When you hear the word “Eurostyle,” you might immediately think of sleek, modern European furnishings circa 1981. Marble and matte black reigned, and it was fabulous. But today we take a look at Eurostyle circa 1986, when it had become integrated into the American design climate. Think “old meets new” rather than “stark and modern”. The photos in today’s post come from 1986 and 1987 issues of Metropolitan Home. Since this week at Mirror80 we’re celebrating the concept of mixing design styles, we couldn’t think of a more perfect time to shine the spotlight on mid-’80s Eurostyle…
As noted in the September 1986 issue of Metropolitan Home (photos by Langdon Clay), the key of Eurostyle was this: “Nothing ‘matches,’ but everything looks of a piece, because each piece shares in the Eurostyle sensibility.” It’s why you can combine antique pieces with the most modern of chairs. It’s about balancing the old with the new and making brave choices. Like black marble countertops!
Here’s some fun Eurostyle wisdom for the kitchen and powder room, courtesy of Metropolitan Home. Think black glass on appliances and dials that seem to be lifted from the dashboard:
Eurostyle taught us the inherent beauty of the machine – the tenet born in the Bauhaus and, at long last, imported to our house. Fittingly, the kitchen and the bathroom are chief beneficiaries of these high-design, high-engineering triumphs. In the bath, Eurostyle elevates the everyday, from shavers to soap. Cabinets and vanities become beautiful in their own right, go sleek with laminates, lacquers and the slickest lines around. Ditto for the kitchen, where black comes on strong for cabinets, refrigerators, stoves. Other appliances are blessed with the looks and function of a BMW. –Stephanie Pierson
And when it comes to the living room, old meets new in the photo below. Note how 19th-century mouldings and mirrors somehow work beautifully with a modern black leather sofa and a sleek coffee table:
We end today’s post with a few more photos, this time featuring the ’80s home of architect and furniture maker Mark Zeff (via the January 1987 issue of Metropolitan Home – photos by Jon Jensen). The living room, shown below, is a “mix of old and new [that] goes beyond shock value by leavening the room’s ornate architecture with [Zeff’s] own contemporary pieces: Bauhaus leather and chrome sofas rein in a neoclassic mantel.”
The bedroom features a mantel that has been marbleized with layers of wrapped-on paper. It displays a collection of treasures, from a modern lamp to verdigris candlesticks:
Old even meets new on the painted floor, which features a Greek key pattern painted by artist Richard Cava. It’s a contemporary take on a classic motif!
The moral of today’s post: don’t be afraid to mix the old with the new. Mix ’80s modern with today’s modern. Mix the antique with the sleek. You can add a dash of ’80s to your interior without re-doing the entire space. Sometimes it’s the juxtaposition of different styles and eras that makes for the most interesting of design endeavors!
Happy Decorating…
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