Interior Study: The 90s Are Back!
Nostalgia is always running rampant. It’s why the 1990s are the flavor of the moment right now. Which, honestly, can feel a little bit weird sometimes. It feels like I literally just lived them. But I guess that is the cool thing about being nostalgic and looking back, you look at things differently and appreciate things you probably didn’t before. Nevertheless, the 90s have been driving a whole bunch of trends lately - including interior design. Seems a bit weird but many of the 90s principles are the ones we could really use right now - especially the little bit of optimism that came with the 90s and the prospect of the future. I’ve seen a ton lately about 90s interior design and how many of the things that I never noticed really are back in a big way. You know like wood panelling on walls just reinterpreted. I think a lot of the ideas can be made cool again, but just like with everything it really comes down to personal preference. However, if you’re wanting to embrace the 90s in 2023, I’ve chosen 3 of these trends that seem not only achievable but really have long-lasting appeal.
I’m more likely to grab a hot pink vase than I am to run and find some blow-up or crushed velvet chairs if you know what I mean.
BOLD + BRIGHT COLORS
Who doesn’t have a little bit of a soft spot for bright, bold colors? Just take a look at Barbiecore. What’s not fun about that? The 90s trend of bold and bright, to me, seems like a hangover from the 80s. Everything from the late 80s and early 90s screamed excess. I literally remember wearing bright neon earrings and clothes constantly. Much of this trend was influenced by pop culture making it playful, eclectic, and exciting. This trend encourages playing with proportions, geometric shapes, plastics, and mirrors. The bigger and brighter the better. The same could be said for patterns. That one floral pattern anyone? This trend wants you to be bold. Embrace the patterns, iridescent pieces, metallics, and neons as much as you possibly can. I personally love a neon - yes even as an adult - so I really don’t think less is more for this trend. If you choose the right pieces, you’ll be making a trendy statement you won’t tire of quickly! There are plenty of ways that don’t border on cheesy.
NATURAL MATERIALS + EARTH TONES
I feel like this one really is not a surprise. The return to more natural materials and Earth tones has been a home design trend for a hot minute now. While now it comes from a sustainability and mood angle, in the 90s, for many, it was about getting back to what was natural. For a lot of people, the 90s was a time to scale back and just get more down to Earth. A lot of popular 90s design elements weren’t afraid to add personality, depth, and warmth the way of organic colors, textures, and materials. Travertine and volcanic rock are two that come to mind for me. I personally think back to just how much wood paneling was used on walls - kind of how shiplap was the lay of the land for a while. It just made things feel more warm, more comfortable, and more inviting. Now we are more about bright, open spaces, but there are plenty of simple ways to explore shapes and add these materials where you see fit.
MID-CENTURY MODERN VS ART DECO
Much of the late 90s trends were based on the future. What felt futuristic or evoked the vibes of the upcoming millennium. Think the visible tech and colorful home phones and Apple computers. Even inflatable furniture somehow felt futuristic and fun. But as with many trends, the cycles came back around and there was a big resurgence in mid-century modern design. Something I deeply love and appreciate myself. Probably because, growing up in the late 90s, I was exposed to my grandparents and great grandparents “vintage” pieces which they continued to use, love, and care for. They had an incredible combination of past and present. Art deco was almost complimentary in style as it embraced a more abstract view of technology and design back from a time where the world was changing so quickly. Futurism and decadence were the mood of the moment. These two design styles never really went anywhere if you were drawn to them, however, with more people embracing the 90s vibe, they are hitting the forefront once again.
