How to Go Retro in Your Home

By: Susan Sturm
Retro is back! You can see it in the cars, the fashion and even in the music today. Throw back styles and fads are making their way back around and no where is this more evident than in the home. Retro chic furniture and décor is becoming more and more popular and many pieces come with an updated or modern twist. Check out these quick and easy ways to add a little retro into your living space.

• Dine in retro style. The kitchen is one of the easiest places to get retro. There are a variety of dining set ups that can bring you right back to the good old days. For example, adding a pair of funky red patent leather bar stools to a counter can give it an instant retro facelift. There are also retro styled tables that beckon days gone by. Add to the table set some funky place settings and retro accoutrements and you’ve got yourself a retro kitchen. Aside from dining, you can add little retro touches to the kitchen such as a retro trashcan, wall art or lighting. All of these simple changes will transform your kitchen into a retro haven.
• Living retro in the living room. Another great space to make retro is the living room. There are incredible selections of retro and modern style sofas that give you the period look. Such furniture pieces as brown leather sofas with squared arms or modular armchairs with smooth corners will transform your living room into a stylish retro den. There are even updated TV stands to house the new flat screen TVs while maintaining a sleek retro look. Going retro in the living room has never been easier.
• Retro decorative touches. If big ticket purchases are not in your budget, it is easy to add smaller decorative touches to get the retro look you crave. Some of these touches can even be do-it-yourself projects that you can be proud to display in your home. For example, go to the local record store and buy some old albums, find frames to fit the covers and you have instant retro wall art. Grouped together or alone, album covers are a great way to show your taste in music and in retro! Another simple touch is switching some electronics to retro style alternatives. There are a multitude of retro styled clocks, radios, lights and lamps and phones. Changing these few pieces can change the feel of your home to be totally retro and fun.
• Light it up retro. One of the major impact areas for going retro in the home is in your lighting. Switching out traditional lighting fixtures for funky retro lighting can change the entire look and feel of a room. There are so many colorful lighting options to get the retro look from track lighting to lamps to chandeliers. It’s easy to get just the look you are going for. There are also great novelty lighting choices that can show your humor and your style at the same time.

With retro back big time, it is easy to change a few little things in the home and get just the retro look you want. There are options for every room and for every budget to add some flair and style to your living space.
About the Author
Susan Sturm is a writer from Long Island, NY. She works for a Long Island web marketing company called Verse. Susan enjoys reading, traveling and shopping for great vintage clothes.

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Secrets To Accessorizing The Retro Home

To give your Retro home decorating theme a well thought out design style, you want to add a few decorative accessories. Think about using fun retro pieces that enhance the fun and funky ambiance of yesteryear. Adding accessories like wall art, knick-knacks and pillows can help compliment your retro décor.

Wall art is an important element in any interior design, but your room will only look sharp if you situate it the right way. When hanging individual pieces, display the center of the piece at eye level as the focal point. If you have a number of prints to place on one wall, work out the design on the floor first to select the right arrangement. The Retro home decorating theme can be complimented with atomic clocks and artwork which you should plan to put here and there.

Another decorative accessory you can employ to add flair to your decorating scheme is decorative pillows. You can have a use for pillows in every room even the kitchen and bathroom. Piling them up in rows at your headboard can serve to provide a professional appeal to your bedroom. In the kitchen or bathroom, a pillow used strategically on a chair or hamper should add a charming touch. To insert a Retro decorating look to your family room or den, adding pillows to your sofa or chair can really work wonderful. Add unique charm to your decor with pillows that use pop art or retro fabric.

No matter what your design style is, you can add a bit of appeal to your room décor with knick knacks. To round out your Retro decorating, you should purchase pieces that have a fun and funky appeal. Adding vintage knick knacksw on shelves can provide you with a smart look and so can a mod donut phone from the '70's in easy view. Take the time to purchase unique pieces which really display your personality. If you don't have lots of cash, you might want to try looking at the local flea markets and garage sales where you can often find fascinating items for little money.

Some accessories which can help add to the ambiance of yesteryear include atomic items from the 50's, Dansk wooden accents, and op art pieces. You ought to choose pieces which coordinate with your overall room design. If you choose pieces that are too different, then you could end up confusing the feeling you are striving to get.

Adding vintage pieces to your Retro home decorating theme will really help the room shine. Before you go shopping, it's a good idea to figure out the styles, and types of accessories you need so that you don't buy items that won't fit. You should be sure also to acquire items in the best sizes as well as proportions. Select your decorative pieces with care and your interior design style is guaranteed to look terrific!

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Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.decorcharm.com where you can learn more about decorating styles and get more information on Retro home decorating style.