Retro and Vintage Furniture Trends | Home Improvement Magazine

When it comes to furniture, what is old is new again. At least that is what retailers of retro and vintage furniture would have you believe. Well, there is much truth in this as customers have picked up on the trend. The furniture of our youth, even our grandparents? youth is back in style. Not everything is hot, then again that may not matter as nearly anything that is old is being embraced to some degree.

1. Card files. Industrial or office look furniture is desirable as its utilitarian look is unusual and can be painted, varnished and repurposed with ease. Do you remember the Dewey card-file catalogs that graced libraries for generations? Most of those are gone with some picked up by collectors and reused as storage units. A larger version of the Dewey system are Jorma chest of drawers, holding more room per drawer without taking up a larger footprint.

2. Stu trolley. Speaking of timeless industrial furniture, do you remember the Stu trolleys that were used to move mail and supplies between offices? Well, they?re back and they have a new purpose. Several purposes, actually. You can use these trolleys to hold your computer equipment or for bringing laundry from bathroom and bedroom to the laundry room in back. Cast iron wheels and a sturdy metal frame define these units which can also store vegetables, house your cocktails or be placed in your garage for car repair duty.

3. Glass and metal. If you look at movies and television shows from the 1960s and 1970s, then you know that many of the furniture styles of that era were simply groovy and absolutely far out. Lots of glass and metals were used, to create a then modern look. Those styles quickly were out by the 1980s and ignored for the past three decades. Well, the styling has come full circle with furniture shoppers demanding a look that is at once retro as it is useful. Glass table tops make a small room appear larger while metal headboards can be spray-painted an assortment of colors to enhance visual appeal. Most styles are very relaxing and even elegant, a conversation piece for most any 21st century room.

4. Patterns galore. Color. Geometry. Stripes. Arithmetic. Symmetry. What are we getting at here? Making use of vintage and retro patterns that can add visual interest to most any room. The patterns are electric, the colors are bright and the possibilities here are endless. Various geometric shapes in wall art and sculptures can give any room a fresh look. Those shapes are added to furniture shaped like triangles, rhomboids, hexagons and trapezoids and paired with curved furniture that is circular, oval and elliptical for a truly retro look. Make use of geometry to lay out your rooms, measuring from point to point including the length, width and height of every piece utilized.

Vintage and retro furniture can be purchased as is or bought from a retailer that specializes in period furniture. Some units are the original while others are careful construction based on blueprints, with both delivering a look that is timeless, elegant and appealing. Mix and match the way you want and keep an eye out for black, white and neutral colors to contrast your more vivid finds.

Author Information

Retrojan?is Australia?s premier online furniture retailer who loves to take inspiration from legendary styles of the past, and produce their own modern take.They specialise in retro, vintage and?industrial furniture.

Source: http://www.letsrenovate.com/home-improvement-magazine/2012/11/22/retro-and-vintage-furniture-trends/

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