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How To Recreate the Look of your Favorite Era

Decor through the Decades

Design trends have come and gone, but there is still design inspiration we can glean from years past. Take a look through the decades to see how décor styles have evolved into the modern kitchen and bathrooms of today.

1930s

America was entering the Great Depression, and while the country’s economy was sinking, Art Deco design was giving homemakers hope by becoming more accessible to the middle class. This décor style featured polished lines, geometric patterns, metallic tones… and let mom know it was okay to have some fun with color – even in the bathroom.

If the style modern movement speaks to you, incorporate bold designs, vibrant colors and organic forms. A perfect fit is the Doux bathroom suite. Available in a variety of finishes, this collection is the ideal addition to any bath interior, as it redefines modern in the language of great design, plus features perfectly matching accessories for a cohesive look throughout the space.

An example of a bathroom designed in the 1930s

1940s

As the popularity of television sets increased, Hollywood glamour became a big style inspiration.  In the late 1940s, décor went from down-to-earth to over-the-top lavish, like the sets of movies featuring starlets Rita Hayworth and Ingrid Bergman, and homes began incorporating more lush furniture and bold colors with shiny silver, gold and copper accents.

To bring Hollywood Regency to your space, incorporate a dramatic color palette of black and white with luxe metallic touches and elegant finishes. This glamorous style focuses on making the home a showpiece for guests, so think Louis IV chairs and velvet drapes in the living room, and lacquered credenzas and tufted headboards in the bedroom. Create a focal point in the bath with a free-standing soaker tub and a tub filler that screams extravagance, like those in the Voss collection.

An example of a bathroom designed in the 1940s

1950s

The 1950s marked an era that embraced the charm and fulfillment of the American Dream – think ‘Leave it to Beaver’ and ‘I Love Lucy.’  According to Houzz, the hues of the 1950s epitomized the optimism of the decade and included mint green, turquoise, pale pink and creamy yellow – in both the home and the car.


To replicate this retro vibe in your own kitchen, ditch the traditional backsplash for colorful wall tiles in tones like dusty rose or baby blue. For a contemporary take on a vintage style, add fixtures with clean lines and a modern feel like the Sombra kitchen faucet, linoleum-like cabinetry and color-contrasting appliances. 

An example of a bathroom designed in the 1950s

1960s & 1970s

Common elements of the "Mad Men" era included bold geometric patterns, in both upholstery and wall coverings, along with cut-velvet fabrics and modular furniture. Animal prints were often paired with rich, deep, psychedelic colors from this decade like acid orange, olive green, and neon pink.
An example of a bathroom designed in the 1960s and 1970s

1980s

In addition to the modernist and abstract style that began to take shape during this decade, there also was a preppy side to the 1980s. Laura Ashley popularized floral motifs, and the world saw a turn towards pastels, chintz and cottage-inspired décor.

Recreate this English-country aesthetic by incorporating soft hues, like greys and pale blues or pinks, open shelving and charming antiques. Slipcovered furniture, printed rugs, and a modern farmhouse faucet, like the Weymouth pulldown kitchen faucet, will complete the look.

An example of a bathroom designed in the 1980s

Today's Home

Fast forward to today, where decade-old design elements and materials that were once the height of fashion have reemerged in new and innovative ways. When it comes to decorating, wallpaper and geometric shapes are coming back to make a statement, while mixing metals also is growing in popularity.

For those ready to ditch matchy-matchy fixtures and appliances, look no further than the Nio pulldown kitchen faucet that will help you easily embrace the mixed metals trend. Each faucet comes assembled with a handle in its respective finish, and also includes an alternate handle in a secondary finish option so you can simply replace and enjoy an elevated design.  

An example of a modern bathroom design

When taking a look back at décor trends and innovations from the past, it’s interesting to see how they have shaped our current style, even in subtle ways. Who knows, maybe our idea of contemporary today, will be a future generation’s idea of traditional.

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