The Comeback Kings of 80s Design.

Although the 80s are now known as the epitome of human culture when it comes to bad taste in interior design, some of the trends the decade established are still in full force. Fortunately, you don't have to be a washed-out power player to appreciate them, especially since they've matured very nicely with time and have a more level-headed perspective. Here are some of the major 1980s design tragedies that have been reborn for the better during the past few years.

Astroturf 
Although Astroturf was originally limited to playing fields; it somehow migrated to patios and decks in the 1980s. Presumably, someone thought it would be fun to take hallucinogens and walk around in the grass outside; only they couldn't be bothered to make it down to the hotel lobby when room service was already bringing them their munchies, and so a trend was born. With me?

Fortunately, the idea caught on in a way that everyone could enjoy later on. Now, AstroTurf is being used sparingly in areas of high-end clubs, bars and even fancy condos to improve the way they feel to their residents. This was never really a bad idea per se, but like almost all interior design in the 1980s, it didn't fit with anything else around it and was carried to excess.

Image courtesy of mackenzieeeee/flickr.com

Art Deco Geometry 
The Art Deco movement originally arose in the 1920s, and it resulted in major establishments like New York City's Chrysler Building as well as Sydney's own ANZAC War Memorial and Grace Building. Unfortunately, the 1980s Art Deco revival took these time-honoured, eclectic traditions and replicated their luxury and grandiose Machine Age forms in burnt-out neons, random patterns, skewed furniture and crazy mirror arrangements that would look fine if not for everything else around them. For a taste of how the trend got carried to the extreme, take a look at some of these images.

The appeal of the Art Deco movement comes and goes, but it never really dies because it can be quite attractive when executed correctly. Modern homes just incorporate it more sparingly, ensuring that they can still create a sense of harmony instead of a jagged series of clashing angles and blinding colours.

Accent Walls
Off-coloured walls were an offshoot of the Art Deco movement in some respects. Painting one wall a different shade than the rest changes the way light spreads through a room. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work well with the jumbled designs common to the 80s.

Modern accent walls are usually better arranged than their predecessors. Even though they often use stronger colours than their surroundings, they're careful not to overdo it. By keeping some distance between accent walls and other multi-coloured decor, one can drastically improve the sense of space.

Wallpaper 
While wallpaper has been around for hundreds of years, its potential for evil culminated with the examples found in so many different 1980s homes and apartments. The wrong wall coverings can make homes feel small and constricted, not to mention absolutely nauseate people with their repetitive patterns.

The main reason that the wallpapering trend didn't die out after such heavy abuse is that people realised that they could use it in moderation. Wallpaper can make spaces look way more interesting when it actually matches other elements in the room without overwhelming them.

Vinyl Flooring 
Finally, the 1980s revealed that daggy combinations weren't limited to the walls, furniture and fake plastic plants that seemed to pop up everywhere. People even let their craze for over-designing extend to their floors, where they combined vinyl with parquet flooring and dull faux tiles before eventually succumbing to the dark lure of wall-to-wall carpeting.

Modern design flooring on the other hand, retains its popularity by combining its durability with more rustic aesthetics. Unlike the floors of the past, it doesn't waver between the synthetic and the natural because manufacturing techniques have drastically improved. It's a perfect example of how choosing a design theme and sticking to it is a great way to make any material work for your home.