Mirror80

Reflecting on recent retro style

  • Home
  • About Mirror80
  • Contact

1980s Design Inspiration: Mixing Patterns

November 25, 2015 by Kate Leave a Comment

Colorful textiles in a 1980s living room

Today’s post is all about the ’80s trend of mixing patterns! Whether you love each and every pattern in today’s post or you wouldn’t use them in your home to save your life, surely you’ll agree that these four rooms have something. Call it whimsy! Call it boldness. Call it a beautiful blend of colors and shapes. Ready to see more?…

1980s living room with painted drapery

At the top of the post we see patterned textiles in an image from The Mary Gilliatt Book of Color (1985). Above is a green living room with a patterned rug and painted drapery that adds dimension to the room (from The Decorating Book by Mary Gilliatt, 1981).

1980s room with painted patterns

The final two images are from The Mary Gilliatt Book of Color. First up: an enchanting space featuring painted walls and a painted closet. Geometric forms are alive and well, from the circle and diamond motifs to the overlapping shapes and segments on the chair fabric. Below we see a variety of patterns on a painted dining room wall. Love the border!

Painted patterns on an '80s dining room wall

Hope today’s pattern-rich photos inspired you. I’m thinking of painting a border on a wall or two in my home, and these pics have filled my head with creative ideas! Happy designing…

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Related

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Mirror80 is a blog that celebrates the intersection of modern design and retro style. I'm Kate, and I enjoy exploring the look and feel of the "recent retro", with a focus on the late '70s through the early '90s. Welcome to Mirror80. Read More…

Categories

  • Art
  • DIY
  • Fashion
  • Film
  • Graphic Design
  • Interior Design
  • Interviews
  • Playlists
  • Reflections
  • Retro Foodie
  • Still Life
  • Television
  • Video Picks

Mirror80 Email List

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive a weekly email featuring our latest posts. [ninja_forms_display_form id=2]

Popular Posts

Recent Posts

  • An Update (and Pumpkins)!
  • A Casual Thanksgiving Picnic
  • Love My Way
  • Pastabilities
  • A Magical Fall

Archives

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

FEATURED POSTS

Embracing Color

7 Easy Ways to Bring ’80s Style Home

Top Gun Style: A Tropical Patio

Retro Architecture at the Beach

Holographic Style

Teatime, Retro-Style

A Memphis-Meets-Deco Home Tour

Dead Malls, Childhood Memories and ’80s Style

An ’80s Fashion Photo Shoot!

1980s Interior Design Styles

Copyright © 2025 · Dynamik-Gen on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.