How To Achieve A Retro Style Living Room

Get a blast of interior design inspiration from the past with our retro style living room ideas, perfect for adding some unique charm to your space.

Want to give your home some fun personality, but not sure where to start? One option is adding some retro charm to your living room. That could mean taking inspiration from elegant Mid-Century Modern furniture or bold, funky colours and patterns that bring the 60s and 70s to mind.

The best part of embracing retro interior design is that you can use as much or as little as you like. A touch of retro style, like a particular rug or armchair, can work as an intriguing focal point in an otherwise modern space. On the other hand, you could go all-out retro and co-ordinate your throwback furniture for an instantly charming space that will always have that warm, nostalgic feel to it.

Colour

When you’re creating a retro-inspired aesthetic, there’s not really just one colour palette to choose from. It all depends on which specific era you’re getting your inspiration from. That could be the sophisticated, earthy shades of a Mid-Century Modern look or the rich reds, yellows and greens of a 70s interior.

You don’t have to cover all your walls and floors with your chosen retro colour scheme, either. While there’s nothing wrong with going all out, you can also add just a little bit of retro magic to your interior design by co-ordinating your furniture or decor colour choices. Filling a sideboard or bookshelf with warm, red decor pieces can have just as much of a striking effect as a painted accent wall!

Furniture

Shelving & Storage

A retro bookshelf is the perfect addition to your living room - not only can you fill the shelves with all your favourite books and decor, but one like the Taunton Bookcase has rattan doors over some extra storage. As well as that additional space for anything you want to store out of sight, the natural rattan material is perfect for creating a relaxed Boho, 60s-inspired style.

If you’re not quite feeling a rattan bookshelf, or you want another piece to coordinate with it, then you could consider an option like the Taunton Sideboard. The black wood contrasts with the rattan material for a bold Boho-Chic look - just a little more refined than 60s Boho. It’s practical too, with plenty of space to tidy away clutter.

Boucle furniture is perfect for a cosy, retro statement piece, especially in sleek ivory white. The Lilly Boucle Ottoman is an elegant choice that immediately uplifts your living room’s aesthetic, and also gives you some handy storage space. Refined and incredibly soft to the touch, it’s the perfect blend of classy and retro style.

If you need a versatile sideboard that can give off both modern and retro vibes, then you might want to check out a solid wood option like the Oslo Sideboard. You can use its sleek design to create a stunning Mid-Century Modern aesthetic, but it also fits with contemporary styles. Pair it with light wood floors and airy, neutral walls for a look that has a little bit of a retro feel and a sophisticated edge.

For a different take on rattan-fronted storage, the Grace Sideboard is a warm, elegant option. The curved rattan-fronted doors mean that you’ve got retro style on full display in your living room, and you can easily add some similarly nostalgic decor to the top of the sideboard. An ornate mirror is an excellent addition for the wall above it, especially if you match up the rich wood material or go for something that mimics rattan’s distinctive look.

TV Units

By choosing a retro TV unit, you can easily make nostalgic style a focal point in your living room. The Oslo TV Unit has a clean, Scandinavian inspired look that can handle both modern and retro interiors: versatile and stylish! Mid-Century Modern designs cross over with Scandinavian style quite a bit, so the curved corners and solid wood look of this TV unit can lean into either look.

Continue the rattan coordination in your living room with a TV unit featuring rattan-fronted doors, like the Taunton TV Unit. It also works as a standalone piece, perfect for if you just want a pop of retro style. Its open shelving is ideal for some retro decor, and also works as a little bit of extra book storage, in case your bookcase is already overflowing!

Make sure that your living room’s retro aesthetic has a strong anchor point, such as this Ribble Oval TV Unit. From the oak wood look to the ball feet - and definitely not forgetting the simple, geometric shaping on the front - this TV unit is a strong, bold retro feature, ideal for Mid-Century Modern inspired interior design.

Console & Coffee Tables

Whether you’re adding to your collection of Oslo living room furniture or just looking for one standout piece, the Oslo Coffee Table is a solid choice. It has both an open shelf and a large drawer for storage, and the clean, Scandinavian inspired look has just the right balance of retro charm and timeless style.

Sleek, dark and unmistakably retro, this Taunton Coffee Table brings some quiet sophistication to your living room. It would pair with other pieces from the Taunton range in black to build up a bold retro aesthetic with the rattan material as a strong accent. Add in a woven jute rug to complement the natural rattan.

Get that balance between modern minimalism and retro charm with the Ribble Oval Console Table. A console table can be a more versatile option than a coffee table, as they’re slim, easy to style and practical for stylish storage. With its rounded look and matt wooden finish, it would fit with a Mid-Century Modern style perfectly.

What could be better than one curved, modern-retro style table for your living room? Two tables, of course! These tables have a calming Scandinavian look and are the ultimate choice for space-saving furniture that works well with a retro aesthetic. You get the versatile choice between two surfaces, perfect for resting drinks on or covering in decor, or one surface, with the other one tucked away underneath.

While a side table can be easy to overlook when you’re planning your retro living room design, the right choice - like the Ribble Oval Side Table - can really tie together the overall style. This side table’s design complements curved, retro sofas so well, but it also stands alone as a distinctive, interesting piece of furniture.

Seating

A boucle accent chair is an incredibly comfy and definitely retro choice for your living room, but you can still turn it up a notch by choosing a swivel boucle chair, like the Florence Boucle Chair. It’s cosy and perfect for adding a dash of 70s retro style to your home, while also having the charm and versatility of being a swivel chair. The best of both worlds!

A matching accent chair and footstool can instantly elevate your living room’s look, especially when they’re upholstered with smooth, cream fabric like the Harriet Chair and Footstool. Curved, sophisticated and unapologetically vintage, this set is bursting with Art Deco elegance.

Add some luxurious dark wood to plush white boucle fabric and you end up with an accent chair that feels like a dream to sit on and looks seriously sophisticated. The Anaise Chair is ideal for living rooms embracing a Mid-Century Modern style, bringing that elegant look to life in your home.

There aren’t many feelings better than sinking into an indulgent boucle armchair at the end of a long day, but seeing how it fits effortlessly into your interior design aesthetic has to come close. White boucle fabric is so easy to style, and so incredible to curl into. You don’t have to choose between elegance and comfort, especially when you’re creating a retro living room aesthetic.

As well as an armchair and sofa, you may also want a pouffe in your living room. Even if you don’t need it as an extra seat, you can put your feet up on it, and a boucle pouffe like the Florence Pouffe will add to the retro feel of your living room’s decor. Match it with a boucle armchair and sofa for a cohesive and elegant look.

Boucle fabric is definitely a key material for achieving a retro feel, so why not use it as the focal point of your living room with a sofa like the Aimee 3 Seater Sofa? Surround it with pieces like white boucle accent chairs and pouffes for a strong, cohesive style, or add in some contrast with black boucle furniture for a little bit of drama. 

Textiles

Cushions

Once you’ve got your seating sorted, you’ll want to choose some cushions to cosy up into, like this mustard yellow Luxury Velvet Cushion. It’s just the right shade to fill your living room with warmth, and you can add in some avocado green to instantly get that 70s style. Plus, choosing pillows filled with feathers like this one means you get the ultimate comfy experience when you sink into them - pure bliss!

Want a little more elegance from your retro cushions? The Luxury Savoy Cushion has a refined, striped pattern that looks especially luxurious in brick orange, with the detailing in gold. The orange shade still has that warmth and cosiness, but the gold pattern really steps this cushion up and makes it perfect for Art Deco interiors.

If you’re going for a boucle-drenched retro living room look, then don’t stop at your seating - go one step further and add a boucle cushion on top! The Amber Double Sided Cushion comes in a beautiful shade of cream that will suit the most refined retro interiors, while also feeling plush and cosy at the same time.

Your Mid-Century Modern living room aesthetic won’t be complete without a bold, colourful cushion like the Luxury Daphne Cushion. The playful, abstract blue pattern can immediately liven up your sofa set-up.

Add some abstract style to your sofa with both the pattern and textures on this Luxury Embroidered Cushion. It would complement a white boucle armchair perfectly, and the extra texture adds some interesting depth. It’s just right for bringing some added personality to your retro living room!

Throws

As well as being very cosy for cuddling under when you’re on the sofa, throws can really add to the retro feel of your living room. This Meta Jacquard Throw is in a throwback olive green shade and its abstract pattern and tassels are the perfect accompaniment for a boucle chair. It adds the vibrant, colourful side of retro style to your setup and is great for a 60s Boho aesthetic, while also being practical for those colder nights!

Faux fur is comfy, cosy, and definitely retro, especially in this rust orange shade that the Empress Throw comes in. Choosing a throw like this one, with a velvety side and a smooth side, means that you get the added depth of those different textures for the ultimate faux fur experience, right in your living room!

For a taste of boucle in a slightly different form than we’ve seen it in seating and cushions, you could try out a boucle throw, like the Candar Throw. In warm and welcoming ginger orange, it’s the perfect addition to make your living room feel a little more homely. The tassels, texture and shade all add together for a dose of nostalgia that you’ll love having in your home.

For the perfect match to the Luxury Velvet Cushion, try out the Luxury Haze Throw, also in that retro mustard yellow colour. It’s soft, hand-stitched and weighty enough to feel like a comforting hug every time you curl up under it. Just draping it over your sofa will instantly add that vintage feel to your living room, and the colour is perfect for a 70s-inspired interior.

Rugs

Don’t forget your floor when you’re designing your retro living room! A quick and easy way to add cool retro vibes to your room is to add in a rug like the Apollo Geometric Rug, with an interesting, swirling design that has a nostalgic feel. It’s plush, soft, and perfect for creating an Art Deco interior.

Bohemian styles are great for a relaxed, retro feel, like the pattern on this Boho Abstract Rug. The rust orange colour fits perfectly with 70s aesthetics, and has such a warm and welcoming feel to it. With a shaggy texture and tassels, it’s comfy and has that whimsical touch for a homely living room style.

Need something to fit with your white boucle living room furniture? Going with a more neutral tone for your rug, like the Taylor Wool Rug in natural colouring, can add to an elegant retro look. With a hand-tufted, organic look, it’s the perfect accent for a stunning and refined Boho-Chic aesthetic.

For a more vibrant and colourful take on a retro living room, try out something bold and cosy like the Montana Shaggy Rug in bright yellow. Add in a yellow throw and cushions for a striking and cohesive effect. It’ll instantly attract attention when someone enters your space, and it’s so soft and comfy too.

You could also go fully Boho with your retro living room style by adding a jute rug, like the Iona Rug. As well as being sustainable and eco-friendly, it has that 60s Boho look and a scallop edge trim that looks so homely and inviting. Match it with some rattan furniture and houseplants - real or faux! - to complete the natural retro aesthetic.

Decor

Lighting

A rattan light shade is a great way to finish off your retro living room design. It adds that finishing touch to your room for a little bit of extra charm and character, and it’s the perfect accompaniment to rattan-fronted drawers or a large, natural jute rug!

For a darker, more refined light shade, you might want to go with something like the Vera Light Shade in elegant black. It’s made of jute, so it has that natural edge to it, but it can match with moodier colour palettes than typical Boho aesthetics - it would be right at home in an Art Deco living room. Pair it with black wooden furniture with rattan accents for a cohesive retro combination.

Table lamps are perfect for retro aesthetics, because they soften the lighting in your room and provide a gentler option than bright ceiling lights. The Patrice Lamp is a great example - it has a distinctive, stylish glass base and an organic, natural fabric shade, and it’s just the right size to perch on a sideboard or end table.

Go with a bold, Mid-Century Modern style table lamp like the Annabelle Lamp to really make a sophisticated statement with your living room lighting. The elegant red-brown base has a refined, ribbed design, but the fabric shade makes sure it keeps that natural touch, so it’s ideal for a calming, retro space.

Other Decorations

As well as being a practical choice to keep your living room warm and snug, a draught excluder can be a stylish addition to your decor too! This Malham Draught Excluder’s light grey boucle fabric will fit perfectly with white boucle furniture, making it an ideal retro living room companion.

If you’re going for a natural, Boho style retro living room look, then decor like the Rhodes Milk Vase, filled with your flowers of choice, will fit right in. Getting all the small details right can help your overall retro living room aesthetic come together, even down to the softly textured patterning on this vase.

One of the most important parts of designing your retro style living room look is to remember to have some fun with it. Playful additions like this Imola Wall Mirror can add a bit of character and life to your walls, creating a bit of a funky 70s feel, and the sculptured frame gives your space a little bit more depth and texture.

A concrete-effect mirror may not sound overly retro at first, but it’s the uneven, artistic frame to this mirror that gives it a distinctive look that is perfect for nostalgic interiors. Set it on the wall above a console table or sideboard in your living room to create a picture-perfect nook, adding in some rustic decor below the mirror to finish off the space.

A faux plant is ideal for adding some natural greenery to your living room decor without any of the upkeep worries that come with a real houseplant. This Wide Fern has a realistic look with some incredibly intricate detailing on each leaf, and it’s got that classic houseplant look that suits retro interiors so well.

It’s Time To Go Retro

If you’re ready to take the plunge and re-decorate your living room to have a retro vibe, then we’ve got plenty of living room furniture for you to check through. You may also want to consider some of our bookcase ideas for your living room, as well as our guide on how to decorate your display cabinet, so that you can perfect the final look!