The 1990’s era was all about pop and grunge music, fashionable high-waisted rip jeans, Michael Jackson and Matrix, dial-up internet and Michael Jordan. While we know what were the trending fads of fashion, music and sports, ever wondered what the top trends in furniture and home decor were?
We’ve compiled 7 Decor Trends of the 1990s, a decade that was such a massive part of our childhood and which we still remember with much longing.
1. Wooden Cabinets
In the ’90s, there were no modular kitchens, much less the variety of options in design and colour that are available today. How many of us can forget thick and large wood cabinets that dotted the cooking space, though? Whether painted or left to showcase their grain, these cabinets gave kitchens a warm cosy feel and complemented the standard brick-walled kitchen counters perfectly.
2. Antique Look
Trendy hanging lights, discrete seating, modern furniture and sleek furnishings of today have initially been nothing but elaborate chandeliers, sizeable wooden furniture, square industry-style washbasins and sizeable open storage shelves. The emphasis was more on the functional and homes previously carried much of the furniture and decor that was passed down through families.
3. Wooden Beams
If there was one thing holding the house from falling apart, they were wood beams, displayed in all their glory all across the house. Beams of all sizes, sometimes haphazardly placed across ceilings came to represent sturdiness and kept children fascinated through the years.
4. Fearless Colour with Retro Inspired Interior
While colour is vibrant and perfectly matched today, the 90’s represented fearlessness in using colour across the home. Living rooms would go from mustard green to blue and pink all in one smooth flow, while furnishings and upholstery clashed with the colour schemes yet made everything look familiar.
5. Shabby Chic
The first use of the term ‘shabby chic‘ occurred in the ’90s when decor was a mix of cane and scratch painted furniture, including pretty floral and paisley patterns in the upholstery. The romantic feel that this induced still brings up plenty of nostalgic memories.
6. Jugaad
Decor today is all about getting everything together correctly, setting limits to a particular style. In that era, it was all about vintage and new sitting comfortably and complementing each other. Furniture was often handed down from relatives or bought off a second-hand flea store.
7. Minimalism Design
The people in the 90’s lived minimalism and mindfulness, today’s trending terms without the hype. Zen interiors were a beautiful calm mix of plants, sparse furniture and knick-knacks collected over decades. There was always room for character rather than coolness.
Although the 90’s decor had its charm, we see some trends come full circle today. Minimalism, urban chic and jugaad are more significant than ever, and the decor, which was such a massive part of our childhood remains just as vibrant even today.
