I keep coming across shelving options that scream ’80s. Perhaps it’s the geometry of the pieces, or maybe it’s the use of lacquer, gloss and mirrors. Definitely for bolder design tastes, these display items are scene-stealers. One thing is for sure: my collection of ’80s ceramic swans would look amazing against the backdrop of chrome and glass!
Friday Video Pick: “So Unreal” by LA Vampires Featuring Matrix Metals
Today’s Friday Video Pick is a new piece that’s exploding with ’80s motifs. Grids, LaserDiscs, Trapper Keeper-ish graphic design and references to artist Patrick Nagel are a few of the many 1980s flourishes packed into this six-minute style fest featuring LA Vampires. There’s even a plasma ball that may as well have been plucked from the shelves of The Sharper Image in all of its electrified glory.
Swatch Watch Mania!
They are works of art with a wristband. They are slices of ’80s graphic design heaven. They are Swatch Watches, and they’re back! Did you wear two Swatches at once? Did you own a Swatch guard? After all, who needs to see the face of your watch if you can protect it with a neon statement in rubber. The good news: thanks to eBay, Etsy and vendors like SwatchandBeyond.com, you can hunt down the Swatch that got away.
Shades of Liz Claiborne
Liz Claiborne purses took the ’80s by storm with their geometric motifs and vast range of colors. Whether the triangles were raised or printed in dark outlines on the purses, the effect was equally fabulous. And now these little gems are back! With the help of Etsy friends and color schemes from Adobe website Kuler, we celebrate the multi-hued possibilities of Liz Claiborne.
Friday Video Pick: “Reflection of You” by Bear in Heaven
Today’s Friday Video Pick is a new piece from Brooklyn rock band Bear in Heaven. With a voice that carries like the singing of Christopher Cross, lead singer Jon Philpot creates a modern take on synth-driven rock. The video consists of a series of rapid zoom-in shots (the dizzy- or seizure-prone may wish to avoid it), and a neon background peppered with flashing lights is contemporary awesomeness at its best.
Creating a Retro Eclectic Space
This week we were delighted to stumble upon a modern living room with a retro eclectic look. Created by M. Design Interiors, the space features a brown sectional sofa with tan pillows, which conjures a ’70s /’80s vibe. The white cylinder coffee table with a metal base can’t help but scream ’80s. Topping it all […]
’80s Tribal Design
Today’s dose of style comes from Forever 21 and their extensive assortment of ’80s tribal prints. Why we love Forever 21: the way they’ve repeatedly zoned in on the geometric possibilities of ’80s motifs and spruced them up with electric neon hues. What we wish they’d do differently: offer more shirts in fitted sizes to flatter those of us without model DNA. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the ’80s, it’s that baggier isn’t always better. Our solution: make pillows out of their over-sized tops.
Friday Video Pick: “Urgent” by Foreigner
Today we travel back to a time when the message of a rock song was so urgent, it made band members pulse with energy as they belted it out. Maybe the message was “Someday Love Will Find You” or “You’re as Cold as Ice,” or even more urgent that that: “Urgent!” Yes, today we celebrate that dire word proclaimed by the band Foreigner in their 1981 hit.
Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan
In honor of acclaimed indie director Whit Stillman’s new film Damsels in Distress, we travel back to the year 1990 and revisit his very first movie, the beloved Metropolitan. The plot is simple: a group of upper class college students on winter break navigate the social waters of New York’s debutante season. Long, puffy formal wear and Upper East Side apartments reflecting late ’80s elegance are screen staples, and an amazing script (written by Stillman) earned this gem of a film an Oscar nomination.
A New Take on ’80s Interior Design
When I first launched Mirror80, I would tell people I was covering 1980s design, and there would inevitably be a joke about teal and mauve color schemes. Of course, that didn’t stop me from using both colors in my logo! But over time, these notorious shades are starting to lose their stigma. Especially teal. Today we show you how this color is making a powerful comeback. For real!
