Sure, some people refer to the 1950’s as “the good old days,” but have you ever stopped to think about how your home decor would look if you were to take a trip back in time five or six decades? Chances are pretty good it would look absolutely nothing like it looks now. In fact, here are just a few of the ways home decor has changed over the years.
The Kitchen & Dining Room
Five or six decades ago, the kitchen was an isolated space where the woman cooked family meals for her husband and children. The family meal took place in a dedicated dining space, which was almost always in a separate room. Today, a lot of homeowners desire the “open space” look where the kitchen flows into the dining room and sometimes into the living room as well. The “open space” look gets rid of the boxed off feeling of a home. The kitchens of today serve as a place to cook, socialize, serve meals, and entertain.
Kitchen Before
Kitchen Now
Wooden Floor With White Cabinets Image © Josh Partee 2013
Dining Room Before
Heywood Wakefield Dining Room Image By Post War Vintage
Dining Room Now
Modern Plastic Chair Ideas for Dining Interior By The Room Edit
The Industrial Look Is In
A few decades ago, you might have found flowers or farm animals plastered on the walls. Today, it is not uncommon to see a cluster of pictures of high-tech bridges or other industrial scenes hanging on the wall. With more than 600,000 bridges in the United States, a homeowner has so many different options to choose from. As an added bonus, some of the bridges are more than 2,000 years old which opens the door for a few more vintage looking industrial photos to hang on the wall.
Urban Open Concept Living Room By Heirloom Design Build
The Implementing of Brick Walls
Brick walls are gorgeous and there are tons of different ways to implement brick walls into the decor of your home. As an added bonus, the pictures of industrial scenes or bridges look great with a brick wall behind them. Brick walls, floors, and trim are ideal because they complement virtually every style. Collectible, industrial, and even a simple white and black theme goes well with brick.
REAL Brick Wall Project by Camilla Molders Design
Less Natural Lighting
Natural lighting and solar energy are commonly worked into home decor plans of today. A few decades ago, a homeowner wouldn’t have even thought about working natural lighting into the decor of a kitchen, living room, or bathroom. Today, natural lighting is preferred because it is cheaper in the long run as you save money on electricity.
Let There be Light Image By Decor Design Show
Small Bathrooms
A large and luxurious bathroom was not something a house had five or six decades ago. A bathroom was a small space where one person took care of business and got cleaned up. It was not a place where two or three people could groom themselves and socialize at the same time.
Casual Comfort in a London Victorian House of Adamo Family, Noah Darnell ©
The Focal Point Has Changed
A few decades ago, most spaces – especially the living room – was designed around entertainment and news (mass communications). This was done by pointing everything at the television and making the television the center of the decor theme. This also included setting up a wired phone station as wireless technology did not exist. Thanks to personal laptops, cell phones, and wireless technology – this boxed-in theme is a thing of the past. The television is no longer the main source of entertainment. In fact, some people don’t even like having a television in their living rooms anymore.
Living Room TV Setups
Smart & Futuristic Decor
More and more homeowners are making necessary changes to their homes to consider them “smart” homes. A smart home just means a large portion – if not all – of the home can be controlled from your cell phone. The smoke detectors, security system, and even the heating and air conditioning can be controlled and alerted with a few taps on a smartphone. You can even use your smartphone to communicate with your home when you aren’t actually home.
Inspiration for a Contemporary Open Concept Living Room Image By Prorail Systems
Over the decades, everything from size to purpose to actual styles and themes has changed when it comes to decorating the inside of a home.
