It doesn’t seem all that long ago that the bright colors and modern furniture of the sixties were all the rage. But it’s now considered “retro.”
The sixties were a tumultuous decade with styles and trends changing radically following the assassination of President Kennedy. The hippie movement, characterized by psychedelic patterns, tie-dye fabric and the return to nature began to influence how we decorated our homes. If you are looking to recreate elements of this design in your home today you will want to introduce some of these ideas:
- Flower power was huge. We are not talking about the large cabbage roses found on your grandmother’s sofa; think whimsical and colorful flowers that appeared on wallpaper, fabrics, artwork, glassware and home accessories.
- Pastels were out and bright primary colors were in. Orange was very popular and could be found on cookware, linens, dishes, etc. Yellow and orange was also a popular color combination along with red, cobalt blue, shocking pink and lime green.
- The swirling designs of op-art began popping up everywhere. Mostly done in a black and white, these patterns were inspired by the psychedelic world of the hippie movement.
- Much like today’s green movement, a respect for nature began to take place and homes were filled with live plants.
- Handcrafted items replaced mass produced items.
- Overstuffed furniture was replaced with low slung and sleek couches and chairs.
- No self-respecting home was without the iconic lava lamp.
There are many similarities to the green movement of today and the anti-establishment movement of the sixties. Design ideas from that era work nicely with today’s environmentally friendly lifestyle and just might bring back some fond memories.