RETRO FURNITURE is always a unique and attractive way to improve the look of your home or apartment. With so many options and price points, everyone from home owners to renters, and all budget sizes, can create a retro haven indoors or out. There is an increasing demand for retro-look furniture, and thankfully, manufacturers are trying to accommodate it.

IS IT RETRO, VINTAGE, MOD, RETRO MODERN, OR CONTEMPORARY? There are some distinct styles that go along with each of these names, but to a lot of people these words are interchangeable. In this article we will cover online stores that sell new furniture with a retro influence, as well as genuinely vintage furniture.

WHAT DECADE IS THIS STYLE? Correctly identifying the time period of the styles that you like can be difficult for the vintage newbie. One of our favorite books on retro decor and design- Living with Mid-Century Modern Style: Retro Modern- does a great job of summarizing the popular influences and styles of the 20s-60s: "The main influence on today’s Modern Retro look is the Modern Movement, which first emerged in the 1920s alongside another flowering of modern design ideas, Art Deco. Other styles were also popular in the interwar period, but today it tends to be only committed collectors with a specialized knowledge and a large budget who stray outside the realms of Art Deco and Modernism."

"The 1940s and 1950s are contrasting decades in terms of arts, architecture, and design. The first decade was dominated by war, austerity, and discomfort; the following was one of relative peace, and saw a move toward exuberance, color and the rediscovered pleasures of living. It is little wonder, therefore, that the Retro look of the 1950s is an extremely popular field of collecting today."

"Why is the 1960s such a confusing decade to pin down? Perhaps because it was a period of provocation, revolution, and extremes. The decade began quietly enough: postwar austerity was vanquished, the Western world seemed to be moving together in harmony, and Modernism was firmly established… This was a period of radical social change, and it showed, especially in the world of design. In Britain (which replaced America as the focus of hot, new design), the visual stimuli that created the images of Pop became an overriding concern. As a consequence, two-dimensional aspects came to the fore: bold and vibrant posters, graphics, wallpapers, textiles, and paint colors- coverings that swathed great areas in bewildering patterns and crazy perspectives."

Another book that we found to be incredibly helpful is Budget Living’s Home Cheap Home: A Room by Room Guide to Great Decorating. It doesn’t mention "retro" or "vintage" in the title or dust jacket, and yet nearly every page showcases amazing rooms full of vintage style. Better still: it includes invaluable tips and how-tos for decorating, which is kind of rare. If you feel lost on where to begin, check out this book!

Whether you are you looking for retro barware, outdoor furniture with a contemporary look, or just regular living room furniture with clean, retro style, we will show you the best sites and stores to buy from.

Retro lighting is an essential part to setting the right mood and accenting your new furniture to accentuate its best features. With a retro floor lamp in the corner, or a table top lamp the retro feel of the room will be more complete. Vintage and retro lighting is an easy wayto express the retro style you are looking for. Styles from the 50s,60s, and 70s were pretty out of this world and if you see those styles today you will definitely be transported to a time when there were a lot of style experimentations. Check out the extensive lighting and clock selections at Retro Onlineand Bellacor for some ideas.

Retro Bar sets are an easy staple of retro furniture that can turn any empty corner of your home into a brief jet back to the 1950s. With simple yet elegant retro bar sets, like the one pictured to the left, you can achieve that retro-vintage look with one purchase. What better way to achieve that retro bar look then with an authentic looking Diner Radio.

 

Last but not least are all the retro accessories and knick knacks that really bring home the full retro vintage feel that furniture alone can’t do. Here are some of our favorite retro inspired clocks, mirrors, fabrics and more.