Home furnishing trends, colors and styles come and go with amazing speed, making it a challenge for even the most dedicated homeowner to keep track of what is “in” and “out” at any given moment. The need or desire to remain current can be time-consuming and expensive.
The terms classic and timeless referencing design and architecture are vague and hard to pin down, and they are often overused. Presently, the popularity of vintage style — referencing the past with a few tweaks — is one answer to the struggle to harmonize old and new concepts.
A quick glance at any recent home decor magazine reveals influences from the past, whether in the form of antiques such as grandfather clocks, armoires (large cupboards used before built-in closets) or Hoosier cabinets, which stored flour and sugar in kitchens before cabinets were commonplace and standardized.
Attempting to define “vintage” is a bit complicated, as its stem, “vinter,” (Anglo-French) in combination with “age,” dates back to the late Middle Ages and references wine. Merriam-Webster, like most other dictionaries, offers several definitions of the adjective vintage, among them “of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality” and “dating from the past.” Cambridge Dictionary states that “to be called vintage, the piece should strongly reflect styles and trends associated with that era.”
So, vintage design is influenced by the past, and according to Britannica Chatbot, it evokes feelings of nostalgia and celebrates the cultural heritage of bygone times. But in the past two decades, the term vintage has been “thoroughly diluted and deconstructed,” argues Shutterstock, and it “suffers from overuse in popular culture.” Often, the term can describe any type of product or design that references older styles.
In today’s understanding of vintage style, five basic historical periods are seen most frequently.
[Tips for Buying Secondhand Furniture]
1. Art Deco
Originating in France in the 1920s and developing through the 1930s, Art Deco has had a profound influence on design with its fluid use of curving lines based on nature. Art Deco is short for the French phrase “arts décoratifs” (decorative arts), first seen in Paris in 1910, just before World War I, and it blossomed in both the United States and Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. Fashion, jewelry, furniture and interiors were heavily influenced by Art Deco, and it continues to inspire present design. New York City’s Chrysler Building is a stellar example of Art Deco architecture.
2. Hollywood Regency
Next up in the historic lineup of vintage styles is Hollywood Regency, a lesser-known style from California. Inspired by — what else? — Hollywood, the motifs emphasized glitz, glamour and sophistication. The Spruce defines this period as “glam, flashy, and unapologetically maximalist.” Born in the Golden Age of cinema in the 1930s, it was an updated take on the styles of the 19th century Regency Era, sometimes termed Regency Moderne. This style and period coincided with Art Deco, representing its antithesis, and featured mirrors, animal prints, exotic jungle florals and overpowering crystal chandeliers. Its influence is still felt today in apartment building lobbies with black and white checkerboard floors, whether marble, ceramic tile or composite flooring. High gloss and lacquered finished were present in walls, ceilings and furniture.
[Are Retro Bathrooms Back in Style?]
3. Midcentury Modern
Midcentury modern, also known as “retro” design of the 1950s, began in 1945 and was popular through the 1970s, with a resurgence as the new millennium began. Not really a style, but rather an era in design, post-World War II materials used in the war effort, such as glass, plastic, and aluminum, were now available for use in architecture and manufacturing of home goods. The focus was on inexpensive, modern, forward-looking design. Flat, abstract shapes, like the famous “Boomerang Pattern,” originally named “Skylark” by its originator, Raymond Loewy, in 1954, are emblematic of this style. This laminate was seen everywhere during this period and was reintroduced by Formica Corp. in four postmodern colors for its 75th anniversary in 1988.
4. The Natural Movement
The 1970s brought environmentalism into the world of design with the natural movement. Natural materials, stone, wood and fur were used throughout the home. During the energy crisis or “Oil Shock of 1973-74,” the result of an oil embargo triggered by oil producing nations, warm earth tones predominated in carpeting, paint, tile and fabrics. Ceilings of living rooms and family rooms featured beams made of rough-hewn timber, wood stoves were back in vogue to keep warm and kitchens expanded in size to become cozy gathering places for families.
[READ: The Value of Outdoor Space]
5. Farmhouse Style
Presently, farmhouse style, incorporating all the vintage and antique furniture, materials and accents that were commonplace in the late 1900s, is the latest in vintage style. Despite the fast pace of life, the advanced technology of computers and appliances, and the use of solar panels; front porches, complete with hanging plants and rocking chairs, are en vogue. Television celebrities such as Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” have spearheaded this design style and promoted it relentlessly on television and in retail outlets. Clearly, the use of design motifs, colors, styles and materials from the heartland of America’s early days has brought us full circle.
The Comforts of Living in the Past
Designing one’s home based on the past will assure it a place in the future. The desire to update our homes may be driven by our need to embrace the new and redefine ourselves to feel better and distract ourselves from larger life issues.
Decorating our homes makes us feel like we have control over our environment and, in turn, our lives. Living in a home that is influenced by the past can be comforting, familiar, and reassuring in a world filled with uncertainty.
More from U.S. News
What to Know About Brutalism: 2024’s Hot New Trend
What’s Your Home Decorating Style? How to Find It and Use It
6 Low-Cost Ways to Decorate Your Home for Fall
Vintage Decor Is Making A Comeback originally appeared on usnews.com
