time warp: decade of decadence!

Let’s Do the Time Warp!

We’re bringing back the Time Warp series today! keeping with our theme for this month, celebrating all things Emily June in June, we’re transporting you to Emily’s own decade: the 1980s!

After decades of sleek, mid-century modern styles in the 1950s and 1960s, design trends in the Eighties were arguably born out of the Memphis Design Group, an Italian collective of architects and designers that dreamed up wildly unique, postmodern ideas featuring geometric shapes and bright colors.

Traditional molds were broken and the unofficial motto of the 1980s became “the bigger, the better!” as the decade ushered in visual texture, bold colors, and statement pieces – including, perhaps most memorably, those gravity-defying hairstyles! Keep reading to learn more about popular design trends of the busy decade, followed by some curated links to help you subtly sneak a little Saved by the Bell style into your spaces!

meet memphis design

As we mentioned earlier, historians trace the radical styles of the 1980s back to the Memphis Design Group, whose work is now referred simply to as “Memphis Design.” Hailing from Milan, Italy, this collective aimed to create styles that rebelled against traditional and modern takes on design. Its hallmarks are geometric shapes such as triangles and circles, layered textures, thick stripes, and brash colors – together, creating an almost cartoonish aesthetic that certainly achieved its goal of shaking up the design world!

Photo by: @mrtmlv

confident colors

Bold neons and primary shades, airy pastels, and rich tones (hello, mauve and teal) are all hallmarks of the decade – needless to say, no color was out of the question! Black and whites were also popular, though typically utilized in stark, statement-making arrangements of chessboard squares or stripes, accented by a bright colors. Gone were the cool monochromes and neutrals of years past, instead replaced by rainbow-inspired palettes!

Photo by: mrtmlv

marvelous marbles and tiles

Marble, a luxe stone available in saturated, colorful shades of greens and blacks, was the material d’jour in the 1980’s! It was often pared with gold fixtures for an over-the-top look.

Tile was also very popular, as a sleek, geometric material that could be glazed in any color! Design trends utilized its versatile (pun intended) nature as the perfect medium for floors, walls, backsplashes, and counters.

Photo by: @architecture.philly

luxe finishes

In terms of more traditional metal finishes, shiny gold or chrome fixtures were all the rage in this decade! These finishes provided the perfect focal point against the equally attention-grabbing colors and patterns used in designs.

Also popular were powder-coated finishes, which like tile, could be color-matched to any of the pastel or bold color choices that were popular in this age of excess. Powder-coated metal beds and furniture were especially on-trend, meeting the Memphis Design ideas of merging minimalist materials with maximalist color and shape.

Photo by: @the_80s_interior

powerful patterns

Patterns took center stage in this decade, bolder and bigger than ever before! Gone were the diminutive ditzy prints and simpler patterns, instead replaced by florals and abstract or geometric shapes that wholly transported you to another place. Patterns could be found on window treatments, upholstery, floors, walls, furniture, and even ceilings!

Photo by: @mrtmlv

feeling Rad after reading about all of these trends? lucky for you, “80s core” is a thing – browse the links below to transform your space into a memphis design dream!