Choosing retro wallpaper — warm, fun, nostalgic style that's back in a big way
Retro is back, and it is bolder than ever. After years of pale minimalism, the warmth, colour and sheer fun of mid-century and vintage-era design has come roaring back into fashion. From groovy seventies geometrics in burnt orange and mustard to playful sixties pop and bold eighties graphics, retro wallpaper brings personality and nostalgia to a room. Here are the retro styles to consider and where each works best.
Retro wallpaper styles
Seventies designs are the heart of the retro revival — big, bold geometrics and oversized florals in warm, earthy colour, groovy and instantly nostalgic.
Sixties mod brings clean, playful shapes and pop-art colour for a fun, optimistic feel.
Eighties graphics are bold and postmodern — Memphis-style shapes, squiggles and bright, clashing colour for a real statement.
Retro florals take a stylised, graphic approach to blooms, in the flat, bold style of the era.
Groovy swirls and waves capture the psychedelic, free-spirited side of retro design.
Geometric retro brings repeating shapes and warm colour for a pattern that feels both vintage and current.
Retro colours
The colours are what make retro instantly recognisable. The seventies palette is warm and earthy — burnt orange, mustard and ochre, avocado and olive green, chocolate brown and cream. The sixties bring brighter pop colour, and the eighties go bold and clashing. Warm, earthy retro tones in particular are having a huge moment, tying into the wider move towards warmth and nostalgia in interiors.
Why retro wallpaper works
Retro is the antidote to years of cool, pared-back minimalism. It brings warmth, colour, fun and personality, and a comforting hit of nostalgia that makes a room feel characterful and lived-in. A single retro feature wall injects instant energy and individuality into a space, and the current revival means it feels fresh and on-trend rather than dated.
Retro wallpaper by room
Living rooms suit a bold seventies geometric or floral as a warm, fun feature wall. Dining rooms and kitchens come alive with a groovy, colourful retro design. Bedrooms feel cosy and characterful in warm, earthy retro tones. Hallways gain instant personality from a bold retro pattern in a space you pass through.
Which material to choose
Every retro design is a made-to-measure mural on a choice of four materials — two paste-the-wall and two peel-and-stick, including water-resistant and waterproof grades for bathrooms and kitchens. You choose your material, and see the price for your exact wall size, on each product page.