up in throw pillows, trays, pots, and candlesticks at The Six Bells," says Gelman. To avoid leaning too hard into a country time capsule, Gelman recommends moderation. "Because so much of '80s country is pattern-based, I recommend mixing maximalist prints with more muted solids," she says.

Mauve Paint

Not your mother's mauve, today's shade is edgy, cool, and looks great combined with sugary pinks and tropical prints; it offers a fresh spin on '80s style. New Jersey-based interior designer Christina Kim is a big fan of the color and sprinkled it throughout this landing at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Dallas. "I wanted to use mauve in a fresh romantic way, but I secretly love how inextricably tied to the '80s it is," she says. "Mauve had become a sort of 'forbidden color.'" And of course, anything forbidden? Well, it's just more fun.

Black-and-White Accessories

New wave black-and-white stripes, grids, and zebra prints are all a shorthand way to reference the '80s. "The use of any graphic patterns or color combinations, especially black and white, is iconic of the '80s" says Jean Liu, a Dallas-based interior designer. Liu used graphic black-and-white touches in this rug and a rope sculpture from Mexico City-based artist Emma Boomkamp in this dramatic foyer.

Looking for an easy way to make black and white look new? Instead of using fabrics, try incorporating more artwork to tell that color story.

Abstract and Circular Forms

The 1980s were all about playful graphic touches, from lightning bolts to squiggles. Liu recommends bringing in these iconic shapes to strike the right '80s note."Give a nod to the '80s by incorporating circular and abstract shapes into a space, whether through furniture, lighting, or accessories," says Liu.

This cozy but stylish entry nook blends rounded corners and graphic forms on the rug and includes a statement light fixture, table, and chair to emphasize whimsical, graphic shapes in a subtle, tasteful way. "It projected just the '80s nod we wanted," says Liu.

Brass and Glass Pieces

"Brass accents are another hallmark of the '80s," says Liu. And when you combine brass with glass? You've got '80s gold. Carmack says this duo is a big one for his customers. "Lotus lamps are my number one most sought-after item," he says. "Everybody seems to want a glass garden (as I call it!) which really adds to the old Hollywood Regency vibes."

Curvy Furniture

When paired with a brass and glass coffee table and sumptuous curtains, a serpentine lilac couch from New York City design firm Project AZ is all in on the 1980s. "I added curved elements to soften the overall ambience," says Ahmad AbouZanat, Project AZ's designer.

Fluted Details and Blush-and-Brown Colorways

AbouZanat referenced '80s décor in many ways when designing this luxurious Dallas bathroom. It all started with the striking fluted vanity. "I wanted the vanity to be the showstopper in this smaller bathroom," he says. He supplemented this dramatic detail with an '80s patterned wall covering (another classic feature of this decade). The harmonious color scheme of soft browns and blush makes all that pattern evoke the era—without feeling too throwback.

Veined Marble

Greek and Roman classical features had a redo in the '80s with designers putting a new spin on columns, draping, and marble. "The '80s were an interesting time—people were returning to look at history," says Georgis.

As for modern interpretations of this '80s décor trend? Designers are using black, green, and burgundy-veined marble for a classical look with a more dramatic and modern point of view.

Memphis Group Style

The Italian Memphis Group design movement (1981-1988) founded by architect Ettore Sottsass was a response to '60s and '70s minimalism. It was loud and fun and predicated on bright colors and whimsical triangular and rounded forms. Designers are still drawing from this iconic '80s look—but with a more pared-back palette, as in this room with more muted golds and blues from Project AZ.

You can get the Memphis look by leaning into color in small doses—and accessories are a great place to start. "Maybe there's a small objet in a Yves Klein blue or fluorescent yellow you can incorporate on a bookshelf," says Kim. "Or a Memphis-style desk lamp."