The ’80s Design Trends Designers Secretly Wish Would Make a Comeback

• Interior design from the 1980s is coming back, albeit in refreshing and more modern ways.
• Glass blocks, tiled fireplaces, and colorful kitchens are a few trends designers wish would come back.
• Designers said chocolate brown and carpeted bathrooms should stay in the past.
  

There’s something comforting about nostalgic interior design, perhaps it’s because it reminds us of simpler times. We’ve seen some 1980s design trends break out of retirement in the past few years with the rise of avocado green and arched design features. However, there are a lot more where those came from, just waiting for us to unearth.

We asked three designers which ’80s decorating trends they’d love to see make a comeback, and which ones should stay in the past.

Glass Blocks

Glass block walls were a common sight in commercial and residential spaces throughout the ’80s and well into the ’90s, and one designer wants to start seeing more of them once again.

“Glass block walls are a stylish and creative way to divide spaces while still letting natural light shine through,” says interior designer Meredith Randall.

She recommends using glass blocks to separate a bathing area from the rest of the bathroom to add privacy while maintaining a sleek, open feel.

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Tiled Fireplaces

Interior designer Camilla Masi is always up for pleading the case for adding a little tile work to a fireplace. While she hasn’t noticed a complete resurgence of this trend yet, she believes it aligns with the direction modern design is moving.

“Homeowners are looking for more individuality and character from their decor, and tiled fireplaces can really lean into the retro charm of the time but with a modern twist,” she says.

She suggests selecting tiles with a retro-inspired color scheme, such as brown, black, and orange, but interpreted in a modern way with unexpected patterns and contemporary textures.

Colorful Kitchens

Judi Cooper specializes in kitchen design, and she believes color is poised for a resurgence in these rooms.

“After years of subdued palettes, I expect bold hues we saw in the ’80s to reclaim their space,” she says. “Homes will move beyond neutral safety with color selection.”

On that note, she says wallpaper is an excellent avenue for bringing color back into your kitchen. Think big patterns with unexpected color pairings here.

Pattern Drenching

Color drenching is one design trend we’ve already seen come back around, and apparently, pattern drenching should be next. All three designers mentioned heavy use of eclectic patterns as one of the ’80s decorating trends they’d love to see more of in the coming years.

Masi especially wants more old-fashioned prints like chintz and florals in guest-facing spaces like powder bathrooms. These patterns weren’t necessarily born in the 1980s but were certainly popular during the time.

“Bathrooms, for me, are a great way to surprise people with a dose of unexpected color and pattern,” she says. “Combine a bold floral tiled floor with a complementary color-drenched interior in a contemporary hue, and you’ll be acing this trend.”

Certain Themed Aesthetics

Themed rooms were all over homes in the 1980s, with some themes obviously being a bit more stylish than others (we’re not necessarily talking about nautical bathrooms here).

Two themes that Randall deems worthy of a revival are the Memphis Style and Miami Vice aesthetics.

She defines Memphis style as a “bold and rule-breaking design movement that emerged from Italy in the 1980s” characterized by its “striking use of geometric shapes, vibrant colors, eclectic patterns, and mixed materials.”

And as far as the Miami Vice aesthetic goes, Randall believes a Miami penthouse was the definition of luxury in the 1980s. To hone this look in your own home, she recommends reaching for white marble floors and countertops, soft pastel pink sofas, lush potted palms, and sleek chrome finishes.

“Blending this iconic aesthetic with contemporary design feels both natural and timeless,” she says.

80s Design Trends That Should Stay Gone

In some ways, the 1980s were dark times for interior design. When we asked Randall which ’80s design trend she never wanted to see again, she said without hesitation, carpeted bathrooms.

We’ll add that next to popcorn ceilings as one of this era’s worst offenses.

And, despite Pantone naming Mocha Mousse as its 2025 Color of the Year, Masi encourages her clients to steer clear of this color that dominated the design world in the ’80s.

“We work with customers to predominantly design kitchens and bathrooms, and chocolate brown is a very tricky color to bring into either of those spaces,” she says. “The nuances of it have to be absolutely perfect. Otherwise, I think it is just a flat, outdated color that should stay in the past.”