Mid-Week Match-Up: An ’80s Toy-Inspired Room

A Rubik's Cube meets a Jonathan Adler rug

What if 1980s toys inspired the decor of a modern living room? Today Mirror80 asks this very question, then answers it with a little help from IKEA, Jonathan Adler, and the wonderfully-named Jellio, whose motto reads “A world of fun childhood memories brought back as unique home furnishings.” Already this is good!…

Contemporary decor inspired by 1980s toys

We begin by setting the stage with a clean-lined KIVIK sofa from IKEA. When the rest of the room is exploding with color, it’s important to ground it with one large, understated piece. To enhance the ’80s look, we made sure to select a sofa that sits low to the ground, as many an ’80s couch rested on the floor, sans the Mid-Century-style elevated legs that are so popular in today’s furnishings.

We’ll now spotlight the items designed by Jellio. Revisiting childhood themes is their worthwhile mission, and you won’t believe the results! From a Spirograph-inspired table to planters based on the children’s game Ants in the Pants, each item is designed with humor and whimsy.

For today’s post, we selected GummiLights, LED-powered lights designed by Kevin Champeny, to rest above the white couch. Beside the couch we have a Poof Ottoman in hot pink, which stirs memories of those fuzzball stick-ons that graced many a surface in the 1980s. This life-sized version is sure to wow! At the center of the action is the Lite Table, which allows for a little Lite Brite fun with its removable pegs.

Our toy- and goodie-based items are brought to life by a pink tonal squares rug from Jonathan Adler. Other accents include a blue LOBBO lamp from IKEA, which rests on an IKEA STOCKHOLM side table in black. This petite gem resembles the Art Deco side tables that experienced a revival in the 1980s. We top it all off with a Rubik’s 3 x 3 Retail Pack Cube from the Rubik’s Store, which we think would look great as a little art piece on a shelf or table.

We hope this post has brought out your inner child. A special thanks to Jellio, which was our source of inspiration. Have a playful Wednesday!