{"id":8180,"date":"2025-07-14T03:54:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T03:54:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/8180\/"},"modified":"2025-07-14T03:54:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T03:54:08","slug":"are-the-90s-the-next-big-thing-in-interior-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/8180\/","title":{"rendered":"Are the ’90s the Next Big Thing in Interior Design?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dial-up tones and frosted tips can stay in the time capsule, but the 1990\u2019s design DNA is making a comeback\u2014and it\u2019s suddenly everywhere. This time, though, it\u2019s better dressed.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s behind the comeback? In the \u201890s, interiors pivoted (or rebounded) from the gloss of the \u201880s\u2014the era of excess\u2014to the relaxed, eclectic, and personal: velvet beside rattan<\/a>, jewel tones flirting with pastels<\/a>, and oversized sofas<\/a> anchoring rooms that didn\u2019t mind a little chaos. \u201cIt was a decade where homes had heart, and that\u2019s what people are craving again now,\u201d says Lowri Allpress, owner of Jo Alexander Garden Furniture<\/a>. The quirky warmth feels fresh again, and designers are reviving the best parts (minus the lava lamps and inflatable furniture).<\/p>\n

Below, the greatest hits of \u201890s style and the modern moves to keep them looking sharp.<\/p>\n

Jewel Tones\"in<\/p>\n

The ’90s weren’t afraid of color<\/a>\u2014especially the rich, saturated kind that made rooms feel like jewelry boxes. “Deep, rich jewel tones are absolutely making a comeback, and I love using them to bring attention to a space,” says Isfira Jensen, CEO and Principal Designer of Jensen & Co. Interiors.<\/a> “I’ll often apply a bold color across a large surface in a room, like a wall or built-in cabinetry, then balance it with neutral colors in other areas to tone down the high impact.”<\/p>\n

Allpress remembers the era’s fearless approach: “Don’t be afraid of color. Aubergines, deep greens, burnt orange: those jewel-like tones were everywhere back then, and they still work beautifully when paired with more grounded, neutral backdrops.”<\/p>\n

Chunky Furniture<\/p>\n

The \u201890s rejected delicate, precious pieces in favor of substantial, comfortable furniture that made a statement. \u201cI\u2019m seeing a growing interest in the chunkier silhouettes from that era,\u201d designer Christopher Boutlier<\/a> tells us. \u201cDeep-seated sofas, oversized lounge chairs, and exaggerated forms are showing up again, but we\u2019re reworking them with better proportions and more thoughtful materials.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"familyPatrick BillerIn the family room of this Toronto home<\/a>, ELLE Decor A-List designer Montana Labelle opted for a vintage Tobias Scarpa sofa and a Frank Gehry chair for Knoll.Wallpaper Borders<\/p>\n

Perhaps no element screams \u201890s more than wallpaper<\/a> borders. \u201cI\u2019m loving the comeback of wallpaper borders, but in a much fresher, more creative way,\u201d says interior designer Melanie Bryant.<\/a> \u201cInstead of dated florals from the \u201890s, we\u2019re seeing bold trims like geometric patterns and unexpected colors used to frame doorways or accent walls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Boucl\u00e9 and Tactile Textures<\/p>\n

The \u201890s loved texture. \u201cTactile textiles such as boucl\u00e9, chenille, and chunky linen are also returning, especially on curvy furniture, adding warmth and texture to contemporary spaces,\u201d designer Lauren Conner<\/a> notes.<\/p>\n

Boutlier sees this as part of a broader shift toward more substantial, meaningful pieces: \u201cTry a sculptural chair. Something with curves and presence. Upholstered in a warm wool or boucl\u00e9, it becomes a statement without feeling nostalgic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"shaniqwaAmy ChinIn the dining area of this L.A. home<\/a>, a painting by Maia Ruth Lee hangs above a vintage pine Rainer Daumiller table and Swedish Ulferts M\u00f6bler chairs.Formica and Unexpected Materials<\/p>\n

The \u201890s were a time of material experimentation, and some surprising choices are making their way back into homes. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing a renewed interest in Formica\u2014but not the old-school versions,\u201d designer and co-founder of 18th Street Design Collective<\/a>, Niki Cheng tells us. \u201cClients are loving it in lamp shades, serving trays, and home accessories.\u201d Rather than overwhelming a room with retro elements, she suggests incorporating Formica through small, intentional applications.<\/p>\n

Conner notes other materials making a comeback: \u201cLight wood tones are back, as well, especially in Scandinavian-style furniture, stripped oak flooring, and minimalist bathroom vanities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE Decor, where she oversees the brand’s social media platforms, covers design trends and culture, and writes \u00a0the monthly ELLE Decoroscope column. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, art, and lifestyle.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dial-up tones and frosted tips can stay in the time capsule, but the 1990\u2019s design DNA is making…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8181,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[228,226,227,6837,8266,229,874,88,873,8265],"class_list":["post-8180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-content-type-default","tag-contentid-bb8bbf4e-ecd5-4af6-805a-8c233268dd10","tag-design","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-entertainment","tag-locale-us","tag-shorttitle-chunky-sofas-and-velvet-theyre-back"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8180"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8180\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}